The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall

[00:00:00] Hi there, and welcome to Out There, A Cryptid Podcast. I'm Josh, and today we're talking about what is probably the most famous ghost photograph ever taken. A mysterious figure, centuries-old ghost stories, one iconic image, and a debate that's still going strong nearly 90 years later. This is The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall. Let's dive in.

[00:00:25] We'll get into The Brown Lady of Raynham Hall right after this.

[00:01:31] I'm participating in U.S. talk about locations for a limited time and while supplies last. And we're back. Streaming on Peacock. May I present to you the award-winning staff of the Toledo Truth Teller. Slap me. Let's jar something loose. Ay, yes! I like that! The Certified Fresh Series returns. Your boss. You always like this? Or is this just an act, oh no, this is mad. Oysters, everybody! There is a certain satisfaction when you work with someone. Maybe we could be a family. You sadistic pig! The Paper.

[00:02:01] New season streaming September 9th, only on Peacock. This show gives me a reason to laugh. When it comes to pictures of alleged ghosts, there are a few famous images that always come to mind. Some show blurry figures in old buildings. Others seem to capture shadowy apparitions in photos that aren't supposed to be there.

[00:02:25] But even beyond the famous examples, there are so many pictures that claim to show something supernatural. However, for many paranormal enthusiasts, there's one photograph that has stood above the rest for decades. It was taken in 1936 inside a place called Rainham Hall, a grand English manor in Norfolk.

[00:02:50] But before we can talk about the image itself, we have to understand the legend behind it. Because long before cameras ever entered the manor, people claimed the estate was haunted by a woman dressed in brown. So, let's go back to the early 1600s. Rainham Hall is located on England's eastern coast.

[00:03:16] Today, it's a quiet rural area known for the beautiful countryside and historic village estates. But in the early 1600s, Norfolk was one of England's most important regions for agriculture. So, wealthy families would build huge country homes to show their status in society.

[00:03:36] Construction on Rainham Hall began in 1619 for Sir Roger Towsend, who was a prominent lawyer and member of parliament at the time. The manor was built in a Jacobian style and featured grand staircases, elegant brickwork, and gardens that reflected the wealth and influence of the family.

[00:03:59] And over the following centuries, Rainham Hall remained the family's home, where they would host members of the British wealthy families. Which is why it became one of Norfolk's most recognizable country estates. From the outside, it's not the first place you would assume to be haunted, because of how beautiful it is and how it has been carefully preserved for more than 400 years.

[00:04:23] But like many old estates across England, those walls have witnessed generations of success, tragedy, and even family secrets. At the center of the manor's most popular story was Charles Towsend, who was born in 1674. When he inherited the title of Second Viscount Towsend, he became the head of the family and one of the most important figures living at Rainham Hall.

[00:04:51] Charles was intelligent, ambitious, and a respected politician. He served in Parliament, became involved in foreign affairs, and was eventually appointed as Secretary of State. He was known as someone who had a sharp political mind, but he was also known for having a strong personality. Some accounts described him as stubborn, intense, and had a violent temper.

[00:05:18] But then, in 1713, Charles married a woman named Dorothy Walpole. Dorothy wasn't an outsider marrying into the Towsend family. She came from one of the most powerful families in England as well. Her older brother was Robert Walpole, who was a politician that eventually became the first Prime Minister of Great Britain.

[00:05:42] The marriage connected two very influential families, and in this time period was an extremely profitable match. Together, Charles and Dorothy had a large family with seven children and spent years living at Rainham Hall. But, of course, with every aristocratic family comes rumors and secrets.

[00:06:07] According to legend, Dorothy was rumored to have been involved with another man, Lord Wharton. Wharton was a well-known figure in London society, but he was also known for being a womanizer. In fact, there was even a saying at the time that no woman could spend 24 hours under his roof and walk away with her reputation completely intact.

[00:06:32] Now, there are no records that prove Dorothy and Lord Wharton actually had an affair. And there's even a version of the story that suggests that Dorothy may not have done anything wrong. According to that version, Dorothy was invited to stay with the Lord's wife, the Countess of Wharton. The claim is that the Countess knew exactly what kind of reputation Lord Wharton had, and knew that simply being in his home could damage Dorothy's reputation.

[00:07:02] And because of Charles Towson's temper, she may have known exactly how he would react. What we do know is that Dorothy died from smallpox in 1726 at the age of 40. But, over time, a much darker story grew around her death. Some legends claim she died after years of confinement.

[00:07:26] Others claim she was murdered, pushed down the stairs, or even hidden away inside the walls of Rainham Hall. Here's the thing, there's no historical evidence proving those stories. But there are some sources that claim Charles was devastated at the loss of Dorothy. So, this could all be just a story invented because of the status of this family.

[00:07:51] But, this story is important because it supposedly introduces us to the brown lady of Raneham Hall herself, Miss Dorothy. Decades later, visitors to the hall would claim that they saw the figure of a woman walking through the halls, always wearing a brown dress. The first widely reported sighting came in 1835 during the Christmas season.

[00:08:20] According to the story, a young man named Colonel Loftus was staying at the hall when he saw something strange while walking through the house at night. In the dim light, he noticed the figure of a woman wearing a brown dress standing in one of the hallways. He started to approach her, but the figure reportedly just disappeared.

[00:08:44] A year later, another guest named Frederick Merritt had an encounter that would become one of the most famous early accounts of the haunting. Merritt was a well-known British naval officer and author. However, he was staying at the estate when he was told about the stories surrounding the mysterious woman that supposedly haunted the halls. And so, he decided to investigate for himself.

[00:09:13] This is what his daughter, Florence, said in 1891 about his experience. He took possession of the room in which the portrait of the apparition hung, and in which she had been seen often, and slept each night with a loaded revolver under his pillow. For two days, however, he saw nothing, and the third was to be the limit of his stay.

[00:09:39] On the third night, however, two young men, nephews of the baronet, knocked at his door as he was undressing to go to bed, and asked him to step over to their room, which was at the other end of the corridor, and gave them his opinion on a new gun just arrived from London. My father was in his shirt and trousers.

[00:10:04] But as the hours was late, and everybody had retired to rest except themselves, he prepared to accompany them as he was. As they were leaving the room, he caught up his revolver. In case you meet the brown lady, he said, laughing. When the inspection of the gun was over, the young men in the same spirit declared they would accompany my father back again. In case you meet the brown lady, they repeated, laughing also.

[00:10:32] The three gentlemen, therefore, returned in company. The corridor was long and dark. The corridor was long and dark, for the lights had been extinguished. But as they reached the middle of it, they saw the glimmer of a lamp coming towards them from the other end. One of the ladies going to visit the nurseries, whispered the young Towsend to my father. Now, the bedroom doors in that corridor faced each other, and each room had a double door with a spare between.

[00:11:03] As is the case in many old-fashioned houses. My father, as I have said, was in shirt and trousers only, and his native modesty made him feel uncomfortable. So he slipped within one of the outer doors, his friends following his example, in order to conceal himself until a lady should have passed by.

[00:11:26] I have heard him describe how he watched her approaching nearer and nearer, through the chink of the door, until, as she was close enough for him to distinguish the colors and style of her costume. He recognized the figure as the portrait of the brown lady. He had his finger on the trigger of his revolver, and was about to demand it to stop and give the reason for its presence there.

[00:11:54] When the figure halted of its own accord before the door behind which he stood, and holding the lighted lamp she carried to her features, grinned in a malicious and diabolic manner at him. This act was so infuriated my father, who was anything but lamb-like in disposition, that he sprang into the corridor with a bound and discharged the revolver right in her face.

[00:12:24] The figure instantly disappeared. The figure at which, for several minutes, three men had been looking together. And the bullet passed through the outer door of the room on the opposite side of the corridor. And lodged in the panel of the inner one. My father never attempted, again, to interfere with the brown lady of Rainham Hall.

[00:12:50] And those are really the early major sightings that helped establish the legend of the brown lady. Now, that might seem a little strange, because if this spirit was supposedly haunting one of England's most famous manor houses, why don't we have dozens of documented encounters? But it's important to remember that this was still a private family home.

[00:13:15] It wasn't a public attraction, or a place where people were constantly coming to investigate reports of paranormal activity. Many experiences, if they had happened, would have likely been shared privately between members of the Towson family, guests, or servants who lived and worked inside the manor. So, it's very possible that other stories existed and were simply passed down locally or within the family,

[00:13:44] rather than becoming part of the historical record. But whether there were two sightings, or twenty, the stories that did survive were enough to keep the legend of the brown lady alive for nearly a century. Until one day, in 1936, when the legend would become something much bigger.

[00:14:10] More on the brown lady of Rainham Hall, right after this.

[00:14:40] The Paper. New season streaming September 9th, only on Peacock. This show gives me a reason to laugh. Hello? Look what TJ Maxx dragged in. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is now streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu. We are digital. We are downloadable. We are streamable. The fashion event of the year is certified fresh. Pull yourself together. We have work to do. Critics say it's smart and witty. And the perfect sequel. That's all.

[00:15:06] Get runway ready for The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Disney Plus and Hulu. Rated PG-13. In September of 1936, two men from Country Life magazine arrived at the manor. The men were Captain Herbert C. Provandd and Indri Shira. Provand was a photographer and Shira was a journalist.

[00:15:35] They were there to photograph the historic manor for the magazine. But while they were there, they were told about the legend of the Brown Lady. And of course, the story was enough to get their attention. On September 19th, Provand and Shira were inside Rainham Hall, photographing the staircase. When Shira claimed that he suddenly saw something strange.

[00:15:59] According to his account, he noticed what looked like a mist or haze beginning to form near the top of the staircase. At first, it didn't really look like anything. But as he watched it, he said the mist started to take on the shape of a woman. Shira reportedly yelled at Provand to take a picture. So, he quickly brought his camera up and took the shot.

[00:16:26] Now, Provand later said that he didn't actually see the figure himself. He was looking through the viewfinder and apparently couldn't see anything unusual standing on the staircase. But he took the photo anyway. And when the two men eventually developed the photography, they saw something that they definitely weren't expecting.

[00:16:50] There, standing in the middle of the staircase, was what appeared to be the misty form of a woman. The figure looked almost transparent, with what seemed to be a long dress covering her body. Her head was tilted slightly forward, and her face wasn't really visible. And because of the position in the photo, it looked like she was actually standing on the stairs,

[00:17:17] rather than being some strange shape or shadow in the background. The photo was published in Country Life magazine in December of 1936. And this is really when the story of the brown lady exploded. Because suddenly, there was actual evidence that people could look at. Now, Country Life wasn't some paranormal magazine looking for the next great ghost story.

[00:17:43] It was a respected publication that covered country homes, architecture, gardens, and life in the English countryside. So, for a magazine like this to suddenly publish a photograph that appeared to show an actual ghost was a pretty big deal. The photo quickly started getting attention outside of England as well.

[00:18:07] Just a couple of weeks later, on January 4th of 1937, the image was reproduced in Life magazine in the United States. And now, people who had never even heard of Rainham Hall or the brown lady were suddenly looking at this photo of what appeared to be a woman walking down the staircase of an English manor.

[00:18:31] And of course, once the photo was out there, people wanted to know what the heck it was they were looking at. And was it real? The answer wasn't immediately clear. Some people saw the photo as incredible evidence that ghosts could actually be captured on film. Others were much more skeptical and wanted to know whether the image could have been created through some kind of photographic trick or mistake.

[00:18:59] One of the first people to take a serious look at the photo was Harry Price, a well-known British paranormal investigator. Price interviewed both Provand and She-Ra and examined the original negative. After hearing their story and looking at the photo, he said that he was impressed and couldn't find evidence that the negative had been faked.

[00:19:25] But even that wasn't the same thing as proving the figure was actually a ghost. It just meant that Price couldn't find a simple explanation for how the image had been created. I don't know about you, but this photo lives rent-free in my brain as the classic image of the paranormal. It's what all of the ghost books have on the cover, and it's what makes spirit so believable.

[00:19:54] And of course, if this was taken today, I might not be so quick to believe it, because we have so many editing softwares and generative photo apps easily available. But this was the 30s, so the question becomes, what exactly did Provand and She-Ra photograph that day? Now, the photograph continued to circulate through books, magazines, newspapers, and eventually paranormal televisions and documentaries.

[00:20:24] Rainham Hall itself became even more closely connected to the legend, and the picture became one of those images that was almost impossible to separate from the idea of a haunted house. But after all of this attention, there really weren't any major, well-documented sightings of the brown lady. There are a few later stories claiming that the apparition was seen at other nearby estates, which, who knows if it's even the same entity at all.

[00:20:52] But nothing comes close to the earlier accounts. And Rainham Hall itself didn't become some giant haunted attraction after the photo. It remained a private family home belonging to the Towson family. But remember that there were sightings before this photo was even taken, so it didn't create the legend of the brown lady. It basically took a story that already existed and turned it into one of the most famous ghost stories in the world.

[00:21:23] And that's really where the timeline ends. So, we go back to the thing that brought us here today. The photo. Because if nobody was seeing this woman anymore, then we have to ask the obvious question. What exactly did ProVand and Shira capture that day? There are a few different possibilities here, and I think the easiest way to break them down is into three categories.

[00:21:50] Maybe this was some kind of camera malfunction or accident. Maybe someone intentionally created the image as a hoax. Or maybe they really did photograph an apparition. So, let's start with the camera itself. Because there are actually a few different things that could have gone wrong. The biggest explanation is a double exposure.

[00:22:14] Basically, this happens when the same piece of film is exposed more than once, causing two separate images to appear on top of each other. So, if one photo showed the empty staircase and another exposure contained a person or some other object, you could end up with the exact kind of strange transparent figure looking like what we see in this photo.

[00:22:41] And then, there are some people who think that's exactly what happened. Joe Nickel, who is a well-known paranormal investigator, has argued that a detailed examination of the photo shows evidence of a double exposure. Researchers, John Fairley and Simon Welfare pointed to some pretty specific details in the staircase as well. They noted that there appears to be a pale line above each stair tread,

[00:23:11] almost as if another image has been placed over the first one. They also pointed out that a patch of reflected light near the top right-hand banister appears twice. If that's what we're actually seeing, it could be evidence that two photos were superimposed on the same piece of film. And here's where things get even more interesting.

[00:23:38] Because there were apparently already some problems with the camera that day. The Society of Physical Research, or SPR, later recorded that Provand was using an old stand camera and had complained that the bellows were faulty. He was apparently worried that light could get into the camera. The report also noted that the negative containing the supposed ghost appeared to have been shaken vertically,

[00:24:07] which caused the horizontal lines in the photograph to appear doubled. So, it's possible that some combination of camera movement and a photographic problem could have created at least part of what we're seeing. But that brings us to the possibility of light leak. If the bellows really were faulty, light could have gotten into the camera during the exposure and affected the film. Normally, that would probably just ruin the photograph.

[00:24:37] But depending on exactly where the light entered and how the film was exposed, it could potentially create some very strange shapes. And what's interesting about this theory is that the faulty bellows aren't just something a modern skeptic came up with. The problem with the camera was actually mentioned when the case was investigated by the SPR. We also have the idea that there was camera movement.

[00:25:05] The SPR report specifically described the photo as having evidence of vertical movement during the exposure. And if the camera moved while the shutter was open, it could distort objects in the photograph and create a ghost-like duplication or blurring. It doesn't necessarily explain the entire figure itself, but it could be part of whatever happened when the photo was taken.

[00:25:32] Now, there's another possibility which is much simpler. What if there really was a real person on the staircase? Remember, we're talking about photography in 1936. This wasn't an iPhone where you can snap a picture in a fraction of a second. If the exposure took long enough, somebody moving through the frame could appear partially transparent or blurred.

[00:25:58] If they moved quickly enough, parts of their body could disappear into the background, while other parts remained visible. And if someone happened to be walking down the staircase at exactly the wrong moment, the result could look a lot more supernatural than the actual event. This could have been a mistake, like someone trying to get out of the frame. Or maybe it was on purpose. Which leads us to the second category.

[00:26:27] And that's the possibility that none of this was an accident. What if somebody intentionally created the Brown Lady? More on the Brown Lady of Rainham Hall right after this. And we're back. Streaming on Peacock. May I present to you the award-winning staff of the Toledo Truth Teller. Slap me. Let's jar something loose. Ay, yes! I like that. The certified fresh series returns. Your boss. You always like this?

[00:26:56] Or is this just an act? Oh no, this is mad. Oysters, everybody! There is a certain satisfaction when you work with someone. Maybe we could be a family. You sadistic pig! The Paper. New season streaming September 9th, only on Peacock. This show gives me a reason to laugh. Hello? Look what TJ Maxx dragged in. The Devil Wears Prada 2 is now streaming on Disney Plus and Hulu. We are digital. We are downloadable. We are streamable.

[00:27:24] The fashion event of the year is certified fresh. Pull yourself together. We have work to do. Critics say it's smart and witty. And the perfect sequel. That's all. Get runway ready for The Devil Wears Prada 2 on Disney Plus and Hulu. Rated PG-13. One theory is that Shira himself could have manipulated the photograph.

[00:27:49] Some critics have suggested that he may have put grease or another substance on the camera lens in the shape of a figure, which could have produced a blurry image when the photograph was taken. Another version of the theory is that Shira simply walked down the staircase himself during the exposure and created the figure that way. And if you're thinking, okay, but why would someone do that?

[00:28:16] That's obviously the biggest question with the hoax theory. There would have to have been some reason for Shira to intentionally create a ghost photo while working for Country Life. And remember, according to his own account, he claimed he saw the figure before the photo was taken. So, if he was responsible for creating the image, you can assume that he was lying about seeing the brown lady in the first place.

[00:28:45] There's another theory in the hoax family, though. And it's known as the old sheet theory. Magician John Booth argued that the brown lady photo could actually be recreated using a very simple trick. He had another magician, Ron Wilson, cover himself in a bed sheet and walk down the grand staircase at the Magic Castle in Hollywood while being photographed.

[00:29:12] The resulting image reportedly looked very similar to the brown lady photo. So, if someone had simply put a sheet over themselves and walked down the staircase during the exposure, it's possible they could have created something that looked like a ghost. And then, kind of going back to the first category, there's the possibility of a purposeful double exposure. Instead of accidentally exposing the film twice, someone could have done it intentionally.

[00:29:42] You could photograph the empty staircase, expose the same piece of film again with a person or object in front of the camera, and end up with a transparent figure appearing in the final image. Now, double exposure wasn't some impossible technology in 1936. So, technically someone could have created the photograph that way if they wanted to.

[00:30:07] But, there's one more hoax theory that I think is really interesting, because it changes what we're even looking at. Some critics have argued that the brown lady doesn't actually look like a woman at all. They believe the shape looks remarkably similar to a traditional statue of the Virgin Mary. If you look at the photo that way, you can make out what appears to be a covered head,

[00:30:35] hands held together like they're praying, a long outer garment hanging down on either side, and even what looks like a square or rectangle at the base underneath the figure. The argument is that maybe we're simply looking at a photo of a statue that was superimposed on the staircase. Now, I do think it's important to note that even if the photo was a hoax or fate,

[00:31:01] it doesn't necessarily mean that the ghost herself wasn't real. But, that leads us to the final possibility. What if it really was the brown lady caught on camera? And, I don't mean that the photo looks spooky, so therefore it has to be a ghost. That's not really what makes this case interesting. The biggest piece of evidence for the paranormal explanation actually comes from Shira himself.

[00:31:30] Because, according to his account, he didn't just look at the developed photo and decide that a strange shape was a ghost. He claimed that he actually saw the vaporous figure forming on the staircase, and taking the form of a woman before the photo was taken. He was the one that told Provan to take the photo, so Provan did. And Provand himself didn't see the figure because he was underneath the camera cloth, and didn't see it through the viewfinder.

[00:32:00] And, that's the part of this case that I keep coming back to. Because, you can explain the photo in a bunch of different ways. Maybe it was double exposure. Maybe the camera moved. Maybe light got into the bellows. Maybe there was actually a person walking down the staircase. All of those things are possible explanations for how a strange figure could end up on a piece of film.

[00:32:24] But, none of those explanations automatically tell us what Shira thought he saw. And, that's where the brown lady gets stuck. If Shira was telling the truth, then maybe the photo really did capture something that was already there. If he wasn't, then the entire story could have been built around a photographic effect that people simply didn't understand at the time.

[00:32:50] And, I did save this little bit for the end so you could all be left on a cliffhanger of sorts. But, the original negative is no longer readily available for modern examination. The Society for Physical Researchers' Records note that the location of the original negative is uncertain.

[00:33:13] So, we're just left with the photo, the historical accounts, and the investigation that happened almost 90 years ago. And, I think that's exactly why the brown lady has remained so famous. Because, unlike a lot of ghost stories where all we have is somebody saying they saw something, here, we have an actual photo. But, at the same time, that photo doesn't come with a complete explanation.

[00:33:42] And, I think that's really the legacy of the brown lady of Raneham Hall. The story didn't just disappear after the photo was published. It became part of paranormal pop culture. Even showing up in horror comics over the years. In 1948, the legend was adapted into a story called The Grim Lady of Raneham Hall.

[00:34:03] And, it was later featured in other horror comics, including a 1974 DC Comics story about Raneham Hall. But, obviously, the photo is what really made this brown lady famous. Almost 90 years later, it is still one of the most recognizable photos of a ghost ever taken. And, has become one of those images that immediately comes to mind when you think about the paranormal.

[00:34:34] So, what do you think? Is the brown lady of Raneham Hall really... Out there? Be sure to follow us on Instagram, at Out There Cryptids, for episode posts, updates, and more. Join our community on Discord, where we dive even deeper into the mysteries we explore here on the podcast. The link can be found on our Instagram. And, if you're loving the show, consider supporting us on Patreon.

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