Syon House — the night the king's coffin split

London · United Kingdom · Palats · Scare 4/5

The king's coffin rested here overnight. By morning the lead had burst — and a dog was lapping up what had leaked out.

In February 1547 Henry VIII's body was carried west towards Windsor and rested one night in the dissolved Syon Abbey. According to the account Bishop Gilbert Burnet set down a century later, the jolting of the road had made the corpse swell, the lead lining split, and fluid drip onto the stone floor. When plumbers arrived at dawn to solder the coffin shut, they found a dog licking up the king's blood. Fifteen years earlier the friar William Peto had preached that dogs would one day lick Henry's blood, as they had the wicked king Ahab's. That the prophecy is said to have come true at Syon — the very house Henry had suppressed — is what makes the place hard to shrug off. The mansion built on the ruins carries the legend still.

FAQ

How scary is Syon House — the night the king's coffin split?

Syon House — the night the king's coffin split has a scare factor of 4/5 according to Haunted Places’ verified ratings.

Where is Syon House — the night the king's coffin split located?

Syon House — the night the king's coffin split is in London, United Kingdom.