This is one of those stories that has entered the common conciousness and is repeated in many locations around the country. Are they all real - were there really that many spies hung during eth Civil War?  Well, who knows, but the story told here is certainly one that has a lot of credence for those that have experienced it!

Traditions of Britain occupies a large site at the end of Henley Street and forms part of the original footprint of the old White Lion Inn where during the 16th and 17th centuries it used to be the stables and stableyard.  Over the centuries its use has changed and in the early part of the twentieth century was occupied by Guyvers Garage and car sales showroom.  Now however it is a clothing and gift retailer.  It is also one of the many haunted buildings in Henley Street and is owned by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust

At the time of the Civil War Stratford was in the grip of intrigue.  Stratford was initially occupied by the Royalists, the Parliamentarians had yet to gain a stronghold here.  Edgehill was due to be the site of a great battle and the Royalists had taken over the White Lion Inn for accomodation and stabling. 

On one particular afternoon, some of the soldiers were grooming their horses in the stables when they thought they heard a noise above them in the hayloft.

Was there someone upstairs?  A parliamentarian spy had taken cover there some time earlier and had lain perfectly still for several hours listening to the plans being discussed below him.  Suddenly cramp took hold of his leg and he kicked out involuntarily dislodging his sword from where he had carefully placed it.  The soldiers beneath him had stopped talking.  Silence lay over the stables before the sudden rush of the Royalists as they raced for the stairs to investigate.

He leapt to his feet and barricaded himself in before making a run for it.  He was chased through the streets, caught and hung – however he still haunts the first floor of the building to this very day.

Is this a real story? The answer is yes as many staff members of the current occupiers experience the unnerving strangeness of this particular haunting.  All new staff members are obliged to retrieve display equipment from the haunted room upstairs when they first jon the company.  When half way across the room the door slams behind them and for no apparent reasons locks itself firmly shut.  No matter how hard the member of staff tries they cannot get out.  And they have to resort to banging on the window to attract the attention of a passerby in order to let them out!

It is said to be the spy, protecting the individual from being caught!