Ghost Written: An Exhibition
Lamb House contains many 'ghosts'. Over nearly 70 years, the resident authors of Lamb House produced more than 70 works of literature, including ghost stories.
28 February - 22 December 2025 | Fri - Tues | 11am - 5pm
'Ghost Written' explores the ghostly and literary history of Lamb House, through the works of its resident authors: from Henry James, who moved into the house while completing his best-known ghost story The Turn of the Screw in 1898, through to Rumer Godden, who experienced her own ghostly goings-on in the house up until she left in 1973.
Featuring never displayed before items from our collection, 'spirit photography', a 'pepper's ghost' mirror, and more.
The exhibition is free with standard admission. Booking is not required.
Note:
The exhibition space is located upstairs in the White Parlour. There is no step-free access due to the historical nature of the house.
The house will be closed between 3 - 23 November to prepare for our Christmas season. 'Ghost Written' will then reopen from 24 November - 22 December.
That courtly, worldly, sentimental old gentleman [Henry James] can still make us afraid of the dark
The collection
Over nearly 70 years, the resident authors of Lamb House produced more than 70 works of literature, including ghost stories. There is no denying the literary inspiration Lamb House has served our former resident authors: Henry James, E.F. Benson, and Rumer Godden.
On display will be photographs of these authors as well as rare, limited edition prints of their books.
Writing paraphernalia belonging to Henry James and E.F. Benson will be displayed, alongside an automatic writing display centred around Theodora Bosanquet, the secretary to Henry James who claimed he used her as a vessel to continue his writings after death.
On loan from Smallhythe Place will be a beautiful 'pepper's ghost' stage mirror which would have been used to conjure 'ghosts' on stage during theatrical performances. While visitors will not be able to see the mirror in action due to its fragile condition, a diagram will be next to it explaining how the illusion worked.
Newly produced 'spirit photography', created by our curatorial team using modern technology and traditional techniques, will cover the exhibition space, adding an eerie atmosphere to the house already seeped in literary haunts.
Literary 'haunts'
Our former resident authors were all extremely prolific during the times they made Lamb House their home.
This vast body of work includes fiction and non-fiction, from short stories to biography, poetry, novels, children’s books and, of course, ghost stories. Lamb House was both home and inspiration to its authors, and often made an appearance in their books. Their ghost stories are no exception.
With all the literary ghosts which have been conjured here, does Lamb House have any ghosts of its own? Our authors have certainly written about their own spooky experiences here.
Explore how this Georgian house played muse and host to some of the greatest literary minds of the 20th century.
Acknowledgements
For exhibition research, the National Trust has worked with Prof. Philip Horne from UCL.
Theodora Bosanquet's automatic writings have been reproduced by kind permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library.
The history of Lamb House
Find out about this Georgian house and walled garden nestled in the heart of Rye. Discover the decades of inspiration it gave literary greats such as Henry James and E.F. Benson.
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