TV ghosts have been ‘spook-tacular’ for West Horsley Place

That’s because West Horsley Place near Guilford is where all five seasons of the hit BBC sitcom Ghosts were filmed. Button House, as the building is known to fans of the show, is home to a gang of restless spirits ranging from a cave dweller called Robin, a headless Elizabethan nobleman called Humphrey and Mary a medieval peasant.

The house and its 400-acre estate are supported by funding made possible by National Lottery players. This Halloween, West Horsley Place is making the most of its spooky pedigree by hosting a special event called Hallow-Scream. Guests are encouraged to dress as their favourite character from the BBC sitcom, explore the house’s principal rooms and take part in all sorts of Ghosts-related activities.

Chrissie Paver, West Horsley Place’s Brand, Marketing and Audience Manager, says the house’s association with the BBC show (there is also a US version) has boosted visitor numbers. West Horsley Place has been used as the backdrop to other film and TV productions (Enola Holmes and The Crown, for example), but the fact Ghosts uses the house’s exterior and interior in every single episode created a powerful connection for fans.

Chrissie said, “Some of the house’s rooms look exactly like they do in the show. The library, for example, has the same shelves, the same books and the same desk.

“People have really taken West Horsley Place to their hearts as Button House. And people who love the BBC show are so passionate about it – they watch it repeatedly.”

It’s just possible that actors aren’t the only ‘ghosts’ haunting the rooms and corridors of West Horsley Place. Chrissie said, “There are lots of stories linked to the house that are slightly morbid.” For example, Henry Courtenay, who owned the house in the 1530s, was beheaded in London after being accused of plotting against King Henry VIII.

An even more gruesome story concerns a red velvet bag – dating from the 1600s – that was found in the house’s attic. It is possible (but hard to prove) that the bag is the one Sir Walter Raleigh’s wife, Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Throckmorton, used to carry her husband’s embalmed head after his execution in 1618.

The Ghosts production team occasionally incorporated features of West Horsley Place into the show. For example, the real house’s upper floor is extremely fragile, a detail that cropped up in the BBC sitcom when Alison and Mike (the young couple who inherit Button House) mention it and someone falls through the floor.

The Ghosts connection hasn’t just increased the number of visitors to West Horsley Place; it has also helped attract younger people. Teenagers who might be reluctant to visit a historic house are often excited to see the haunted rooms of ‘Button House’.

Chrissie said, “Ghosts is such a lovely family show with great characters. It’s a comedy, but there are poignant moments too. It makes you hopeful for life after death, because if there are ghosts around and they’re all friendly, that’s not too bad.”

To find out more about Halloween events at West Horsley Place go to https://westhorsleyplace.org/

8th October 2025