Area Guide

Lowcountry Pastimes: The Spirits of 20 South Battery

With spooky season fast approaching, October is the perfect time to head to downtown Charleston and book an opulent room at one of the South’s most haunted bed and breakfasts, 20 South Battery, also known as the Battery Carriage Inn.

Built in 1843, the house is said to be one of the area’s most paranormally active locations, with several spirits roaming the building at night. According to those who dare to spend the night, guests can expect surprise visits from the inn’s resident ghosts, the Headless Torso and Gentleman Ghost.

Still donning his wool grey uniform, the Headless Torso was a Civil War solider who often visits guests in room eight who are brave enough to stay. The limb-less and head-less apparition has been known to wake guests from a dead sleep by making strange noises and hovering above their beds, sending some guests fleeing the inn in the middle of the night.

If you are looking for a gentler ghost, it would be in your favor to stay in room ten, where you may come across the Gentleman Ghost. The Gentlemen Ghost is a college student from the days that the Battery served as apartments for university students, and he appears to be of average height and build. The Gentlemen Ghost tends to glide about the room stylishly and is quite fond of the bed, where he often startles guests by laying peacefully next to them and keeping a watchful eye while they unpack.

Whether these ghosts are spooky or friendly, 20 South Battery has enough hauntings to keep guests coming back for an unforgettable stay. So, what do you think, are you brave enough to stay in one of these rooms this Halloween season?