The Hydro Baths in Swindon, built in 1868, served as a vital health and wellness center for the town’s railway workers and residents. The Victorian-era facility offered various therapeutic treatments, including Turkish baths, steam rooms, and hydrotherapy pools. However, beneath its reputation for healing, the Hydro Baths harbors a darker history of unexplained phenomena and ghostly encounters.

One of the most frequently reported apparitions is that of a young boy, believed to be a victim of a tragic drowning incident in the early 1900s. Visitors and staff have described seeing his spectral form near the main pool area, often accompanied by the sound of splashing water when the pool is empty.

Another recurring paranormal experience involves the lingering presence of a stern-faced matron, dressed in early 20th-century attire. Witnesses claim to have seen her patrolling the corridors, seemingly continuing her duties from beyond the grave. Some have reported feeling a cold touch on their shoulders or hearing whispered commands to maintain proper behavior within the facility.

The changing rooms have been a hotspot for inexplicable occurrences, with numerous accounts of lockers opening and closing on their own, personal belongings being moved, and the sensation of being watched when alone. Additionally, disembodied voices echoing through the tiled halls have been documented, often described as muffled conversations or distant laughter.

During World War II, the Hydro Baths served as a makeshift hospital for injured soldiers. This period left its paranormal mark, with reports of phantom footsteps, the smell of antiseptic, and sightings of soldiers in period uniforms wandering the premises, particularly in the areas once used as wards.