Updated: December 16, 2022
I’m not sure if CBS expected to have a hit on its hands with its new supernatural comedy, Ghosts, but they do. The series is a rare gem that appeals to both critics and viewers alike.
For example, on Rotten Tomatoes, it’s got an average critic Tomatometer score of 94% and a 71% average audience score. It’s rated 7.6/10 on IMDB and 79% of Google users like it.
It’s also doing well in ratings. As the Los Angeles Times reported, at least four times since it premiered, Ghosts has topped the viewership list for first-year series. It’s also ranked in the top 20 most-watched shows and in the top 10 for entertainment programs overall.
So, yeah, it’s doing pretty good.
It’s because of sometimes Haunt Jaunts contributor William Collins that I started paying attention to the series. And when I did the first thing I noticed was the house.
Then the first thing I wondered was, “Okay, where is that house? Is it real? Is it really haunted? Must. Know. More!”
But before I reveal what I dug up, let’s get acquainted with the series.
Ghosts Storyline
Here’s the description from CBS:
Samantha and Jay throw caution to the wind when they convert their recently inherited country estate into a bed-and-breakfast. Call it mislaid plans. Not only is the place falling apart, but it’s also inhabited by spirits of previous residents — whom only Samantha can see and hear. Ghosts spins the funny, heartfelt story about a newfound dream that reveals connection and self-discovery aren’t just for the living.
Ghosts Trailer
The Houses in Ghosts
Even though the show is set in the Hudson Valley, it’s not filmed there. According to The Cinemaholic, Ghosts is filmed in both Los Angeles, California, and Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Which helps explain why the exterior of Woodstone Mansion in the pilot doesn’t look like the one in the rest of the series.
The house in the pilot
The house in the original pilot (they’ve since changed it), is the Greystone Mansion & Gardens: The Doheny Estate, a real-life estate on South San Rafael Avenue in Pasadena, California. Specifically, 380 S. San Rafael, which is better known as Wayne Manor. As in Bruce Wayne. It was used as the exterior for his house in the 1966 Batman series. But that’s not its only claim to fame. It may even actually be haunted, and people can tour it. We’ll get to that below.
The house in the series
As Hooked on Houses pointed out, did they expect fans wouldn’t spot the change in house exteriors? They explained that the one that was swapped out for the Woodstone Estate in the CBS series was created in Montreal.
I’m not sure if the interior of the house is a combo of real house with soundstages, but according to Hooked on Houses, interior scenes are predominantly filmed on soundstages.
Can you tour, or stay in, the house in Ghosts?
Visiting the house in the CBS pilot
The real-life Greystone Mansion that serves as the exterior for Woodstone Mansion in the original CBS Ghosts pilot is a popular stop for set-jetters because it has appeared in other supernatural comedies. It was also Cosmo Topper’s Mansion in the movie Topper and was in Scary Movie 2.
It was also in the neo-noir romantic thriller Dead Again, was the Writer’s Mansion in Stand By Me, and was the Well-Manicured Man’s home in The X-Files movie.
Just to name a few of the things you may have seen it in prior to its appearance in Ghosts on CBS.
As far as it being either haunted or open to the public, yes and sort of yes.
In September 1928, Ned Doheny and his wife moved into the mansion. Months later, in February 1929, Ned was found shot to death in is home, a victim of an apparent murder-suicide perpetrated by his friend Hugh Plunkett. Some say either one or both of their ghosts now haunt the home.
Once in a while, tours of the inside of the home are given. In fact, in 2023, the estate is bringing back its popular “Inside the Mansion” program that allows visitors to see the first floor. 2023 dates so far include Saturday, January 7; Sunday, February 5; Saturday, March 4; and Sunday, March 5. Reservations are recommended, and since capacity is limited, it’s also recommended you book as early as possible.
However, the public is welcome to visit the grounds from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., seven days a week. For more info, visit https://www.beverlyhills.org/departments/communityservices/cityparks/greystonemansiongardens/visitgreystone.
Visiting the house in the CBS series
Since it appears this house’s location is either a very well-kept secret or created specifically for the series, there is no tour available —or chance to book an overnight stay. I know, I know. It would probably be booked solid if it was a real B&B that resembled anything at all like Woodstone Mansion.
The house in the BBC series
Unlike the house in the CBS version of Ghosts, Button Hall in the BBC version does exist. BBC Ghosts is filmed at West Horsley Place in Surrey, England.
The medieval manor house dates from the 1400s, so it’s loaded with history —and even a ghost story or two. After all, it’s seen its fair share of deaths over the centuries —and even a morbid mystery concerning a severed head in a red leather bag. Apparently the house was once owned by Sir Walter Raleigh’s son, Carew, whose father was beheaded for treason. But Carew’s mother wanted the head, and for whatever reason, they gave it to her.
When she moved into West Horsley Place with her son, the head came with her. Or did it? Allegedly it’s still in the house somewhere, perhaps in a forgotten cupboard or something, still in the red leather bag. Which sounds like the making of a Ghosts storyline, doesn’t it? Someone finds the bag, expecting perhaps to find an antique bowling ball, but instead makes the gruesome discovery that it’s an embalmed head.
Anyway, visitors are welcome to tour the house and grounds from April to October. Admission costs £10. The Nookies & Crannies tour costs £20. For more info, visit https://www.westhorsleyplace.org.
For More Info
For info about Ghosts on CBS, visit https://www.cbs.com/shows/ghosts.
Check-In
Would you visit the house where Ghosts on CBS is filmed if you could?
Courtney Mroch is a globe-trotting restless spirit who’s both possessed by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure, and obsessed with true crime, horror, the paranormal, and weird days. Perhaps it has something to do with her genes? She is related to occult royalty, after all. Marie Laveau, the famous Voodoo practitioner of New Orleans, is one of her ancestors. (Yes, really! As explained here.) That could also explain her infatuation with skeletons.
Speaking of mystical, to learn how Courtney channeled her battle with cancer to conjure up this site, check out HJ’s Origin Story.
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Ghosts and What We Do In The Shadows are my two favorite shows right now.
It is SO tempting to watch Ghosts, but I haven’t because I try not to spend too much time in front of the tube.
I have been trying to identify the house using images of the house in the series and aerial images of the property, but so far, no go. Unless one of the cast members identifies a nearby landmark, I’m searching for a needle in a haystack. Production erased the images of Wayne Manor from the pilot except for the imagery where Thorfinn tries picking up trash. I do know its loosely based on Pennsylvania’s haunted Baker house; the characters of Elias and Hetty were named after its owners.
What We Do In The Shadows is another one I hear a lot about. You reminded me I really need to hurry up and FINALLY check it out!
You are SO wise (and a lot more productive) not giving in to the temptation…
The what it might be based on comment is what’s going to inspire another Ghosts post so thank you. It came up when this comment reminded me I had hit “post” too soon. I wanted to mention and link to something else I’d found about the house, which was just that it appears it might not be a real house and that’s why you can’t find it. Like the interior, it might be a set that was created. At least partially. I’m just SO glad you saw this because I was going to tell you on Twitter…hey! Look! You are the reason I wrote about this! lol
41.812498, -73.964513 Have a look at the place at these coordinates on google maps. People say this is not the building, but I beg to differ. If it’s not this exact building it is an exact replicate. PS it is next to an old cemetery too.
Nope not it – I’ve seen a real overhead of the estate and its supposed to be somewhere near Montreal –
Hi, Michael. Thanks for stopping by to share the coordinates. I can see why you’d beg to differ that’s not the house since it looks so similar to the house on the show. lol But I know William is right that wherever the house is, if it’s real at all and not just a set, it’s in Canada somewhere. BUT I’d love to know if this is a private residence or what it is…and I also love that you noticed it’s near an old cemetery! THANKS for taking the time to leave this comment!
Hi Courtney upon careful review of the images side by side I now realize it is NOT the same exterior though it’s about as similar as you could get. The building at those coordinates has a long history it was originally an unfinished barn or “carriage house” for the Col. Oliver Hazard Payne Estate. The property was subdivided after Paynes death by the subsequent owners The barn was completed after his death and it was, much later, turned into a restaurant with gift shops during the 70’s & 80’s. To my knowledge the property now sits vacant. Interestingly the property belonged to a school for juvenile delinquents and I have heard rumors that there are many unmarked childrens graves in the woods around this property.
I do really wish that people who CLAIM to have seen the actual exterior location would just post the address so we can all see it too for ourselves. Canada and Montreal are big places so unless an address is posted showing definitively it’s somewhere in Canada is just parroting what the media have already said.
Thanks for posting and I do hope someone figures it out. Would be nice to know more about the real houses history if it even has one or is just a set built for the show as has been suggested.
My understanding is the house is owned by a Belgian family and is an hour’s drive from Montreal. The gazebo and lake seen in the series are not part of the property. I have a photo of the estate, but it has no clues on the location.
Ooo! Your comments are the gifts that keep on giving, Michael! I never know if people will see my replies and I LOVE that you did and answered back so fast with so much great history about the location in the coordinates you shared. WOW!!!! THANK YOU!!!!
And I’m still hopeful/searching for where the house is. You’d think someone would spill eventually if it was real. I know the one in the UK version is real and offers tours. Which…hey. You just gave me a great idea for another sort of follow up post. lol Thanks again so much!
I know where it is but revealing it publicly would be really irresponsible. Like I said, it’s an hour’s drive from Montreal.
I don’t think you know where it is at all. Your posts look like copy and paste verbatim from articles that I’ve already read that don’t disclose the location. “owned by a Belgian family” and “an hour’s drive from Montreal” is exactly what the articles say.
I don’t need to “copy and paste,” I just probably saw the same article you read. If I knew how to paste an image to this message board, I could share an image from Google Maps. It’s also a mile and a half north of the Ontario/Quebec border. It has two driveways and other structures on the property. The driveway we see in the series looks like the main drive but it also winds down past the house and down the view seen in “Pete’s Wife” toward another road. The two roads intersect at the southeast corner of the estate, not far from a local highway. Remember the fly over from the “Possession” episode? It moved southward over the house. There’s a swimming pool, a fountain and what might be a guest house or stable in a line along the back wing of the house, hidden from the exterior shots in the series. The interior photos of the house look NOTHING like the sets. They look more like a museum landmark than a mansion.
Hey William! I appreciate that you feel it might be irresponsible to post the coordinates where you think the house might be. (I also sometimes lament that my comments are set up to allow for sharing photos, but then again…it also protects me from having to see inappropriate ones too. lol NOT that you would share any, but damn spammers and such would.)
I don’t know what the ethics are about sharing house locations. Once people figure them out, they definitely share them. (Think Conjuring house or Amityville.) It may be a little invasive but not against the law. It’s a lot more fun when houses from movies don’t make it a secret and wear it as a badge of honor though. Leads to less chances for conflict.
Anyway, I think I read somewhere that the interior scenes are on a soundstage. But now I don’t know where I saw that.
And if I ever get a chance to talk with anyone from the show, cast or crew, you better believe I’ll be asking them where the house is! lol
I shared the aerial image of the house on my Twitter account. There are NO labels in it to identify where it is, but anyone who has seen the show would agree THAT IS IT>
That really does look like it! Sharing the link to your Tweet for anyone who’s interested in seeing it: https://twitter.com/Thor_2000/status/1573005477063032834?s=20&t=ghaxVqq5JCPS4j32KGxtHw