Step back in time and visit the historic Château de Blandy-les-Tours which is said to be one of the many haunted castles in France. It is said that the castle is especially busy on All Saint Day were the dead are walking the halls.
Nestled in the Loire Valley, France’s Château de Blandy-les-Tours is a true gem of history famous for its towers. Dating back to the 13th to 14th century, this castle is full of charm and allure, with intricate details and stunning architecture. Tour the grounds and explore its fascinating history to uncover its secrets with our guide.
The fortified Château de Blandy-les-Tours that stands today was a keep built for the Hundred Year War and was home to some of the most prominent families in France before it fell into obscurity for years.
Merovingian Necropolis Cemetery
Before it was a castle, it used to be a cemetery for one of the most powerful rulers of Europe during their time. Which maybe can help explain why Château de Blandy-les-Tours is considered to be one of France’s most haunted places.
The Merovingian dynasty was the ruling family of the Franks from the middle of the 5th century until 751. By 509 they had united all the Franks and northern Gaulish Romans under their rule The 7th-century Chronicle of Fredegar implies that the Merovingians were descended from a sea-beast called a quinotaur:
It is said that while Chlodio was staying at the seaside with his wife one summer, his wife went into the sea at midday to bathe, and a beast of Neptune rather like a Quinotaur found her. In the event she was made pregnant, either by the beast or by her husband, and she gave birth to a son called Merovech, from whom the kings of the Franks have subsequently been called Merovingians.
In the past, this tale was regarded as an authentic piece of Germanic mythology and was often taken as evidence that the Merovingian kingship was sacral and the royal dynasty of supernatural origin.
Exploring the Inside of the Château de Blandy-les-Tours
Visitors to the Château de Blandy-les-Tours can explore its vast corridors, halls, and chambers that they spent years restoring from 1992 to 2007 when they opened the Château for the public again. Wander through rooms filled with centuries-old artifacts and furniture that tell stories of past inhabitants where you can enjoy open-air cinema nights, circus shows and concerts.
Discover grand fireplaces decorating lush salons, wooden ceilings from the fifteenth century in its numerous bedrooms, as well as other hidden gems revealed by a team of archaeologists that have been working for years to restore the castle’s structure.
All Saint Day Haunting
All saints day is also known as All Hallows Day, a prelude to the modern Halloween we celebrate today. It’s a Christian day to celebrate and honor all the saints of the church and usually celebrated on November 1st. In France it is known as La Toussaint and usually flowers like chrysanthemums or wreaths are placed on tombs and graves.
All Saint Day Haunting: November 1st is All Saint Day and is supposedly when the Château de Blandy-les-Tours is most haunted if we are to believe local lore.
One of the château’s most interesting stories is that it may be haunted on this holy day. There have been reports of strange noises, shadows, and ghostly figure sightings throughout its history. Whether you believe in ghosts or not, this castle definitely has a mysterious and fascinating past!
This Château has a peculiar haunting as it isn’t necessarily connected to one specific ghost. It is said that on All Saint Day the hallways of the Château de Blandy-les-Tours are taken over by ghosts and spirits trapped inside. You can hear them screaming and rattling their chains the entire night.
The Murderous Ghost Lord
One ghost we have a certain amount of control over is the ghost of a feudal lord from the 10th or 11th century. He is said to walk around with a dagger wearing a bloody shroud walking from room to room in the Château de Blandy-les-Tours, perhaps looking for another victim as he was quite notorious for his crimes when he was alive? It is said that when he was alive, he used to be a murderer, and forever cursed to haunt his castle in his afterlife.
In the old Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, there are still prisoners that never got out. Strange occurrences for those that have worked there, tells that the prison is haunted by the former inmates, and some of them are more dangerous than others.
Dublin, a city steeped in history and rich in tales of the past, boasts many sites that have witnessed significant events. One such place is Kilmainham Gaol, a foreboding structure of a prison with a chilling history that extends beyond its closure in 1924.
Although Europe’s largest unoccupied prison, Kilmainham Gaol has earned a reputation for its spectral inhabitants who continue to roam its corridors and cells.
A Notorious History of a Haunted Prison
Kilmainham Gaol, situated in County Dublin, has a storied past dating back over 200 years. Built in 1796, the prison initially housed criminals from various backgrounds, but it is most famously associated with its role during Ireland’s fight for independence. The gaol became a symbol of oppression, as many of Ireland’s most prominent political and revolutionary figures were incarcerated within its grim confines.
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The prison was really made to be a better place to serve time than in the old gaol, however, it soon faced the same problem: overcrowding. This led to disease, poor hygiene and there wasn’t even a proper separation between the men, women and children serving time.
Kilmainham Gaol: The old prison in Dublin was notorious for being overcrowded with horrible conditions for those serving time in the prison. The inmates that never escaped the bars are thought to be haunting the place to this day, and those visiting and working report on many strange experiences while inside of the gaol.
That meant those imprisoned for just stealing a loaf of bread because of hunger were thrown in with notorious murderers and rapist, and there was little to no help to avoid those that wanted to hurt you.
The cramped cells, imposing stone walls, and eerie silence that permeates the gaol today are chilling reminders of the past. Kilmainham Gaol’s significance lies not only in its role as a place of incarceration but also as a site of execution and public hangings that took place at its entrance.
The Haunting of Kilmainham Gaol
In 1960, the Kilmainham Gaol Restoration Committee was formed to preserve this historic site, but those involved in the restoration quickly found themselves entangled in paranormal phenomena. These eerie encounters have left a lasting impression on all who have attempted to breathe new life into the gaol’s history.
Governor Dan McGill, who resided in the old warden’s quarters while overseeing the restoration efforts, experienced one particularly chilling incident. One night, he was startled to see the lights in the old chapel suddenly turn on after he had just switched them off. Intrigued and unnerved, he ventured to the chapel, only to find it empty. Repeatedly turning off the lights and returning to his quarters, McGill was confused to see them inexplicably illuminate again when he peered out the window.
Other restoration workers shared equally spine-tingling experiences. One worker, tasked with renewing the Echoing Corridor, recounted hearing unexplained footsteps ascending the stone stairs and echoing through the hallway behind him. These eerie footsteps would cease, only to start again intermittently throughout the day.
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In another instance, a worker heard approaching footsteps, but upon looking up, saw no one. The only evidence of a presence was an icy chill that enveloped the air. These spectral footsteps, reminiscent of a soldier’s brigade, were a recurring theme in the gaol’s unsettling history.
The Danger of the Ghost Haunting the Prison
There are not only vague signs of hauntings like a flickering light or the sound of footsteps that have been told in Kilmainham Gaol. In one instance, the supposed ghost turned violent:
One man claimed that while he was painting in the dungeon, he was thrown across the room and pinned to the wall by some kind of force he couldn’t see, nor touch. He struggled to get free and when he was able to escape he promised he would never return to that place ever again.
Haunted Prison: While most of the haunting that are reported on inside of the prison seems to be vague, calm and hurts no one, there are stories about a force lingering in the prison that are so powerful and violent that they have caused people harm.
Who are the ghosts haunting the prison, long after their time is served? There have been no particular names, but it is believed to be a crowd of those that used to serve time there, and perhaps never got out again.
Visit the Haunted Kilmainham Gaol
Kilmainham Gaol, with its chilling history and the lingering presence of restless spirits, remains a captivating and haunting site. Its role in the struggle for Irish independence has forever etched it into the annals of history, and the paranormal encounters reported during its restoration only add to its mystique.
Visitors to Kilmainham Gaol today can stand in the very places where Irish revolutionaries spent their final days, experience the eerie echoes of footsteps in echoing corridors, and perhaps even catch a glimpse of the spectral inhabitants who continue to call this imposing prison home.
After a young girl lost her life on the estate of Duckett’s Grove, her grieving mother cast a curse on the Duckett family. Now, the Banshee haunting the place can be heard shrieking in the dark, warning about tragedy and death for those that hear her.
Towering the serene Irish countryside in County Carlow, Duckett’s Grove stands as a hauntingly beautiful testament to the grand mansion that stood there, although now there are only ruins left to tell it.
However, beneath its grand façade of Duckett’s Grove lies a tale steeped in mystery and supernatural intrigue with a touch of old Irish folklore. Often touted as one of Ireland’s most haunted places, Duckett’s Grove continues to draw visitors seeking both historical insight and a brush with the paranormal.
Duckett’s Grove History
Duckett’s Grove, or Garrán Duckett in Irish, was originally constructed in the early 19th century by the Duckett family, prominent landowners in County Carlow. The family’s grand vision was brought to life by the architect Thomas A. Cobden, resulting in a Gothic Revival masterpiece. With its imposing turrets, intricate stonework, and enchanting gardens, the mansion quickly became a symbol of wealth and prestige.
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The estate of Duckett’s Grove fell out from the Duckett family when the last Duckett living there disinherited her daughter she wasn’t on speaking terms with. It was managed by agents, local farmers and the Land Commission after this. During the War of Independence from 1919 to 1921 it was used by the local IRA.
Duckett’s Grove: The 19th-century great house and estate in County Carlow, Ireland. Once owned by the Duckett family, it was the centerpiece of a vast 12,000-acre estate and was prominent in the local landscape for over 200 years. Unfortunately, the interior of the house was ravaged by a significant fire in the 1930s, rendering it inaccessible. Today, the gardens, which include two interconnected walled gardens, are under the management of Carlow County Council and open to the public as a park.
One night, on 20th of April in 1933, Duckett’s Grove was destroyed by a fire. The cause of the fire was not determined, but locals reported about several fires that happened a week before, and they started to speculate what really happened that night.
Most of the well preserved interior is now lost and the skeleton of the house was used as a riding school until 2004. After the county took over, they refurbished the gardens and reopened it to the public in 2007 were people could come and enjoy the decaying romanticism of the abandoned estate.
The Irish Piseóg
The true allure of Duckett’s Grove, however, lies in its reputation as a paranormal hotspot and the supposed curse that looms over the grounds. Numerous reports of ghostly apparitions and eerie phenomena have shrouded the mansion in a mystique that continues to haunt visitors to this day.
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There is a story that tells of a secret lover of William Duckett who died after she fell from her horse as she was riding on the estate. Not much details are given, but something more mystical have happened because of what happened next. The girl’s mother was devastated and angry with the Duckett family and put a curse, or a Piseóg, on the family.
Piseóg is the Irish term for the supernatural and also includes spells, charms and curses. This particular Piseóg resulted in a Banshee haunting the place from then on.
The Curse of the Banshee
The Banshee is an Irish entity from folklore that takes the form of a female wailing spirit. It is said that if you hear a banshee cry you will soon suffer the death of a beloved.
According to lore she has long streaming hair and wears a gray cloak over a green dress, and her eyes are red from continual weeping. There are also those claiming the Banshee is dressed in white with red hair and a ghastly complexion.
The Banshee: People have depicted the Banshee as many things, everything from a beautiful fairy like woman to a monster. Here from the book Bunworth Banshee, Fairy Legends and Traditions of the South of Ireland by Thomas Crofton Croker, 1825
It is said you can hear the shrieks of the Banshee over Duckett’s Grove for two days and nights and those that hear it will soon experience suffering and tragedy.
There are many reports about people being affected by The Banshee. Once a garden worker of Duckett’s Grove saw the figure of a woman drop dead in the garden and heard the shriek of a banshee. The next morning he found his mother dead. Another time it was a woman passing the estate that claimed to have heard her cries. In a matter of days, the woman died.
The spirit of the young mistress and the tale of the curse of the banshee keep coming up from time to time, especially after the terrible fire that burnt the estate to the ground without a good reason, almost like the place itself was cursed.
The Paranormal Enigma
The Banshee is not the only ghost said to roam on the large estate. Duckett family members like William Duckett are also said to be one of the ghosts lurking in the shadows or riding his horse over the fields of Duckett’s Grove.
William Duckett was the one that in 1830 transformed the modest two storey house to the mansion it became. After the destructive fire it drove him from his eternal slumber, angry at the ruins of his life work.
There are also talks about strange lights coming from the ruins of Duckett’s Grove as well as unexplained noises, the sound of cutlery and servants coming from the ruins as well as a demonic dog with red eyes terrorizing the area.
The Irish Ghosts Haunting the Estate
Its picturesque ruins and gardens serve as a testament to Ireland’s architectural heritage, providing a glimpse into the lives of those who once called Duckett’s Grove home. Each stone wall and crumbling archway holds the echoes of centuries past, whispering secrets that have long been forgotten.
As visitors stroll through the enchanting gardens, they may catch a glimpse of the spirits that are said to still wander the grounds. Legends tell of ghostly apparitions, mysterious sounds, and strange occurrences that defy explanation. From the Lady in White, who is said to grace the gardens with her ethereal presence, to the restless spirits of long-departed inhabitants, the paranormal tales of Duckett’s Grove continue to captivate the imagination of all who venture within its borders.
Whether you are drawn to the ghostly tales that shroud Duckett’s Grove or simply wish to immerse yourself in its timeless beauty, a visit to this enigmatic place promises an unforgettable experience. Prepare to be transported back in time, where history and the supernatural intertwine, and the allure of Ireland’s past comes alive before your eyes.
Tucked away in a remote corner of Suffolk lies a building with a sinister past – Borley Rectory. For centuries it had ghostly tales of nuns and headless horsemen in the night, but how much of it was true and how much was a hoax?
Borley Rectory, located in a remote corner of Suffolk, has long been shrouded in mystery and speculation of the paranormal kind. It even used to be described as the most haunted house in England, and that is saying something.
Rumors of hauntings in the large Gothic-style rectory have swirled around the property since its construction in 1862, but to this day no one can say for sure what lies beneath – are the stories simply urban legends, or is something even more sinister at work?
A Closer Look at the History of Borley Rectory
Borley Rectory was constructed in 1862 by Reverend Henry Bull, who served as Rector of the church of St. Mary between 1862 and 1892.
During this time, many paranormal occurrences were reported by members of the Bull family and visitors to the property, including sightings of phantom figures, unexplained noises and strange lights in the surrounding woods. The case remains unsolved to this day, with experts and amateurs alike still trying to uncover its secrets.
The Headless Horsemen
One of the things people claimed to have seen was the headless horsemen over four decades on various occasions, pulling a phantom coach. This was also the thing the wife of Reverend Smith saw when she later would call the Daily Mirror and get an investigation going in 1929.
The Death Coach: The “Death Coach,” a prominent figure in the folklore of Northwestern Europe, particularly in Ireland. The death coach is typically described as a black carriage, driven or led by a headless horseman known as the Dullahan. The appearance or sound of the death coach is believed to be an ominous sign, foretelling imminent death either for the observer or a close relative.
The Paranormal Activity in the Borley Rectory
Long before 1929 and the investigation that would follow, the rectory had been talked about as haunted for years. Paranormal activity was reported frequently in and around the Borley Rectory all the way back in 1863. Witnesses described mysterious footsteps, disembodied voices, and unexplainable lights in the surrounding woods.
The Bull Family: The Rectory used to belong to the Bull family that told countless of ghost stories about the place over the years. This image is photograph of Reverend Henry Dawson Ellis Bull made before 1892
Others even claimed to have seen supernatural figures wandering around the rectory grounds. These reports were collected by investigators that visited the location over the years, creating an intriguing mystery that maintains its fascination today.
The Legend of the Monk and Nun
Before Reverend Smith and his wife moved into the rectory, the Bull family lived there for decades. On July the 28th, 1900, the 4 daughters of the rector claimed to have seen a ghost of a nun in the twilight, just outside of the house. They tried to talk to her, but when they got closer, the spirit seemed to just disappear.
So called ghost historians talk about a legend from the Benedictine monastery that according to legend was built around 1362. One monk allegedly had a relationship with a nun from the convent not far from the monastery.
Their affair was apparently discovered and the monk was executed and the nun was bricked up in the convent walls.
The Ghost of the Nun: One of the more enduring legends from the Borley Rectory was that it was haunted by a nun. Something that the children from the Bull family told about, as well a different mediums that held a seance at the place.
There was also once conducted a planchette seance in London about the spirits in the Rectory held by the medium Helen Glanville in 1938. She told that she had made contact with a young nun named Marie Lairre. She was a French nun that left her order in France to follow a man, a member of the Waldegrave family and owner of the Rectory in the 17th century.
She never got that far though and she was murdered inside of the house. Her body was buried in the cellar, or perhaps even thrown in a well that wasn’t in use anymore. She had tried to write on the walls for help from the afterlife to try to get the people to find her body.
The Skull at Borley Rectory
Fast forwarding to when Reverend Smith and his wife moved into the rectory in 1927, the wife soon started getting suspicious that something wasn’t quite right. Once she was cleaning the cupboard and came across a brown paper bag. When she peered inside, she found the skull of a young woman, and this is when things really started to take off.
The servant bell would go off, despite not being connected, there were lights in the windows and she kept hearing footsteps and this phantom coach carried by horses at night.
She got in contact with the Society for Psychical Research through the Daily Mirror, and they then sent a reporter writing about all the strange things that were happening in the rectory.
Paranormal Investigation of Price
Harry Price was a celebrated investigator who visited Borley Rectory in 1929 and really made the haunted house famous for the country as his accounts were printed in the Daily Mirror. He was attempting to uncover the truth of the supernatural phenomenons.
Harry Price
During his time there, Price recorded his experiences, noting mysterious phenomena such as cold spots in certain areas of the rectory and inexplicable noises. There were also things like a vase and other objects being thrown and mysterious spirit messages that were being tapped out on the mirror.
According to Mrs Smith, all of these haunted phenomena stopped as soon as Harry Price left the rectory, and she suspected it was him that was behind all the hauntings.
When Price published the study by the Society for Psychical Research, he rejected most of the rumors that people had reported on, however, most ghost historians discredit this report and books and TV are continuing to be intrigued by the story of the Borley Rectory.
The Exorcisms and Poltergeist Activity
The Smiths left in 1929 and Reverend Foyster moved into the rectory with his wife, Marianne and their adopted daughter, Adelaide.
Reverend Foyster wrote in 1930, a detailed report to Harry Price about the strange things they had experienced while living there. The bell ringing the Smiths had heard continued, the windows shattered and there were stones and bottles thrown by no one.
Marianne Foyster even reported to her husband that something had even thrown her out from her bed.
Reverend Foyster tried twice to repel the hauntings by exorcisms, but it didn’t go so well. In one of the exorcisms he was even hit by a stone in the shoulder.
After they moved out from the rectory in 1935, people speculated on what was going on in the house. Most blamed Marianne to be the mastermind behind the hauntings, and even though she blamed her husband and psychic researchers that came by to investigate, she later came forward with shocking news.
She had an affair with one of their lodgers called Frank Pearless, and she had used the paranormal rumors to cover up her lies and deceits. She also had a habit of making her friends fake hauntings to prank her husband. But everything? Marianne claimed not, and said that she really did believe some of the hauntings had been something real, although most could have been the wind.
The Borley Rectory Report
Harry Price couldn’t let the Borley Rectory be and rented the place in 1937. He let 48 observers stay in the house for longer periods of time and interviewed them about their stay there.
In 1937, Price published his findings from Borley Rectory in a report which has since become known as ‘The Borley Rectory Report’. In it, he concluded that the rectory was indeed haunted by several distinct entities and spirits.
Despite decades of debate, no one has been able to conclusively explain or disprove Price Harry’s findings. While some people suggest hoaxes or natural occurrences are behind the phenomena experienced at Borley Rectory, others remain adamant that its walls still echo with supernatural activity – mysteries we may never be able to explain.
The Fire
During the planchette seance in 1938, there was a second spirit that turned. The spirit identified himself as Sunex Amures, and claimed he would set fire to the rectory that year. He also said that the bones of a murdered person would be revealed then.
There was no fire in 1938, but in 1939, the new owner was unpacking boxes and knocked over an oil lamp. The fire spread quickly and the house was severely damaged. After they investigated, they concluded that the fire seemed to have been started on purpose.
After they did a quick search in the cellar of the burnt down house, they discovered two ones, something Price thought to have been the bones of a young woman.
Burnt Down: The Borley Rectory after the fire.
Borley Rectory – a Hoax?
Debate continues over the precise source of the paranormal disturbances experienced at Borley Rectory. While some suggest hoaxes or natural occurrences are behind the phenomena experienced, others remain adamant that its walls still echo with supernatural activity – mysteries we may never be able to explain.
Many investigators have revisited Borley Rectory since Harry Price’s initial investigation and it is still considered to be a site of major paranormal importance today. Even if Price himself has been thought to have faked many of the phenomenon when he conducted his investigation. Whether it was a hoax or not remains to be seen, but it remains an enduring mystery in the world of ghost hunting.
In 1938 it was confirmed that the legend of the monk and the nun bricked up in the convent had no basis in facts and now many speculate that it was the children in the rectory that made the story up for fun.
The skull Mrs. Smith supposedly was never accounted for, and the bones they found in the cellar was also debated. The parish refused to have a ceremony because they believed that the bones they had found belonged to a pig.
In 1944 it was demolished and the land divided before getting new buildings built.
In the ruins of the Franziskaner-Klosterkirche in Berlin, there is a legend of a murderous monk haunting the place, after he ended up murdering his own son.
The old ruins of the once great Franziskaner-Klosterkirche was a Franciscan monastery since the 1200s and was before its destruction the most important medieval building in Berlin.
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Franziskaner-Klosterkirche was bombed to ruins by the allies during the last day of the second world war in 1945. It was probably one of the oldest buildings in the city. Still today it is a part of the city landscape though, just by the Alexanderplatz in the city center of Berlin.
The Runaway Knight Roderich
But the monks of Franziskaner-Klosterkirche have been gone for years and the only ones living there now are ghosts. The most famous ghost in the ruins of the monastery was once a knight named Roderich. He became a monk when he was running away from the father of his one night stand. The father was enraged as he had dishonored his daughter and was after him.
Franziskaner-Klosterkirche: The monastery was also called Graues Kloster (The Gray Monastery) and was in use even after the reformation and used as a school. This is from a postcard around 1910.
On the run, the knight turned monk broke his leg and kept walking with a limp. From then on everyone called Roderich the limping monk, and he was not a popular one.
Because of his injury and his unfortunate circumstances isolated in the monastery, Roderich grew bitter over the long years. He didn’t get along with the other monks either and paid two criminals to murder one of the other monks in the monastery. He blamed the murder on some Knights Templar who ended up being executed for it.
The Murderous Monk in Franziskaner-Klosterkirche
Another monk was sent to the Franziskaner-Klosterkirche called Bernhard. He entered because of the grief he had of his miserable love that turned out badly. He loved and wanted to marry a woman, but as the cruel fate would have it, it turned out she was his sister, and he was unable to go on outside of the monastery.
Bernhard was a skeptical person though and had his own theory of the murder of the monk Roderich had killed in Franziskaner-Klosterkirche. When Bernard met Roderich he told him that he didn’t believe that the Knights Templar was behind the murder of their fellow monk brother.
This was the nail in the coffin for Bernhard and Roderich locked him up in a dark cellar of the monastery to cover his crime when he was found out, ending up killing him so he wouldn’t spill his secret.
The Ultimate Sin
While this is going on, the two criminals Roderich hired came clean and confessed to what really happened when they murdered the monk and it was in fact Roderich that was behind it all. The anger and rage against Roderich grew and an angry mob stormed the monastery, searching for Roderich to put things right.
The angry mob found him kneeling in the cellar next to the dead body of Bernhard. After he had killed Bernhard, Roderich went through Bernhards stuff and found a letter from Bernard’s mother. This was a woman who Roderich knew intimately and it was Roderich’s former lover telling him that Roderich in fact was the father of Bernhard.
Overcome with grief and regret he confessed at once and was killed on the spot without a trial.
Since then, Roderich has been haunting the Franziskaner-Klosterkirche, even after it all turned to ruins. He can be heard wailing in the night from the outside of the monastery, unable to atone for his sins of killing his own son in cold blood to cover his own tracks.
Delve deep into the mysteries of the castle of Dinefwr and discover its haunted ghosts. The castle grounds are said to be haunted by both a loyal butler as well as a murdered lady in white that tried to escape a loveless marriage.
Tucked away in the rolling Welsh countryside, Dinefwr Castle holds a dark secret—it is haunted by ghosts that have roamed its halls for centuries.
The castle, also known as Old Dynevor Castle is now in ruins as it overlooks the River Towy close to Llandeilo in Wales.
Llandeilo Town in Wales
Dinefwr is situated in the small town of Llandeilo in Wales. This area has always had a reputation for mythical tales, with local folklore claiming that Dinefwr Castle was once inhabited by mysterious ghosts.
The stories date back hundreds of years and each generation adds more details to the spooky tales that have become part of the culture. For example, some people believe that spirits haunt the castle grounds and are said to create flickering lights or howling noises!
The History of Dinefwr Castle
Dinefwr Castle is steeped in history and mystery and dates back to the 12th century and was the chief seat of the Dinefwr dynasty of the Kingdom of Deheubarth in south Wales.
Built by Rhys ap Gruffydd of Deheubarth, it gained status as an important fortress as tensions among Welsh kingdoms rose.
His reign saw a rare period of peace and stability that led to a flowering of Welsh culture, music and poetry. The Dinefwr dynasty was mostly warlord led and constantly invaded.
Sadly, it was not to last. After Rhys’s death, conflicts over succession led to turbulent years as the Welsh princes fought amongst themselves and against the English. Dinefwr eventually fell into English control in 1287 and remained there for centuries, despite Owain Glyndŵr’s attempt to wrest it back during his uprising of 1403.
Its location on a hill overlooking the Towy Valley was strategic and also held spiritual significance to local residents. Throughout its long history, rumors of spectral residents began to take root and tales of spooky sightings have been told ever since.
The Haunting Grounds in Newton House
When talking about the hauntings around this place, many people make the mistake to think that the ghosts are roaming around the ancient ruins of the castle, but this is not entirely true. The ghosts that are now famous are supposedly haunting the country house called Newton House on the castle grounds in Dinefwr Park that was built in 1660.
Among the ghosts said to be haunting the grounds are Walter the Butler who worked in the house and is now haunting the servant’s basement. People have smelled his tobacco smoke in the room as well as hearing muffled voices as the lights are flickering on and off.
Ghosts of Dinefwr Castle
But perhaps best known is the tragic story about the White Lady that supposedly haunts the grounds as well. This is also supposed to happen in the old country house.
The White Lady of Dinefwr Castle is said to be the ghost of Lady Elinor Cavendish and her horrible end. There are even reports that people have visited and have felt as if their throats are being squeezed, the same way that she died.
There are tales about the ghost of a young girl, now remembered as the White Lady of Dinefwr Castle and according to the rumours, people have seen the ghost of a woman disappearing into the cupboard.
The story goes that Lady Elinor Cavendish was forced into an unwanted marriage in the 18th century and tried to run away from the loveless marriage and her brutal husband to be. But she was not allowed to slip out of his hands and her husband followed her and when he caught up to her, he strangled her to death.
Lady Elinor Cavendish now haunts the grounds, the country house of Newton House and the ruins of DInefwr Castle, still trying to escape the life she didn’t want for herself.
At Belvelly Castle in Ireland, the ghosts haunting it, all met a tragic end. It is said that the unfortunate singer is heard singing out in the night, and the ghost of the faceless woman is said to haunt the castle after she refused a man, turned mad and died.
In the heart of the Irish countryside, near the Cork Road bridge onto Fota Island, stands a relic of another time – Belvelly Castle. Belvelly Castle’s history is woven with legend and folklore, a tapestry of stories that has endured through centuries.
It was originally built by the Anglo-Norman Hodnett family in the 1200s to connect the Great Island to the mainland of Ireland. Over the centuries the castle was in between several feuding families, wars and by the 19th century the Belvelly Castle had fallen into ruins after being abandoned.
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This 14th-century tower house that remains from the castle may appear serene under the daylight, but as night falls, an eerie aura descends upon it, invoking spine-tingling tales of restless spirits and unsettling apparitions.
The Spanish Bard and the Musical Duel
In the year 1209, off the Irish coast near Ballycotton Light, a Spanish galleon was in distress and ultimately wrecked. Among the survivors was a Spanish minstrel named Luccero Moreno. His haunting melodies and enchanting music won him a place in the big stone houses of Cobh, where troubadours were a rare sight.
Luccero’s presence reached the attention of Lady Hodnett that resided at the Belvelly Castle, who invited him to stay with her family. This marked the beginning of a rivalry between Luccero and Dion the Thrush, Ireland’s leading bard, who had been the Hodnetts’ entertainer for years.
To settle the rivalry, Lady Hodnett arranged a “duel with song” over three nights in Belvelly Castle’s great hall between the two musicians. Each contender would sing three songs of their choice, and the winner of two out of three songs over two out of three nights would be retained at the castle.
Read More: Check out all ghost stories from Haunted Castles around the world
Luccero won the first night, Dion the second, setting the stage for a dramatic final night. In the end though, Luccero’s performance was so moving that he was crowned the victor.
As he stood in the window, about to sing one more song, Dion, consumed by jealousy, lunged at Luccero with a dagger. In a swift and desperate move, Luccero managed to disarm Dion and fatally wound him. Before anyone could intervene, Dion died cursing Luccero.
Hodnett, infuriated by the murder of his favorite bard, imprisoned Luccero in a room beside the water gate. Eventually, a vengeful girl, who had loved Dion, poisoned Luccero’s food, leading to his agonizing death.
Luccero’s body was disposed of in the River Lee, weighted down with chains, in accordance with the customs of the time. Centuries later, fragments of a human skeleton were found in the river, believed to be Luccero’s remains.
To this day, people claim to see a ghostly figure in Belvelly Castle, a young man in black, singing strange melodies in an unknown tongue. He stands in a window overlooking the water gate, his eerie music filling listeners with unease as they gaze upon his pale, sunken eyes under the moonlight.
The Faceless Lady Margaret Hardnett
This is not the only ghost said to haunt the castle though. Lady Margaret Hodnett, who resided at Belvelly Castle in 1685 and was renowned for her beauty but also notorious for her capricious and shallow nature. She played with the affections of many suitors, including Clon Rockenby, a member of the Desmond family.
Rockenby’s infatuation with Lady Margaret endured for years, despite her tendency to reject and then recall him. In a fit of jealousy and frustration, Rockenby initiated a siege of Belvelly Castle, aiming to starve Lady Margaret and her family into submission. They blocked off the road where they would transport food, and was hoping that this would teach her.
The siege endured for three harsh winters, during which Lady Margaret’s beauty withered, and the castle’s inhabitants suffered greatly. The situation grew desperate, and Lady Margaret’s father did not intervene. Exactly why they let it continue and didn’t just give in, no one has an answer to. As the siege intensified, Lady Margaret’s reflection in a Venetian mirror began to deteriorate, mirroring her physical decline.
Upon realizing the extent of the suffering, Rockenby ordered a complete blockade of supplies. Lady Margaret was on the brink of death when the siege finally ended and they raised the white flag. She confronted Rockenby, pointing to her haggard face in the mirror and fainted.
Rockenby, horrified, destroyed the mirror, leading Lady Margaret to regain consciousness. However, a young brother of Lady Margaret, wielding a powerful bow, avenged his sister by fatally wounding Rockenby with an arrow.
As Rockenby died, he cursed Lady Margaret, wishing that she would search for mirrors but never find them. Lady Margaret survived but only partially regained her beauty. She shunned mirrors but eventually sneaked small ones into her possession. Her mind began to unravel, and she exhibited erratic behavior, including trying to dam up the River Lee and obsessively gazing into spots on the walls.
Lady Margaret died alone in Belvelly Castle, leaving behind a haunted legacy. Some witnesses claim to have seen her ghost, but her appearance remains a subject of debate. Some say she is obscured by a thick white cloth or veil, while others claim she has no face, only a sphere of pale mist where her face should be. She is said to roam the castle, rubbing the stones as if looking into invisible mirrors, leaving some stones smoother and gleaming as if glazed, reflecting blurred images of those who dare to look.
Restoration and the Haunting’s Persistence
Recent years have seen Belvelly Castle undergo a restoration process under the care of new private owners. The castle has emerged from the shadows, its ancient stone walls standing tall once more. Yet, despite the renewal, the eerie legends that have clung to it persist like the ivy on its walls.
Visitors and locals alike continue to report eerie encounters within the castle’s hallowed halls. Whispers in empty chambers, fleeting glimpses of shadowy figures, and the inexplicable sensation of being watched are all part of the ghostly tapestry woven into Belvelly’s very foundations.
The Haunted Belvelly Castle
Belvelly Castle, with its timeless beauty and tumultuous history, remains an enigmatic and haunting presence on the Irish landscape. As day turns to night, and the stars cast their pale glow upon its ancient stones, the spectral residents of this medieval tower house come to life once more. Their stories, steeped in sorrow, revenge, and lost beauty, continue to captivate the imagination of those who dare to venture into this chilling realm where legends merge with reality.
One of the more well known haunted places in the Czech Republic are the spooky ghosts sitting inside of the abandoned and decaying St. George’s Church. But for what reason did the locals make them?
For those who love exploring the supernatural and the mysterious, St. George’s Church in the Czech Republic is a must-visit destination and perhaps the most eerie and scary place in the country.
St. George’s Church, or Sv. Jiří in Czech is located in the picturesque town of Lukova, in the Czech Republic, over two hours from Prague. The small village is found in the Manětín-regionen with its deep and somewhat dark forests.
The church is over 700 years old, and it has a rich and complex history that is intertwined with the history of the town itself.
The Church of Ghosts: St. George’s Church in the small village of Lukova has been left to decay for decades after an accident. There have been not enough funds to restore it and rumours about it being haunted made people stay away from it.//Source: Zdeňka Bušková/Wikimedia
The church was originally built in the early 14th century, consecrated in 1352, and it was dedicated to St. George, the patron saint of soldiers. Over the centuries, the church underwent several renovations and restorations, and it played an important role in the religious and cultural life of the town.
The Haunted and Cursed St. George’s Church
However, tragedy struck in 1968, when the roof of the church collapsed during a funeral service. This led to the locals believing that the church was haunted or possibly cursed and started to hold mass outside of the building. The congregation was devastated, and the church was left abandoned for over 30 years.
The Praying Ghosts: The little village is today most known for being the home of many statues of ghosts as an art project. // Source: MiroRosa/Wikimedia
But it wasn’t really what was behind the haunted legends that made the church famous as it was first when they tried to raise money in a unique way that it became known as one of the most haunted places in Europe.
The 32 Ghosts in the Church
During that time, the church fell into disrepair and decay, and it became a symbol of the town’s decline. But in the early 2000s, a group of local artists decided to take matters into their own hands, and they began a restoration project that would transform the abandoned church into a hauntingly beautiful work of art.
The artist Jakub Hadrava made 32 life-sized ghost statues that are now living inside of the haunted church as part of his bachelor in art in 2012.
They are supposed to represent the Sudeten Germans, or German Bohemians, an ethnic group that lived in the area a long time ago. They were all expelled from the country after World War 2.
Raising Money for Restauration: The church installed the ghosts in part to raise money to restore their old church. Many people have visited to experience the eerie sight of the statues.// Source: MiroRosa/Wikimedia
The stunt helped to get the attention of the church, and the congregation who once didn’t have money to repair the roof, have now raised more than 600 000 koruna.
St. George’s Church is a truly unique and haunting destination, steeped in history, legend, and mystery and a place where art meet the legends and perhaps even fuels them.
The story of the ghost of Agnes Sampson, known as The Wise Wife of Keith in Scotland is a story where a simple midwife was accused of witchcraft so powerful she caused a storm trying to kill her own queen.
Agnes Sampson was a Scottish healer and a purported witch. Sampson was born in the village of Kirktoun, East Lothian in Scotland and worked as a midwife. She was believed to have healing powers long before she was accused of being a witch.
She became known as the Wise Wife of Keith and was involved in the North Berwick trials that happened during the 16th century, one of Scotland’s most notorious witchcraft trials. Agnes Sampson is also known for being one of the main accused at this trial.
There were and still are many tales about who Agnes Sampson really was. Some of them are true tales, some tall tales. She is said to have been married three times, once to William Keith with whom she had two children. She is also said to have been married to two other men and had 14 children with each man.
So how did this simple midwife become the center of a conspiracy of witches trying to sink the ships belonging to their new queen and threatening her own King? To find out we have to travel across the pond to the court in Denmark-Norway and their fear of black magic and a series of unfortunate events on the sea.
The King as the Judge: Suspected witches with Agnes Sampson kneeling before King James VI from the book Daemonologie (1597). He himself oversaw the trial and ended up sentencing many to be burnt as witches.
The Storm of Contrary Winds
By the autumn of 1590, Scotland was deep into witch hunts, and many of those sent to trial were questioned by the King himself. Today, the city of Edinburgh and the rest of the country is riddled with the memory of those who were burnt at the stake as a witch. King James VI, the son of Mary, Queen of Scots had just returned from Denmark-Norway where he had married Anne of Denmark who was only 14 at their wedding.
Witches, dragons and ghosts, Edinburgh castle are said to have it all. The sound of bagpipe and drummers can be heard without anyone playing, and those accused for witchcraft as well as prisoners of wars are said to haunt the old castle.
The Danish court at this time was extremely wary of all things black magic and witchcraft. The fear of demons and witches had tightened the European continent and it was probably a fear that the Scottish King James adapted and brought back as well after spending time there.
The King of Scotland was impatient awaiting his bride from Denmark to cross the seas after the wedding to stay by his side, but on her voyage to Scotland the fleet experienced heavy storms and ended up starting not only one, but two major witch trials that ended in several executions.
A Series of Unfortunate Events
So how did a simple midwife like Agnes Sampson get accused of something that happened all the way over in Denmark? To this we have to go through the Danish court and the witch trials that happened there before it started in Scotland.
Peder Munk of Estvadgård was a Danish navigator, politician and ambassador and in charge of carrying the fleet of 18 ships with Anne of Denmark to Scotland to bring her to her throne by her King. They set out on their voyage in 1589 from Copenhagen and were riddled with bad fortune, taking years to reach their final destination.
First they had to stop in a port in Norway to repair a leaking ship and had to stay there for a very long time, on their way to a very impatient king. When they reached The River Forth in central Scotland a ferry boat collided with one of the vessels in a storm and all of the passengers drowned. This was all attributed to witchcraft.
Back in Denmark, the navigator Peder Munk blamed it all on witchcraft, especially on a certain woman whom he had insulted and believed to be the main witch behind the storms. This became the beginning of the Copenhagen witch trials, which ended in executing 17 people by burning.
This inspired the King to hold his own trials, and it would be known as the North Berwick Witch Trials, and Agnes SAmpson was one of the main accused.
Accused of Witchcraft
More than a hundred suspects were arrested in North Berwick, several of them confessed during torture and named other people. Agnes Sampson was accused by Gillis Duncan, another one of the accused.
Duncan was really the one that linked the other accused of causing the storms that ended up sinking the Queens ships. She worked as a servant and confessed after torture that she was a witch and there were several more. The reason she was accused herself was that she was far too skilled of a healer in her master David Seton’s mind who also thought that Duncan had been sneaking out at night.
Agnes Sampson ended up being one of the more significant accused persons, as an elderly and respected woman that had healed more than one in the local area. Many attributed their good health to her good work. Now, they all turned on her because of the rumors and her unfortunate circumstances. The fact that she was a widow with children and acted as an independent woman and educated midwife was a part of the indictment against her. She had also been accused of witchcraft and investigated before.
Witches Sabbath: According to the accusers, Agnes Keith and the rest of her witch coven had met up and created a storm to keep a ship from Denmark arriving to Scotland, carrying Anne of Denmark.
The Wise Wife of Keith was imprisoned and put to torture for a long time before saying anything. She started off refusing to confess at first, but after a long time in the dark and in pain, she as the rest of the accused gave up.
In the end she was brought before King James VI himself and a council of nobles at the Palace of Holyroodhouse. Sampson denied all the charges, but they kept torturing her until she said otherwise. Her head and body hair were shaved and she was pinned to the wall of her cell with a witches bridle. This was a torture instrument with four sharp prongs pressed into the mouth, meant to humiliate as well as hurt the ones wearing them.
She was forced to stay awake with no sleep in her cell with a rope around her head, always reminded just how close to death she really was. And in the end, how freeing that prospect must have seen compared to the torture she went through.
Finally, after all that torture, Agnes Sampson confessed to whatever they asked of her in front of her own king who oversaw the trial. In all she confessed to 53 indictments against her, including attending a Sabbat she led and that she was indeed a witch with supernatural power she used to harm others with.
According to her testimony, she ended up saying she made a charm that caused a storm that ended up drowning Jane Kennedy. She sank a dead cat with parts of a dead man into the sea near Leith. The same charm she used to threaten the King and his wife on her voyage.
In League with the Devil: Depiction of the Devil giving magic puppets to witches, from Agnes Sampson trial and North Berwick Witch Trials where she and many others ended up being burnt as witches in 1591.
It was her last testimony that was her downfall in the King’s eyes. In it, she disclosed things he and his wife had on their wedding night in Oslo. A conversation she had no way of knowing:
“Item, the said Agnes Sampson confessed before the Kings Majesty sundry things which were so miraculous and strange, as that his Majesty said they were all extreme liars, whereat she answered, she would not wish his Majesty to suppose her words to be false, but rather to believe them, in that she would discover such matter unto him as his majesty should not any way doubt of. And thereupon taking his Majesty a little aside, she declared unto him the very words which passed between the Kings Majesty and his Queen at Oslo in Norway the first night of their marriage, with their answer each to other: whereat the Kings Majesty wondered greatly, and swore by the living God, that he believed that all the Devils in hell could not have discovered the same: acknowledging her words to be most true, and therefore gave the more credit to the rest which is before declared.”
— News from Scotland
Execution and Haunting
King James was allegedly not completely convinced of Agnes Sampson guilt until her last confession. After it however he changed his mind and sent her to be burned. On 28th of January 1591 she was taken to the scaffold on Castlehill where she was garroted before being burnt at the stake.
Although the exact numbers of the executions are hard to be certain of, it is estimated that around 1500 people were killed as witches by the state of Scotland during this time.
Agnes Sampson’s naked ghost is said to roam the castle grounds, bald headed roaming around the Palace of Holyroodhouse.
Step into an ancient castle filled with darkness and stories that will send shivers up your spine of murder and ghosts. Inside the old Château de Châteaubriant there are tales of ghost processions on October 16.
Step into the eerie and mysterious Château de Châteaubriant, a magnificent 15th century castle and one of France’s most haunted sites. Enter its dark and imposing halls originally constructed as a defense against Anjou and the Kingdom of France, laden with dark secrets, to experience an unforgettable journey through time. Learn about its chilling legends, hidden secrets, and unsettling specters that linger in the shadows.
History of the Château de Châteaubriant
The Château de Châteaubriant was first constructed in the 11th century, but was heavily modified during the Renaissance which the architecture bears marks of.
It was taken over by the French during the Mad War after a siege. Over the centuries, it changed hands many times – from its aristocratic owners, to prisoners of war during the revolution, and back again.
Château de Châteaubriant: drawn by artist Victor Petit in 1871. Already at this point the history of Château de Châteaubriant was old and steeped in legend . It is also said that ghost are walking the halls of the castle every year on October 16th.
Sybille the Shocked Ghost
One of the most famous legends behind the Château de Châteaubriant’s rumored hauntings is that of Sybille, wife of Geoffroy IV.
Geoffroy IV of Châteaubriant went on crusade to the holy land in the 1250s with King Saint Louis where he was jailed in Egypt after the battle of Mansourah and the entire French army was destroyed by the plague. His death was announced to the Châteaubriant and his wife.
Sybille, often named Sibylle de la Guerche de Candé started to mourn the death of her dead husband. He wasn’t dead however, and was released from prison and returned to his home and wife a couple of months later. When Sybille saw him again, she fell into his arms and died of the shock.
She is said to haunt the Château de Châteaubriant at times, but the real haunting is said to be done by the infamous Françoise de Foix, the main mistress of the King of France that did not bear the same loyalty to her husband as Sybille.
The Ghost of Françoise de Foix
In addition to Sybille and other ghosts that are said to haunt Châteaubriant, many also believe in the spirit of Françoise de Foix. She was a tall and dark haired woman that spoke both Latin and Italian as well as writing her own poetry. All of her attributes made her a well sought after woman, and even the King wanted her.
She was engaged to Jean de Laval, count of Châteaubriant in 1505 with support of the king and queen Anne de Bretagne and Louis XII. They formally married in 1509 and lived at Château de Châteaubriant.There was a shift in the royals and the new king, Francis I, summoned Jean de Laval to court for his help in 1516.
Françoise de Foix followed him and became the lady in waiting for Queen Claude de France as well as becoming the chief mistress to King Francis I. At official events she was placed near to the royal princesses, signifying that she was La mye du roi, or the Sweetheart of the King to the rest of the court.
Jean de Laval was sent to fight in the Italian Wars and became Governor of Brittany in 1531. He was aware of the affair but seemed unaffected by it all when his wife remained the King’s mistress for over a decade.
Françoise de Foix was rejected from court in 1525 when the young and blonde Anne de Pisseleu d’Heilly caught the King’s attention and affection. Because of this, she returned to Châteaubriant to live with her husband.
Killed by her husband Jean de Laval
She died on 16th of October in 1537, most likely of sickness are we to believe some. There is however a different theory. It is said that her husband killed her.
Read also: This is not the only story of a ghost haunting a French castle after a woman was killed by her husband: The Prisoner of Château de Puymartin
Jean de Laval, also known as John III of Laval-Châteaubriant was according to legend, an incredibly bloodthirsty baron who killed anyone who opposed him and ruthlessly tortured his enemies.
It is said that he shut his wife in a dark and padded cell and had her killed because of her relationship with the king or something else entirely. Some even think that he locked her up and poisoned her or bled her to death slowly.
The Assassination of Françoise de Foix: The legend of her death are widespread and depicted in art. Here from a book from 1816 by Augustine Gottis.
Ghost Procession at Midnight
Some say they can still hear her weeping within the walls of Châteaubriant and others have even seen her standing near windows or atop towers in traditional 16th-century dress, but perhaps she is best known to appear in the ghost procession on her death anniversary.
Ever since then, there have been a ghost procession in the Château de Châteaubriant in honor of her death on October 16 of monks and knights slowly ascending the main stairs before vanishing. Her ghost is said to come back for this night as the procession begins at the stroke of midnight.
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