In the woodlands outside of Castle Durrow in Ireland it is said that the ghost of a highwayman is still guarding his treasure. Inside of the old castle turned hotel, it is said friendly ghosts are haunting.
The regal Castle Durrow stands today as an elegant four-star hotel, exuding timeless charm and a storied history that stretches back to the 18th century. Castle Durrow overlooks the River Erkina in County Laois with over 30 acres of forest and gardens to explore.
Read More: Check out all of the ghost stories from Ireland
This magnificent fortress of pre-Palladian design built from 1712 was once the abode of esteemed barons and viscounts, echoing with the grandeur of bygone eras and the whispers of ghostly secrets.
The village of Durrow takes from the Irish Darmhagh Ua nDuach, meaning ‘the oak plain’, and there is in these woods the ghost of a highwayman guarding his treasure.
The Ruthless Highwayman
Behind the opulent facade of Castle Durrow lies a tale veiled in darkness. Ruthless thieves terrorized the local community in the early years of the 19th century in the dense forest of Durrow. The highwaymen was led by none other than the notorious highwayman, Captain Jeremiah Grant as he was called and his thieving gang left a trail of fear in their wake.
Captain Grant’s gang was a relentless force of malevolence, robbing carriages, and striking fear into the hearts of all who crossed their path.
However, as fate would have it, the reign of terror orchestrated by Captain Grant and his gang would ultimately meet its end. Justice prevailed, and the nefarious highwaymen were apprehended, their fate sealed by the hangman’s noose in 1816. But before facing their final judgment, they harbored a secret—a stolen treasure, buried deep within the ancient forests surrounding Durrow and Dunmore Wood.
The specters of Captain Grant and his malevolent gang are rumored to still haunt the woods, their spectral presence serving as an ominous warning to would-be treasure seekers, still guarding it all these years later.
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Although with this reputation, it is also said that Jeremiah Grant was kind to animals and hurt no man as he robbed them. When looking into history, an orphaned boy that was evicted from his farm from a greedy landlord, one can wonder if it really is more of a tragic story about what poverty can do to a man rather than greed for endless treasures. This gives a stark contrast to the luxury within the huge castle.
The Friendly Ghosts
The ruthless highwaymen protecting their treasure is not the only ghost said to reside around the old castle. After Castle Durrow opened as a hotel in the 1990s, there have been stories about friendly ghosts that haunt the hotel and are more of a help than anything.
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There is also a legend about a woman that died when she fell off her horse close to the castle and is said to be haunting her place of death. This spot is marked with an obelisk in a field near the hotel and many claim to have seen her ghost around the spot.
The Haunted Castle Durrow
The chilling tales of Castle Durrow and its spectral guardians serve as a haunting reminder that history’s echoes are not always confined to the pages of time. Even amidst the elegance and refinement of a four-star hotel, the ghostly whispers of the past persist, weaving an intricate tapestry of intrigue and trepidation.
Epping Forestis an ancient forest filled with history and haunting. The big area it takes up houses countless ghosts, legends and paranormal mystery as well as being the dumping ground for murder victims as well as a cozy Sunday picnic spot.
Epping Forest, a sprawling expanse in Essex, England, holds within its ancient boughs a tapestry woven with threads of history, crime, and whispers of the supernatural. The almost 6000 acre ancient woodland holds tons of streams, bogs, ponds and grassland as well as thick woodland. In addition, it holds more than one ghost story.
As sunlight filters through the dense canopy, shadows cast by the forest’s towering trees seem to conceal untold secrets. In the veiled history of Epping Forest, tales of crime and haunted echoes beckon those willing to delve into the enigmatic depths of this woodland.
It used to be a royal forest where only the monarch had the right to hunt, although the land was used by the common people. But it later became known as the Peoples Forest as it was used by all. Queen Victoria said herself: “It gives me the greatest satisfaction to dedicate this beautiful forest to the use and enjoyment of my people for all time” in 1882, but the forest has been used for more sinister things than Sunday picnics.
A Historical Tapestry of Crime
Epping Forest’s history is not without its dark chapters. Once a royal hunting ground, the forest became a haven for outlaws and criminals during the medieval period. Infamous highwaymen and ne’er-do-wells sought refuge beneath its leafy cover, preying on unsuspecting travelers along the forest’s ancient paths. The legends of notorious figures like Dick Turpin, who allegedly used the forest as a hideout, still linger in the whispers of the rustling leaves.
Because of it being so close to London, the London gangsters known as the Kray twins used this forest to dump the body of their victims. Unsolved murders as well as unidentified bodies have been found in the forest the following decades as well into recent times with a few years between them.
The Ghost of the Notorious Dick Turpin
As mentioned the Epping Forest is notorious for being a place of crimes, and many of the ghost stories are woven into this. Dick Turpin was a highwayman that allegedly had a hideout inside of the forest. He was born in Hempstead around 1705 and throughout his life it was said he was dumping the bodies of his victims in the forest. He did at least murder one man there as he was tried and hanged in York in 1739 for it.
Richard Turpin: Illustration of Turpin who shoots dead Thomas Morris, outside his cave at Epping Forest
It is also said that Turpin is haunting the forest, especially around Traps Hill. The very name of the nearby road is said to come from the fear of being robbed in their sleep by him.
According to these rumors about him haunting Epping Forest, he is seen on his horse named Black Bess and is often said to be dragging a woman behind him. Although Black Bess never actually existed, he was accused of stealing horses. This is most likely connected to the crime of the widow Shelley that lived on Traps Hill farm and victim for one of his heinous crimes in 1734, and that he seems to revisit in his afterlife.
He broke into her house and threatened to roast her over the open fire if she didn’t tell where he could find her wealth. Her son eventually told them, but they didn’t leave immediately. They stayed and drank her wine, ate her food before going over to her neighbors as well to rob them too.
Ever since his death, his life has been readapted in books, movies and tv series, even trying to mold him into more of a Robin Hood character than the ruthless robber and gang member he was. And ever since his legacy has grown, people have claimed to have seen his ghost coming storming down Traps Hill on a horse, still a menace in the forest.
Dick Turpin is also said to haunt St. George’s Field in York were he frequented as well as the York Novotel Hotel and a path close to the River Ouse among other things.
The Ghost of the Celtic Queen Boudicca
At Loughton Camps you find a hill fort from the Iron Age that local legend claims was used by the Celtic Queen Boudicca. The hill fort is from around 500 BC and is a type of earthwork used as a refuge og defended settlement and can be found just northwest of Loughton town.
Boudicca was the leader of the British Iceni tribe and most known for her uprising against the Roman Empire and is seen as a national heroine for the British. Her husband had gifted their kingdom to their daughters, but after he died, it was ignored and his kingdom was annexed. Boudicca were flogged and her daughters were raped so that they would be seen as tainted.
Boadicea, Queen of the Iceni: Illustration by Charles Hamilton Smith from 1821.
This caused her to rally her soldiers in an uprising against the empire in year 60. She was defeated the following year though and died. She is said to have died in either battle, of her injuries later or by suicide.
Another hill fort connected to the Celtic queen is at Ambresbury Banks. This is believed to be the site where Boudicca were defeated by the Roman Empire in 61. Eighty thousand men and women were said to have lost their lives to her crusade against the empire, although the story lacks archaeological evidence. Most likely this site was a bit further north.
These hill forts we know for sure were used by the warring Celtic tribes of Trinovantes and Catuvellauni before the Roman invasion.
Although much of the historical facts remain unverified, the legend of her ghost roaming the forest still linger. Some claim to have seen the ghost of Boudicca herself though, coming through the mist on her chariot.
The Suicide Ponds of Epping Forest
Inside the forest you will find many lakes and ponds. There is a place said to draw people to it to take their life and it has a sinister reputation. Although there are over 100 lakes and ponds in the forest, it could be many places of course.
This place in the woods is a pond where according to legend was two young lovers who drowned themselves around 300 years ago in one of the ponds in the forest, many believing it to be this. The tragedies since then have seemingly just been piling on.
So bad is it apparently that people have tried to get a petition going in 2021 to close the pond off and get 24 hour surveillance because of the darkness surrounding this particular pond.
Lindsey Pond
Another pond in the forest is the pond close to Lindsey Street. In the 1960s, stories started pouring in about ghostly figures coming from the pond on horseback. According to the stories, they rode toward town before suddenly disappearing.
Many of the waters close to the forest are said to have a ghost or two in them. A young girl drowning close to the Kings Oak pub has also been seen here, as well as sightings of a headless horseman. There are also more than one story about a woman drowning her child and herself in these ponds and have ever since been haunting the waters of Epping Forest.
The Hangman’s Hill Mystery
One particular site, known as Hangman’s Hill, adds to the eerie mystique of Epping Forest just past Avey Lane. Legend has it that this location was once used for public executions, with the spirits of the condemned lingering in the hushed stillness of the night.
According to legend that is probably the most talked about and most tried. People have heard screams coming from the hill and even called the police to the site without them finding anything.
Some visitors claim to experience strange phenomena on Hangman’s Hill, where gravity seemingly defies its own rules, prompting vehicles to roll uphill—a phenomenon that only deepens the forest’s reputation for the unexplained.
The only thing is put your car in neutral and feel the shift as the hangman pulls you up towards the hill.
The Bad Omens
Some of the animals you see inside of Epping Forest are apparently more than they seem. There are stories about a White hard or stag seen in the forest that signifies death or at least trouble if you see it.
The same goes for seeing a Black Shuck, or the ghost dog that is found everywhere in Essex as well as England for that matter. Some say it is a harbinger of bad luck or just a companion of the devil.
It is mostly in the High Beech where sightings of the haunted hound have been seen.
Modern-Day Hauntings of Epping Forest
As night descends upon Epping Forest, stories of modern-day hauntings persist. Witnesses recount chilling encounters, from ghostly shapes moving among the trees to unsettling sounds that echo through the darkness.
Even after all these years people still claim to see headless horsemen in the forest, at Wake arms roundabout there is allegedly a man who runs out in front of the cars. When the cars stop however, he only stares into their eyes before he fades away.
Around these parts reports about the ghost of a biker as well as a horse-drawn coach have been seen in the night.
Epping Forest, with its ancient trees and hidden pathways, stands as a living chronicle of England’s past. Beyond the rustling leaves and dappled sunlight, the forest harbors tales of crime and spectral echoes, inviting those brave enough to explore its shadowy recesses. As day turns to night, the secrets of Epping Forest come alive, beckoning the curious and daring to unravel the mysteries that continue to weave their spell upon this enchanted woodland.
Now a peaceful place for a road trip, it was once a hot spot for highwaymen and a dangerous place to travel. Sometimes, it was also dangerous for the robbers.
On a chilly Christmas Eve a woman and her father were riding in their carriage down the Road to Hawkhurst Kent. In the eighteenth century highwaymen were notorious and feared in the English countryside. They robbed whoever came their way, and sometimes, the robbery went more violently than necessary. And Hawkhurst housed some of the more notorious gangs and smugglers at the time, making the place feared along the English coast.
Alone With The Highwayman
Dangers on the road: A carriage was a sure sign of wealth and a target for the highwaymen. Photo: Asalto al coche (Robbery of the coach), by Francisco de Goya.
This had been the case of the young woman’s brother, who had been killed on maybe even the same road. But there was one road to take to get anywhere and the same family was again meeting an unfortunate end. The carriage was stopped by the highwayman Gilbert when they were around the village of Marden in Kent. He ordered the father and daughter out of the carriage to strip them of their possessions and valuables. But as soon as the daughter stepped on the ground, the horse bolted, carrying her father away, leaving her all alone with the robberer at the side of the road, seemingly helpless.
But the story comes with a twist seldom seen in other horror stories like these. A horror, not only by being robbed, dawned on her as she laid eyes on the face of the man. She recognised him, Gilbert, as the one who had murdered her brother as well. And she refused to see such a fate befall on herself. Enraged and afraid she drew a knife and stabbed the before he could take more from her by reaching for a hidden knife in her bag and planting it into Gilbert’s side and fled into the bushes.
When the father and the driver managed to calm the horses, they returned to the sight of where they had left her alone. There, all they could find was Gilbert’s dead body that they buried on the side of the road.
The Price of Her Life
It wasn’t until the next day the woman was found by the villagers of Marden, wandering around after having stabbed a man to death. All alone this cold Christmas Eve she had been fleeing from the danger from last night. But although she escaped alive, her body unharmed, it is told that during the night she had gone completely mad.
And every Christmas Eve since, the same scene, the robbery, the murder is repeated by their ghosts, first by Gilbert himself, then later perhaps joined by the woman.
An online magazine about the paranormal, haunted and macabre. We collect the ghost stories from all around the world as well as review horror and gothic media.
