Haunted English Castles

Located in Chillingham, Alnwick Northumberland, UK

Chillingham was originally a monastery in the late 12 century. Since that time the castle has seen a lot of different people and events. In 1617 James I the first king of both England and Scotland, stayed at the castle on a journey between his two kingdoms. During World War II the castle was used as an army barracks, after the war the castle fell into disrepair.

In 1980 Sir Humphry Wakefield, 2nd Baronet whose wife Catherine is remotely descended from the Greys of Chillingham; set about a painstaking restoration of the Castle. Today, sections are open to the public and holiday apartments are available for hire.

The Castles current owners market Chillingham's as being the most haunted castle in Britain. The castle has been investigated by Most Haunted, Scariest Places on Earth, Holiday Showdown and Ghost Hunters international.

The most famous ghost of the castle is referred to as the "blue boy". According to the owners this ghost use to haunt the Pink Room in the castle and supposedly guest have reported seeing blue flashes and a blue halo of light about their beds after hearing a loud wailing sound.
According to Wiki: Renovation work ceased after finding a man and a boy behind a 10 foot thick wall along with documents dating back to the Spanish Armada.

After examining the remains, it was proved that the young boy tried so hard to scratch his way out of the wall that he actually wore the tips of fingers down. There have been reports of other bones being found besides the set of the man and the boy.

Another legendary ghost that roams the corridors of Chillingham is Lady Mary Berkeley, wife of Lord Grey of Wark and Chillingham. It is said that she is searching for her husband who ran away with Lady Mary's sister and left her behind with her baby girl as a companion. Lady Mary was heartbroken. Many visitors to the castle claims they could hear the rustling of an old fashion dress and often get chills when Lady Mary's ghost walks by them.

There are other ghostly stories such as a ghost who steps out of a picture and roams around the castle. The inner pantry of the castle is haunted by a white figure. Often a phantom funeral can be seen walking through the Topiary Garden and in the library voices of men can be heard although nobody is there.

The Tower of London is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It was founded towards the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. The White Tower which gives the entire castle its name, was built by William the conqueror in 1078 and was used as a prison since at least 1100, according to Wiki.

Although the tower has a reputation of torture and death, there were only seven executions within the Tower before the World Wars of the 20th century. There were well over a hundred executions that took place in the notorious Tower Hill to the north of the castle.

One ghost that you often hear about associated with the Tower of London is that of Queen Anne Boleyn who was beheaded in 1536; because King Henry had accused her of infidelity. She allegedly haunts the chapel of St. Peter ad Vincula where she was buried under the Chapel's altar. I have read several things about Anne Boleyn including it was suspected that she practiced witchcraft and had 6 fingers on one hand and 6 toes on one foot, which was considered a bad omen. Her ghost has been seen numerous times, in the corridor of the White Tower and in the chapel where she was buried. It is said that she is seen carrying her head under her arms.

Other tales include, in the 1600's a chest was found with two small young children's skeleton inside it. The skeleton's was said to have been of the two princes who suddenly disappeared on evening. The stories are numerous about different hauntings from people who had been executed in the Tower. As with most information I have read about haunted castles, the Tower also has its sightings of "Phantom Funeral Carriages".