Hi! Today we're revisiting last year's theme of the creepy and haunted, but this time we'll be talking about castles. I've always had a thing for castles, both being an avid historical reader all of my life and being a Disney fan, but my view on it has been 'the more haunted, the better.' I mean, it's kinda not better because hauntings have resulted in people going insane, committing suicide or mysteriously dying, but I'm always up for a good story about a haunted castle. People aren't building castles in the same manner anymore, and the history buff in me wonders about the ghosts who once wandered the corridors I'd like to visit. Here are some castles I'd like to visit, especially now that I know they're haunted. *cue witchy cackle*
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Leap Castle is an extremely old castle, built between 1100 and 1250 (depending on the source) by a family under the ruling of the O'Carroll clan, who withstood multiple attempts over the years to overtake it. They held the castle until sometime in the 1600s. This is important because it is largely because of the O'Carroll clan that the castle now has the history that it does. There were claims that a patriarch named Fearganhainm O'Carroll murdered a guest he'd invited over for dinner before being murdered himself by a member of another clan, but I couldn't find any more details about that. For me, the story starts with the death of the clan's leader at the time, a man named Mulrooney O'Carroll, because it started a deadly feud between his sons to be the successor. One of those sons was a priest named Thaddeus, but the holy vocation had no effect on his brother, who stabbed him in the back and left him to die in the castle's chapel. It is said that Thaddeus's ghost is the oldest to haunt Leap Castle, but he definitely wasn't the last.
In the mid-1600s, an English captain was imprisoned in Leap but one of the clan leader's daughters fell in love with him and eventually smuggled him out. Her brother, who was the next in line for leadership, happened to see them sneaking out and tried to stop them, but the captain put an end to that and killed him. When the daughter later married the captain, the ownership of the castle officially shifted from O'Carroll to Darby, and Leap remained in their family until Ireland gained its independence in the early 1900s. The castle was attacked by fire, and as a result the Darbys had to leave.
But the bloody tales didn't stop with the Darby family taking over Leap Castle. The wife of the last Darby owner of the castle, Mildred Darby, became known for unleashing what is referred to as an "Elemental" within the castle's walls. Mildred enjoyed dabbling in various black magic practices, seances being one of those things, and she mentioned her experience with a paranormal being she had met on the grounds. I wish I could say the story ended there, but it doesn't. During restoration efforts for the castle, construction workers found a small dungeon and inside that dungeon were tons of dead bodies, and here's where the story comes full circle. Prisoners, both alive and dead, were tossed into this room to either die or be disposed of. The alive prisoners were tossed in the room via a chute, where a floor entirely made of spikes was waiting to impale them. Those who weren't lucky enough to be killed on impact were left to starve to death. Dead bodies were tossed in there as a bit of a human trash can, which must have been hell on earth to those who were still alive. When workers made the discovery, it took several trips to retrieve the bodies. And believe it or not, there is even more to the bloody backstory of this castle that I didn't include so give the research sources a look.
In the mid-1600s, an English captain was imprisoned in Leap but one of the clan leader's daughters fell in love with him and eventually smuggled him out. Her brother, who was the next in line for leadership, happened to see them sneaking out and tried to stop them, but the captain put an end to that and killed him. When the daughter later married the captain, the ownership of the castle officially shifted from O'Carroll to Darby, and Leap remained in their family until Ireland gained its independence in the early 1900s. The castle was attacked by fire, and as a result the Darbys had to leave.
But the bloody tales didn't stop with the Darby family taking over Leap Castle. The wife of the last Darby owner of the castle, Mildred Darby, became known for unleashing what is referred to as an "Elemental" within the castle's walls. Mildred enjoyed dabbling in various black magic practices, seances being one of those things, and she mentioned her experience with a paranormal being she had met on the grounds. I wish I could say the story ended there, but it doesn't. During restoration efforts for the castle, construction workers found a small dungeon and inside that dungeon were tons of dead bodies, and here's where the story comes full circle. Prisoners, both alive and dead, were tossed into this room to either die or be disposed of. The alive prisoners were tossed in the room via a chute, where a floor entirely made of spikes was waiting to impale them. Those who weren't lucky enough to be killed on impact were left to starve to death. Dead bodies were tossed in there as a bit of a human trash can, which must have been hell on earth to those who were still alive. When workers made the discovery, it took several trips to retrieve the bodies. And believe it or not, there is even more to the bloody backstory of this castle that I didn't include so give the research sources a look.
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This castle has a very spooky history. The land had a very large hole that seemingly had no bottom, and even before construction started on the castle, local residents continually reported seeing strange things flying in and around the hole. Because others were too afraid to voluntarily lower themselves into the hole in order to check its depth and find the bottom, it started being offered as a way out for prisoners facing execution. If the prisoner could be lowered into the pit and come out alive, he would receive a pardon. The story behind the first prisoner to try this is now an infamous one; a couple of minutes after being lowered, he began screaming to be pulled back up. People reported that the man who went into the hole and the one who came out of it looked like two different people because when the man was pulled out, his hair had whitened and his face had aged significantly. He went insane shortly after the ordeal, before he could tell anyone what he'd seen in the hole, and he died in a mental institution shortly after.
People claimed that the hole was really a gateway to Hell, a claim that stands today, 800 years after its original construction. The castle is said to have been built over the hole to seal it, but the hole itself is directly underneath the castle's chapel to reinforce the seal and ward off the evil people believed was beneath. But the story of hauntings and weird occurrences doesn't end with the construction of the castle. Over the years, a lot of reports have come in with various sightings, from headless horses to chains of people carrying their heads and even to a strange bullfrog/human hybrid creature. It is said that random ghosts wander the corridors and have even been able to lift objects in the rooms. An array of creepy sounds can be heard here as well, like a heavy thud similar to that of a human body hitting the floor. Moans, wails and screams can also be heard near or in the chapel. The Nazis occupied Hrad Houska during WW2, for reasons unknown. Some sites mention that the area around Houska didn't provide a strategic advantage so the reason for their presence was shady, while others mention that the area was within eyesight of another fortress and was used to render aid to soldiers if necessary. Hitler was said to have dabbled in learning about the occult and the supernatural world, and hearing about the castle called "The Gateway to Hell" prompted him to occupy the castle in order to experiment with those things. I don't know if we'll ever know the truth behind that as the sources differ in their explanations, but what is true is that Hrad Houska definitely has a twisted and long history. The fifth link will give you a pretty good rundown of the castle's history because there's a lot I left out.
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Akershus Fortress is another old structure, built back in the medieval times. The same tidbits of information circulate throughout most of the sites, so unfortunately this one won't be too long. This has been used as a military fortress since the 1300s, and withstood multiple sieges by Sweden until and during the Northern Seven Years' War. During the Nazi invasion of Norway in the '40s, Akershus surrendered peacefully and was liberated five years later. It also served as a prison for a number of years, including and multiple prisoners were held and/or executed within the castle's walls. Akershus doesn't have the bloody history of its partners within this post, but it is said to be haunted by the spirit of a demon/vicious dog. The legend says that Malcanisen was buried alive in order to become a ghost dog that would scare away intruders. From the stories being told, it seems the dog is still doing its job; Malcanisen guards the gates and it is said that anyone who comes in contact with the dog will die a horrible death within three months. I wish there was more information available on Akershus, but I wanted to include it because rather than the castle being famous for being haunted by human spirits, this one is haunted by a canine--and that was the intention! I thought it was nuts. I wouldn't bury a dog alive in order to get it though, it's just not that serious.
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Rose Hall in Montego Bay, Jamaica is the most famous building in the country. Part of its fame comes from its Jamaican Georgian style of architecture and was built in the late-1700s. The Georgian style has been revived as Colonial/Georgian Revival, which is what it's called in the States. Rose Hall was renovated back in the '60s and is now open for night tours, which brings me to the haunted part of the story. The primary reason why Rose Hall is now open for night tours is because it helps capitalize on the now-infamous Jamaican legend of the White Witch. (Love that bit of continuity from last week, huh? lol)
The White Witch was a young woman by the name of Annie Palmer. The legend goes that her Haitian nanny taught her witchcraft and voodoo before she moved to Jamaica, where she married the owner of the Rose Hall sugar plantation. Now this is where the story differs depending on the source, because while some sources just mention that the husband died, others say that Annie murdered him due to mental illness, while others still say that Annie murdered him because he discovered she was having an affair with one of the plantation's slaves. Either way you slice the pie, Annie ended up a widow. She took several husbands after John Palmer's death, and all of them ended up dying under mysterious or sudden circumstances. A number of slaves were also said to have been murdered by Annie, earning her the name White Witch of Rose Hall by the time she herself was murdered, possibly by a slave or household servant. It was said that after she tired of a man, whether it be husband or temporary lover (usually a slave), Annie murdered them and buried them somewhere on the lands in unmarked graves. An investigation was launched into trying to figure out the truth behind the legend and in 2007 the investigation closed under the conclusion that the White Witch legend was false. But those who believe say that Annie's spirit is tied to the house, where she still haunts it to this day. Some report the regular signs that would suggest paranormal activity was present--unexplained shutting of doors, moving of objects, visible apparitions from a distance or an uneasy feeling in the air. Others report differently and conclude that despite the general eeriness of the former plantation, Rose Hall doesn't appear to be anything more than a standing reminder of the tragedies that were visited inside of it. If you'd like to read a first-hand account of a visit to Rose Hall, check the fifth link.
The White Witch was a young woman by the name of Annie Palmer. The legend goes that her Haitian nanny taught her witchcraft and voodoo before she moved to Jamaica, where she married the owner of the Rose Hall sugar plantation. Now this is where the story differs depending on the source, because while some sources just mention that the husband died, others say that Annie murdered him due to mental illness, while others still say that Annie murdered him because he discovered she was having an affair with one of the plantation's slaves. Either way you slice the pie, Annie ended up a widow. She took several husbands after John Palmer's death, and all of them ended up dying under mysterious or sudden circumstances. A number of slaves were also said to have been murdered by Annie, earning her the name White Witch of Rose Hall by the time she herself was murdered, possibly by a slave or household servant. It was said that after she tired of a man, whether it be husband or temporary lover (usually a slave), Annie murdered them and buried them somewhere on the lands in unmarked graves. An investigation was launched into trying to figure out the truth behind the legend and in 2007 the investigation closed under the conclusion that the White Witch legend was false. But those who believe say that Annie's spirit is tied to the house, where she still haunts it to this day. Some report the regular signs that would suggest paranormal activity was present--unexplained shutting of doors, moving of objects, visible apparitions from a distance or an uneasy feeling in the air. Others report differently and conclude that despite the general eeriness of the former plantation, Rose Hall doesn't appear to be anything more than a standing reminder of the tragedies that were visited inside of it. If you'd like to read a first-hand account of a visit to Rose Hall, check the fifth link.
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Part of what's creepy about Woodchester Mansion (to me) is that it's still unfinished, which is how it's been for over a century. Ownership of the castle has changed hands several times, and has been abandoned since the 1870s. Woodchester is now owned by a Trust, who is trying to restore the castle. Financial struggles have followed a couple of the previous owners, which is why the castle was never 100% finished. Let's get to the fun part. This castle has a very long history of hauntings and strange activity, which may have been started by one of the previous owners. After killing his cousin, a man named Sir Rupert de Lansigny inherited the home that is now where Woodchester stands (the home, Spring Park, was torn down and Woodchester was erected in the same spot) and it is said that his headless ghost has been seen on horseback trotting on his old lands.
The coffin of a friar who supposedly drowned himself in one of the castle's lakes and was buried on the grounds was mysteriously found floating in said lake. I would have attributed that to rising sea levels and/or some other kind of natural disaster, except that it was only his coffin found, so unless he was buried alone that's kinda strange. The really weird thing is that when the castle was abandoned, the construction workers' tools were just left there, and the construction of the castle was plagued with bad luck. Throughout the course of the castle being built, there were six accidental deaths and one murder. During World War 2, twenty soldiers were killed when a bridge at Woodchester collapsed while a tank was crossing over it, crushing the soldiers to death by either the weight of the tank or the bridge. People who have visited Woodchester over the years have described scary interactions with the ghosts of the castle; female guests have been attacked by ghosts, and the aura around the chapel is questionable due to supposed Satanic rituals being performed there in the '80s. The third link has a lot more stories of reported paranormal activity so check it out.
The coffin of a friar who supposedly drowned himself in one of the castle's lakes and was buried on the grounds was mysteriously found floating in said lake. I would have attributed that to rising sea levels and/or some other kind of natural disaster, except that it was only his coffin found, so unless he was buried alone that's kinda strange. The really weird thing is that when the castle was abandoned, the construction workers' tools were just left there, and the construction of the castle was plagued with bad luck. Throughout the course of the castle being built, there were six accidental deaths and one murder. During World War 2, twenty soldiers were killed when a bridge at Woodchester collapsed while a tank was crossing over it, crushing the soldiers to death by either the weight of the tank or the bridge. People who have visited Woodchester over the years have described scary interactions with the ghosts of the castle; female guests have been attacked by ghosts, and the aura around the chapel is questionable due to supposed Satanic rituals being performed there in the '80s. The third link has a lot more stories of reported paranormal activity so check it out.
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Zvikov Castle is another old castle, with the original having been built sometime during the first century. The castle that is still standing today was built during the 13th century and had military significance up until the 17th century, after war had partially destroyed the castle. It went through this cycle of being used for war, damaged, then reconstructed a couple of times before finally being confiscated by the state in the 1940s. I am not sure what happened to the castle between its confiscation and the '70s, when restorations started again.
The interesting thing about Zvikov's creepy history is that, unlike other places being haunted by humans or animals, Zvikov apparently has its own imp. The imp is said to guard--or haunt--the Crown Hall, which is where the crown jewels used to be placed under heavy guard. The legend goes that back in the '50s, construction workers were scared off of their job of restoring the tower by an evil spirit. People who spend the night in the tower are said to die within a year, and in Czech myths, fire hounds also guard and haunt the castle grounds. Zvikov and its imp have inspired arts and theatre writers. The latter is now why every year, a play about Zvikov's imp is set in Zvikov's courtyard. The castle is open from spring to autumn every year.
The interesting thing about Zvikov's creepy history is that, unlike other places being haunted by humans or animals, Zvikov apparently has its own imp. The imp is said to guard--or haunt--the Crown Hall, which is where the crown jewels used to be placed under heavy guard. The legend goes that back in the '50s, construction workers were scared off of their job of restoring the tower by an evil spirit. People who spend the night in the tower are said to die within a year, and in Czech myths, fire hounds also guard and haunt the castle grounds. Zvikov and its imp have inspired arts and theatre writers. The latter is now why every year, a play about Zvikov's imp is set in Zvikov's courtyard. The castle is open from spring to autumn every year.
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So that's it for today's edition of "Various Haunted Sh*t." I tried not to make this list so similar to the ones I found when I was researching which castles to include, but you'll find variations of this list everywhere. The one that seems to have most of today's entries is this io9/Gizmodo article, but I assure you, I picked these out by myself. I did check out some of the articles and decided which ones I was going to choose from there, but I didn't mean for so many of them to overlap. The problem is that many of these are on several "Most Haunted" lists, so I guess it was going to happen regardless.
But with that out of the way, it's broken record time--as always, I hope that you enjoyed today's post and despite the now classic tradition of me posting these things late, are enjoying this year's Octoberfest. When I tell you I've been working hard on these posts, I really do mean it. I wish there were more than 24 hours in a day so that I could get more done on time, but nothing's perfect. lol Are there any castles on this list that you'd like to visit? It'd be fantastic for me to be able to visit them all, but I'd love to see Himeji for its beauty and Leap for its history (and because it means I'd be in Ireland, which is someplace that I would absolutely love to visit). See you in a couple of days!
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