3 haunted castles around the world that will send shivers down the spine
Many of us love stories of haunted places and ghosts. Such stories are always tragic and alluring too! Today, we will take you through the stories surrounding some of the scariest haunted places of the world.
Chillingham Castle, England
Chillingham Castle, situated in the village of Chillingham in northern Northumberland, England, is considered to be one of the most haunted castles in England. A significant number of spectres and ghosts have been reported by visitors over the years, making it one of the sites with the highest levels of paranormal activity in the nation. This castle is now owned by Sir Humphry Wakefield and his wife, Katharine, but it exists since the 13th century. King Edward I (King of England from 1272 to 1307) in 1298, rested here while travelling to the Battle of Falkirk (War of Scottish Independence), where he beat William Wallace (1270-1305), one of Scotland's greatest national heroes who fought for the country’s independence from England. Chillingham Castle took part in several border clashes between Scotland and England over the years, especially during the border wars in Northumberland.
People have reportedly heard the cries of a young child, possibly around 10-15 years of age, in the castle’s pink room at night. This room leads to the next room through a hallway that was added when the castle was remodelled in the past. The sounds are audible at the point, where the passage was added. Reportedly, the child wears blue clothes, doesn’t try to frighten or hurt anyone, but cries on till he vanishes.
Leap Castle, Ireland
Leap Castle is situated in County Offaly, Ireland, outside of Coolderry, and is owned by musician Sean Ryan and his wife, Anne. This castle was constructed around 1250 AD by the O'Bannon clan (tribal leaders). Originally, it was called ‘Léim Uí Bhanáin’ or ‘Leap of the O'Bannons’. Leap Castle was burned down and destroyed in 1922 as a result of the Irish Civil War. Peter Bartlett, an Australian descendant of the O'Bannon family, bought the abandoned castle in 1974. He started the castle's renovations and it continued till his death in 1989. Sean and Anne Ryan then decided to buy the castle.
Amongst the many terrifying tales associated with this castle, the "Red Lady" tale claims that a tall, lean woman in a long red dress with a dagger in her hand haunts the hallways. According to this account, her newborn was slaughtered with a blade right after birth. This was followed by the woman killing herself with a knife. According to a different version of the tale, the woman was the subject of a dispute between two of her family members. When she attempted to run, they pursued her and stabbed her.
Burg Eltz, Germany
The Eltz Castle is in the middle of the Eltz forests above the Moselle (river) between the cities of Koblenz and Trier, Germany. The branch of the original Eltz family that resided there for 33 generations back in the 12th century still owns this castle. It was constructed between 11th - 13th century making it roughly 850 years old.
The story goes as follows. Agnes Eltz, the daughter of the 15th ‘Count of Eltz’, was very brave unlike other girls in the family. Legends say that she was killed by the Knight of Braunsberg who wanted to marry her. Agnes Eltz didn’t like him due to his remorseless and rude behaviour. So, she had turned down his marriage proposal. Since then, the ghost of poor Agnes is believed to appear in the castle at midnight. Many have ‘seen’ her wandering through the hallways, sometimes turning lights on and off and also opening and closing doors. Whispers and children's laughter can also be heard in the hallways, say visitors.