North East England’s rich history, ancient buildings and numerous castles all have spooky stories to tell, from Bamburgh castle, perched high above the dunes in its spectacular coastal setting to the mysterious Northumberland National park with its miles of dramatic hills and valleys.

Are you brave enough to visit?


Chillingham Castle

Chillingham Castle, near Alnwick, Northumberland.

Chillingham Castle is widely regarded as one of, if not the most haunted places in England. The castle, which featured in ‘Most Haunted’ dates back over 800 years. Set in the heart of Northumberland, it was originally the first line of defence, preventing the Scots getting over the border to invade England back in the days of William Wallace. It has a truly amazing, yet horrific, history which is evident in its vast dungeons and torture chamber.

The castle is famed for its many ghost stories, The Blue Boy, Lady Mary and her child and the Royal procession are among the most famous and sightings are well documented.

The stunning medieval castle, surrounded by acres of grounds has eight self-catering apartments situated both within the castle and in the old coaching rooms where you can stay if you’re brave enough!
www.chillingham-castle.com



Lord Crewe Arms

Lord Crewe Arms, Blanchland, Northumberland.

In the heart of this stunning estate village, one of only six listed villages in England stands The Lord Crewe Arms. The hotel is situated in the centre of the village which has featured in many period dramas, including Catherine Cookson’s Gambling Man.

Dating back to the 12th century, the hotel was originally the guest house and kitchens for Blanchland Abbey and is haunted by the ghost of Dorothy Forster, niece to the Bishop of Durham and Lady Crewe and sister to Tom Forster Winter who plotted the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion.

Visitors wishing to see the haunted area have to pass through a huge doorway at the top of the stairs. The massive door itself was found recently to be the original inn sign and it was only after careful cleaning that the Lord Crewe's coat of arms was revealed. www.lordcrewehotel.co.uk


Bamburgh Castle

Bamburgh Castle

Owned by the Armstrong family, the castle was a finalist on the BBC’s Britain’s favourite view and has won the 2010 North East England award for Best Large Visitor Attraction. Dating back to Anglo Saxon times, the castle was the target of invasions by the Normans, the Vikings and the Scottish.

There have been countless sightings of Green Jane, Bamburgh’s ghost. A young woman carrying a bundle in her arms which is believed to be a baby is seen walking down the steep steps of the clock tower. She stumbles and then cries out as she falls down the narrow stairway. It is alleged that this young lady was named Jane and lived in the local village. She came from a poor family and was sent by her family to beg for food at the castle. She was abused by the guards and then sent away. In a weakened state, she fell down the stairs and died with her baby in her arms. www.bamburghcastle.com


Winter’s Gibbet

Winter’s Gibbet

Winter’s Gibbet stands on a wild moorland road above the village of Elsdon, deep in the wild Northumberland countryside, a replica of a severed head still swinging from it.

It is a grisly memorial to William Winter, the last man in England to be gibbeted. Winter was a gypsy and noted criminal. In 1791 he was charged, along with his two sisters with the brutal murder of an old woman, Margaret Crozier, who lived in a tower at Raw Pele, just north of Elsdon. The three were later executed at the Westgate, Newcastle, the female bodies were given to the surgeon’s hall for dissection whilst William Winter’s body was hung from the gibbet for all to see.

Though Winter’s body has long gone from the gibbet, it is said that the sound of rattling bones can often be heard there, especially on stormy nights, and that the ghosts of Winter and Jane and Eleanor Clark can been seen running from the old tower at Raw Pele.
www.northumberland-cam.com/winters-gibbet


The Castle Keep

The Castle Keep, Newcastle upon Tyne

The Castle Keep was built by Henry II between 1168-1178 and is one of the finest surviving examples of a Norman Keep in the country. It is believed to be extremely haunted.

The first castle to be built on the site, the ‘New Castle upon the Tyne’ was founded in 1080 by Robert Curthose, eldest son of William the Conqueror and gives the city its name.

There was a Roman fort on the site from as early as the mid 2nd century, used to guard the river crossing below. From the 8th century the site of the fort was used as a Christian cemetery and more recently the castle found use as a prison.

Visitors can explore the Keep and get a real sense of the centuries of history, and by climbing to the top of the Keep will be rewarded with incredible views of the city and of the many bridges crossing the Tyne.
www.castlekeep-newcastle.org.uk

Lumley Castle, Chester-le-Street, Durham.

Standing proud for more than 600 years, the magnificent spectacle of Lumley Castle dominates the County Durham landscape. Today it is a welcoming hotel with 73 bedrooms including the King James Suite with a stunning 20ft high four poster bed. Surrounded by parkland overlooking the River Wear, it is a magnificent monument to a bygone age of chivalry and honour.

However, like so many of the castles in the area it hides a dark past and many guests have reported sightings of the ghost of Lady Lily Lumley, the wife of Sir Ralph, who is said to walk the corridors of her former home where she was murdered by local priests and her body dumped in the well, the well can still be seen in the grounds of the castle today. www.lumleycastle.com