The Paranormal Database

Kittie Rankie

Location: Abergeldie (Aberdeenshire) - Abergeldie Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Burnt as a witch at the top of a nearby hill, Kittie now haunts the castle and the surrounding land.

Coloured Women

Location: Abergele (Clwyd) - Gwrych Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1950s
Further Comments: This castle is haunted by both a white woman and a lady in red, the latter thought to have been killed during a fox hunt, while the former returned after being buried in unconsecrated ground. Another story says that the white woman was the former owner of the castle (Winifred Cochrane, Countess of Dundonald) who returned after her bitter husband, written out of her will, purchased the site and destroyed the contents.

Blood Stains

Location: Achath (Aberdeenshire) - Castle Fraser
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Still present, but concealed
Further Comments: The steps of the building were stained with the blood of a murdered girl - the marks would return, even if scrubbed away. The bloody stains were finally covered over with wood.

A photograph of Acton Burnell Castle, copyright 2006 Lawson Clout.

Girl in White Lace

Location: Acton Burnell (Shropshire) - Acton Burnell Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2004
Further Comments: A ghostly girl dressed in white lace is said to haunt this ruined site. A student managed to photograph a strange misty 'face' in 2004 and reported hearing scratching noises. (Image copyright 2006 Lawson Clout)

White Lady

Location: Ahascragh (County Galway) - Castle ffrench
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Reportedly 'benign', this phantom white lady is said to have been a member of the ffrench family who was held prisoner in the Old Tower to ensure she did not escape her arranged marriage.

An old postcard showing Airlie Castle.

The Doom of Airlie Castle

Location: Airlie (Perth and Kinross) - Airlie Castle
Type: Legend
Date / Time: When ill-fortune strikes
Further Comments: This harbinger of doom takes the form of a ram that walks a lap of the gardens prior to disaster. A drumming sound is also reported to herald a death in the family.

Screams

Location: Airth (Falkirk) - Airth Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Several ghosts frequent the building, currently a hotel. A spectral dog is felt as it tries to bite ankles, two children and their nanny (all of whom died in a fire) still return from the grave, and finally the cries and screams of a maid attacked by an enraged master can be heard late at night.

An old woodcut of a flaming figure approaching a man.

Devil's Bang

Location: Aldbury (Hertfordshire) - Former castle (or house)
Type: Legend - Old Nick
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two slight variations of the story exist. In one, the Devil helped Sir Guy de Gravade, the owner of the building, perform alchemy on the site, before a chemical mishap blew them both to hell. Another says Sir Guy dabbled in black magic, and he, a servant, and the house suddenly vanished, although all return once a year.

Little Folk

Location: Alfriston (Sussex) - Burlough (or Burlow) Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Pre-twentieth century
Further Comments: Fairies once made their home here and rewarded a local man with food after he helped one of their kind repair a kitchen utensil.

Creature from the Tomb

Location: Alnwick (Northumberland) - Alnwick Castle
Type: Vampire
Date / Time: 1100s
Further Comments: The vampire that once frequented this castle, a former lord of the estate, lived under the site and would emerge at night to attack the local villagers. An outbreak of plague was also attributed to the unholy creature, and this resulted in the villagers digging the monster up from its shallow grave and burning it.

Lancelot

Location: Alnwick (Northumberland) - Joyous Gard, possibly Alnwick Castle
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Lancelot was laid to rest at his castle, Joyous Gard. Some believe that this fort later became known as Alnwick Castle.

Modred's House

Location: Alyth (Perth and Kinross) - Dunbarre Castle
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This castle is said to be the former base of Modred, the nephew of King Arthur. He was killed when the fort was overrun by Scots and Picts. Guinevere may have also been killed here and is reportedly buried at nearby Meigle.

Emily

Location: Amberley (Sussex) - Amberley Castle Hotel
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Early twentieth century
Further Comments: This teenager is seen in and around the kitchen area of the hotel - the stories say she died shortly after having an affair with a bishop.

Ruins of the castle, copyright Phil Willis.

Sinking Coach

Location: Antrim (County Antrim) - Antrim Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 31 May (reoccurring)
Further Comments: A coach pulled by a team of four horses which sunk into the pond drowning all on board is seen repeating the tragic accident once a year. In addition, a stone wolfhound which stands by the gateway is said to have once been flesh and blood - the dog gave a warning to an advancing sneak attack upon the castle before turning into rock. It now safeguards the Clotworthy family name on the condition it is never removed. Finally, the sound of heavy breathing can be heard coming from the ruined building.

Family Curse

Location: Anwoth (Dumfries and Galloway) - Cardoness Castle
Type: Curse
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A curse placed on the castle ensured its ultimate ruin - three owners went bankrupt, and a fourth owner and his family were drowned in the nearby loch when the ice cracked whilst they skated in winter.

An old postcard of Appleby Castle in Cumbria.

Lady Anne Clifford

Location: Appleby (Cumbria) - Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The castle may have been haunted by Lady Anne Clifford, though no recent reports exist.

Piper

Location: Ardo (Aberdeenshire) - Gight Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: What is it with inquisitive pipers and tunnels? Playing his pipe while investigating this secret passageway, a man vanished without trace (though, of course, he is now heard).

Wallace

Location: Ardrossan (Ayrshire) - Castle Hill
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Stormy nights
Further Comments: An old haunt during his life, it is only fitting it should become one for Sir William Wallace after death.

An old postcard of Arundel Castle.

Cannon Fire

Location: Arundel (Sussex) - Arundel Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Several phantom sounds have been reported at the castle; kitchen equipment has been heard in use, though always empty on investigation, and the distant rumble of cannons being shot at the walls is also reported. The library is haunted by a blue man, flicking through an unknown book, and a young girl flees towards a tower, where she once jumped from and took her life.

An old postcard of Arundel Castle.

Flitting White Bird

Location: Arundel (Sussex) - Castle and surrounding area
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Prior to death in family
Further Comments: It is locally believed that prior to a death in the family, an unidentified white bird hovers and bumps into one of the windows of the castle tower.

May Marye

Location: Askerton (Cumbria) - Askerton Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Once murdered by a lover, now May extracts her revenge by jumping on the backs of passing horses and terrifying their riders. It is reported she once engaged one rider in conversation, making him swear on his life that the topic of discussion would never be revealed to anyone.

Henry Grey, by Johannes Corvus.

Duke of Suffolk

Location: Astley (Warwickshire) - Astley Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Father of Lady Jane, Henry Grey, Duke of Suffolk, had his head lopped off and now haunts this building (headless, of course).

Faces at the Windows

Location: Athleague (County Roscommon) - Castle Strange
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Built on a site of Celtic ceremony, many people have reported seeing weird faces peering out of the windows.

Blue Lady

Location: Athlone (County Westmeath) - Portlick Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The blue lady is said to have been seen a few times (although the dates are not stated) moving around close to the staircase of the castle. A phantom prisoner is also said to haunt the basement.

Peeping Figure

Location: Athy (County Kildare) - White's Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 2006
Further Comments: A ghostly figure has been seen peering out a second floor window of the castle. A few critics pointed out that most witnesses have just left public houses and bars at midnight and may not have been in the clearest of minds.