The English castle Chillingham is rightfully included in the ten most terrible and mysterious medieval fortresses in the world. This stronghold is literally teeming with ghosts, and the most terrible place here is recognized as an underground dungeon, in which criminals were kept awaiting their execution in the central square of the castle.
History of the medieval fortress
The world famous fortress of Chillingham is located in the English county of Northumberland, a few kilometers from the Anglo-Scottish border. This castle is very popular with tourists and is considered one of the most mysterious sights in all of Europe.
The history of the ancient Chillingham Castle dates back to the end of the 12th century. In 1298, the English ruler Edward I was to face the Scottish army led by William Wallace on the battlefield. On the way, the English king decided to stop at Chillingham Castle. Upon learning of the arrival of the ruler, the attendants installed a glass window in the king's quarters, which was considered extremely rare for those times.
In 1344, the construction of Chillingham Castle was completely finished. During the Middle Ages, the fortress played an extremely important strategic role. It was located on the way between England and Scotland, which is why it was regularly sieged by enemies. In addition, the castle was often used by English soldiers as a staging post during their campaigns in Scotland. English rulers more than once stayed in the walls of the Chillingham fortress: Henry III, Edward I, Charles I, James I and Edward VIII.
Despite numerous sieges of the castle, they never took it by storm. At one time, the fortress was the property of the dukes and earls from the family of Gray, whom William Shakespeare mentioned more than once in his plays.
In 1617, the then already united England and Scotland, James I, decided to visit Chillingham Castle. During that period, the relationship between the two once warring states began to rapidly improve, as a result of which the military and strategic value of the fortress began to decline rapidly. In this regard, the ruler gave the order to fill up the moat, which surrounded the fortress, and inside the castle it was decided to build a library and a banquet hall.
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In the 18th-19th centuries, the land improvement around Chillingham Castle began. A large park area was laid out in the surrounding area, which later became home to the famous white Chillingham cows. During the Second World War, the walls of the fortress housed the barracks of the English army, which is why many ancient elements of the castle's decoration disappeared without a trace.
At the end of the war, Chillingham Castle began to decline. In 1982, it was acquired by Sir Humphrey Wakefield, Second Baronet, whose wife was a direct descendant of the Gray family. The new owners of the castle began active work on the reconstruction of the fortress, and soon it was opened to tourists.
Ghosts of Chillingham Castle
Chillingham Medieval Castle is considered the most popular haunted fortress in all of England. Thousands of tourists come here every year, hoping to meet the ghost of the Blue Boy or the mysterious spirit of Lady Mary Berkeley.
Most often, guests of Chillingham Castle meet with the ghost of a little boy dressed in a blue suit. According to eyewitnesses, the ghost regularly appears in the Pink Hall of the fortress, in the guise of a boy or in the form of a dull blue glow.
During the active reconstruction of Chillingham Castle, workers accidentally discovered the remains of an adult man and a little boy. Experts claimed that the prisoners were walled up alive, as the walls of their crypt were covered with a huge number of scratches.
Another popular ghost of Chillingham Castle is the spirit of Lady Mary Berkeley, who regularly comes out straight from her portrait in the Fortress Gray Room. According to the guides, Lady Berkeley's husband cheated on her with her sister. After that, the woman committed suicide, and today she deliberately terrorizes only men who have cheated on their spouses.
Inside Chillingham Castle there is a torture room, where the ghost of the Tormentor John Sage is often found.
At one time, this respectable man was the owner of the castle. According to legend, John Sage once strangled his mistress, Elizabeth Charlton. Upon learning of the death of his daughter, Elizabeth's father went for justice to the ruler Edward I. In a conversation with the king, he threatened him that he would rebel. The ruler had no choice but to execute Sage right within the walls of his own castle.
The dark dungeon of the medieval stronghold
A huge number of bloody stories are associated with the underground dungeon of the Chillingham fortress. It is a small room with no windows, doors, or any other openings. There is a strong stench in the room, because the air inside it is practically not ventilated.
According to an old legend, all the prisoners brought to Chillingham were thrown into prison for a long and painful death. Before that, their limbs and ribs were broken so that they could not leave the prison on their own. Those who did survive were executed on the gallows right on the Central Square in the courtyard of the castle.
By the beginning of the 20th century, many remains were found inside the dungeon. Today, tourists visiting the fortress can observe the skeleton of a little girl - the last prisoner of an underground dungeon.