was once his study. Here witnesses have reported catching fleeting glimpses of his sad shade staring at them from the dark corners or feeling his presence at Halloween is right around the corner and the county's favourite castle is hosting a spooky spectacular. This part deserves a point in itself. When I was a kid, I used to play the games Age of Empires and Total War (showing my age and the fact I was a weird kid) and so I loved learning about battle strategies, warfare and weapons including using the trebuchet.

There's ghosts, ghouls, wizards and witches. The Dead Centre Stage based in the Castle Courtyard features a a host of colourful characters - and throughout the day it was fun to drop in and see what was happening.As Patricia and I entered the bedchamber which was to be the last resting-place of Sir Fulke Greville’s earthly body, I could sense that much spirit activity had been experienced here. I was drawn towards the bed…and gradually the spirit form of a man began to develop. I could see that he was attired in Elizabethan dress. 1 The building is steeped in rich history having survived a raging fire from an unknown force, an outbreak of plague and the English Civil War and frequentlyreceiving visitations from the famous William Shakespeare. Blades were thrust through flesh and blood spurted around like rain, cadavers crushed between hooves and boots; a sea of rotting flesh and spewing innards, dead men with dead dreams. Grevile died on the thirtieth of September 1628, he had recently written a will and it had been released. A servant of Grevile's named Ralph Heywood had been left out of the will. Heywood felt that he was entitled to be included in the will and confronted Grevile about this. Grevile explained that he simply did not have enough money and this angered Heywood. Heywood stabbed Greville, but then felt great guilt about what he had done and turned the knife on himself. Heywood died instantly but Grevile took much longer to die, He died alone trapped in the south tower where he was stabbed.

Evening Post wrote, “The Grey Lady, however, whose origin is wrapped in mystery, has been seen by many members of the family up to the present day. The Grandmother of the present Earl was always seeing her, while many servants have borne witness to catching a glimpse of her furtive figure flitting about the long corridors. Doors open without reason, the “Grey Lady” appears and then passes on, and when the astonished spectator goes to find her there is nothing.” Our favourites though were the three scare mazes on offer during the day - Haunted Hollows, Foolish Ghouls and Upscares Downscares. Without giving too much away for those visiting over the next week, these were so much fun and much more family-friendly for younger children (and adults, like me, who don't like to be spooked). You'll laugh and be made to jump, but nothing too extreme. I won't give too much away, but it's a thoroughly entertaining jaunt with each character brought to life (or death!) enthusiastically by their respective actors. It's billed as an attraction for children over five. And while my daughter was a little puzzled at times, she was by no means terrified by the creepy chain of events that unfolded. The second main horror maze of the evening was Hunted. Again the two of them went off to try this one together and were gone just over half an hour with queues and the actual maze itself, compared to The Crest.

Reported Ghosts

The castle has seen so many rulers, owners, and restorations so now it’s a combination of all the centuries in one place. You can climb on 14th-century ramparts, walk through 17th-century state rooms, and learn about modern-day conservation in their bird sanctuaries and gardens. servant, Ralph Haywood. Haywood was not impressed with the paltry bequest and, in a fit of rage, stabbed his master while helping him dress at his house in One of the most infamous events that has been scratched into the paranormal record disc of the castle was the shanking of Sir Fulke Greville. Fulke was gifted the castle by King James I in 1604 and restored the shattered ruin of a castle into a glamorous palace filled with rich food, extravagant furniture and lavish wines. We were all really impressed with the quality of the food and the reasonable price. It was the same that you’d get if you had a country pub lunch. They also did a great selection of wines and beers if you fancied it! In the 13th century, a stone castle is made in place of a wooden one and by the 14th century, many of the towers and ramparts we see today are built.