English castles have a long and rich history, with the first fortified castles built after the Norman conquest in 1066. Over the next few centuries, castles evolved into symbols of power and defence across the landscape. Though many stand in ruins today, the legacy of haunted castles in England remains strong.
Ghosts and Hauntings
With their long histories of warfare, imprisonment, and tragedy, it’s no wonder many English castles are said to be haunted. Ghost stories have swirled around famous castles for centuries, captivating the imaginations of locals and visitors alike. From resident ghosts to one-off apparitions, these haunted happenings contribute to the mystique of English castles. Here are some of the most haunted castles in England.
Notable Haunted Castles in England
Windsor Castle
- Location: Windsor, Berkshire; the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world. A royal residence since William the Conqueror.
- Famous Ghosts: Henry VIII, Elizabeth I, George III, Charles I, John Smythe
- Haunted Areas: The library, the deanery, the grove, the cloisters, the Norman Tower
With over 1,000 years of history as a royal castle and palace, Windsor Castle has amassed its fair share of ghosts over the centuries. Footsteps belonging to a gout-ridden Henry VIII are said to pace relentlessly in the library. The imperious ghost of Elizabeth I has been spotted peering from a window in the deanery. George III’s shouts and yells echo periodically from the grove, where he suffered from bouts of madness. Cavalier John Smythe is said to gallop through the cloisters on anniversaries of his death. In the Norman Tower, the wraith of Charles I floats mournfully where he awaited execution.
Tower of London
- Location: London, on the River Thames. Used as fortress, royal residence, mint, menagerie, prison and site of execution.
- Famous Ghosts: Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey, the Princes in the Tower, Thomas A. Becket
- Haunted Areas: The Bloody Tower, the White Tower, the battlements, the Chapel Royal of St Peter ad Vincula
With its over 900 years of bloody history full of imprisonment, torture and execution, the Tower of London is regarded as one of the most haunted places in England. Those beheaded on the grounds, like Anne Boleyn, Lady Jane Grey and Thomas Becket, are said to still stalk the grounds in sorrow. The young princes murdered in the Tower’s Bloody Tower also haunt its dark rooms. Chilling cries are heard from the Chapel where they now rest. In the White Tower, a weeping phantom has startled castle staff. The battlements and halls are prowled by numerous spirits of the executed and imprisoned.
Warwick Castle
- Location: Warwick, Warwickshire; medieval castle on a cliff above the River Avon
- Famous Ghosts: Fulke Greville, Royalist Soldier
- Haunted Areas: Porter’s Lodge, the Ghost Tower
Warwick Castle’s violent past has infused its very walls with unrestful energy. In the Porter’s Lodge, the ghost of resident Fulke Greville, 1st Baron Brooke lurks. Greville was murdered here in 1628 by a servant, Ralph Haywood, still enraged by his master’s treatment. In the Ghost Tower, the spirit of a royalist soldier roams after hanging himself in shame for killing his roundhead opponents. The soldier had spared their lives but was ordered by superiors to slay them, leading to his torment.
