HAUNTED SCOTTISH CASTLE SOLD FOR ONE MILLION POUNDS

Kevin Maley, a partner with Strutt & Parker, Inverness, tells OPP Connect, “Castle Grant was launched to the market in the spring and generated a significant amount of interest from buyers across the globe including America, Australia, Russia and Singapore.

“Those who did view the castle were fascinated by the history of it and the fact that it was purportedly haunted by the ghost of Lady Barbara Grant, not to mention the misfortune of many of the previous owners.

“The new owner is already planning on spending a significant amount on refurbishing the castle and grounds and it is reassuring to know that the ancient, ancestral seat of the Chiefs of the Grant Clan is in safe hands.”

Castle Grant was repossessed by the Bank of Scotland last year and was bought by Mr Whyte and his then wife Kim or £720,000 in 2006, media reports say.

The 35-acre Castle Grant grounds include a landscaped loch. It is the former seat of the Clan Grant chiefs of Strathspey in Highlands, and was originally named Freuchie Castle, but was renamed Castle Grant in 1694.

Lady Barbara Grant was the daughter of a 16th-century laird. She is said to have died of a broken heart after being imprisoned in a hidden closet for falling in love with the wrong man and legend has it that she died there of a broken heart.

Witnesses later claimed to have seen her ghost coming through the door of the closet, stopping and appearing to wash her hands, before disappearing through the door of the tower.

Story: opp-connect

`GHOST` IMAGES DISCOVERED ON PHONE MEMORY CARD BY OWNER

A FAMILY were spooked when they discovered ghostlike pictures of a little girl in Victorian costume shadowing them from room to room around a museum.

John Burnside came out in goose bumps with he found the images of the child lurking in the background on his phone two years after they were taken.

They were taken two years ago – when he popped into York’s Castle Museum with partner Shona Backhouse and their son Johnthomas Burnside, then just 18 months' old.

John, 27, a labourer, of Wakefield, had no explanation for what had happened.

He had never seen the little girl before until he found his old memory card in the pocket of his pyjamas and transferred the contents onto his new phone.

He was sat next to Shona, 25, on the couch when they spotted the extra figure in the photos.

He said: “It was weird. I didn’t notice anything at first then I thought I was imagining it. So I asked Shona and she said ‘Yes. It’s a little girl.’

“When I phoned my mum she at first thought it might be a little girl that my sister lost but my dad spotted the girl in the picture was in Victorian dress.

“It’s enough to make you paranoid. It gives me goose bumps every time I think about it.

“I don’t like the idea of ghosts or anything like that. It gives me panic attacks. There was not little girl like that on the day at the museum.

“It was pretty dead there to be honest all through the day. Anyway, it looks like you can see right through her.”

There have been claims in the past at Castle Museum is haunted.

A crew filming an episode of Derek Acorah's Ghost Towns programme in 2006 insisted they had heard shrill voices and seen ghostly children running around.

Shona, who works in a tanning salon, said: “I don't know that the thing is. It is like it was following us because it was in the last picture of me taken outside.

"It is really weird. I never noticed it until other day when we looked through the pictures.

"But I told John when was at the museum that I had funny feeling and didnt like it there.

"The room one of pics was taken in I wouldn't go inside. It gave me goose pimples and shivers.

"Our son was around 18 months' old at the time. I can't really remember if he sensed anything - but I know I didn't like it at all though."

Source: YorkPress

To me, these photographs look fake. The first behind a grill looks more like an old photograph of a woman and child merged in with the background. The quality of the images are extremely poor quality which helps to mask any suspected fraudulent images.
And of course, the images lay unseen for 2 years before they were `shockingly` discovered...
I wasn`t there, I could be wrong. But from experience, these images look highly suspect.
But at least the images owners got their 15 minutes worth of fame ..

PREVIEW VIDEO OF DOCUMENTARY SHOOT AT ST BRIAVELS CASTLE

Following from my earlier post on our visit to St Briavels Castle, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

Link: PARANORMAL WEEKEND AT HAUNTED CASTLE SURPRISES GUESTS AND INVESTIGATORS

I`ve been working on the day edit from the shoot which includes a tour of the castle`s ghostly history with the author, Ross Andrews.
Here is a taster of what is to come. In this edit rough, I`ve created the imagery in sepia to add a particularly period `taste` to the events.
The full video will be conjoined to the night footage edited by Adam Heath, of Forest Paranormal Investigations. When a release date is imminent, you will all be informed.
Hope you enjoy!

Post by Chris Halton Haunted-Earth.

Chris Halton

PARANORMAL WEEKEND AT HAUNTED CASTLE SURPRISES GUESTS AND INVESTIGATORS

Over the weekend of Friday to Sunday, March 28th - 30th, 2014, both team mate Sean Kim and myself attended St Briavels Castle, in the beautiful Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire.

The occasion was as a guest of our friends Adam and Paula Heath, who run Forest Paranormal Investigations. As you recall late last year, we worked with Adam on two joint productions shot in Tintern, Wales and Coleford, Gloucestershire.

Great use was made of K2 EMF`s and Ghost Boxes which produced some spectacular results.

So the opportunity to work again with Adam at the weekend `Phantomfest`, was something I could not resist.

Joining us at the castle were a goodsized crowd for the building, as St Briavels is quite one of the smallest castles I`ve ever been to, with the exception of Leap Castle in Eire.

The guests were from Lancashire, Nottingham, and even further afield with a party of Australians, who wanted to sample a flavour of St Briavels haunted past.

During that weekend some very strange incidents of paranormality were recorded but not only us, but also by the guests too. And these experiences ranged from seeing spiritual activity, as well as more coventional contact sessions in a circle or on ouija boards and/or ghost boxes.

But for me, the very best part was when I and guests from Lancashire and Nottinghamshire were with Adam in the Chaplains Room at the top of the East Tower, which like many dormitories were named after it`s periods as a castle defensive, and later as a prison where many people died.

Adam Heath (right) with team mate, Sean Kim

Adam set up an experiment using modern Zenner (esp) cards, and a ghost box to hear any responses. Additionally, we had a K2 EMF detector to use as a communication device with spirit.

And here I was simply blown away. On the first face up cards, spirit was able to identify the card by it`s image, and after some minutes, I decided to place the cards face down on the table and selected at random (face down) a card which I placed directly onto the table.

Spirit was able to easily identify the face down card by stating auditorily through the ghost box the image on the card. As an extra confirmation I asked spirit to confirm the choice by flashing the lights on a K2, which it quickly obliged.

The test with the zenner cards

This went on for some further minutes, and it was quite obvious that the spirit responding to the test was conferring with others, and that these voices could clearly be heard on the ghost box speakers.

The assembled guests ranged from believers like Jan, a medium, to Chris, a sceptic. Adam, had left shortly after setting the test up.  And the audience were a good cross selection of investigators.

Jan, Bob and Nik

Chris the sceptic was visibly shocked to see this experiment, and for him, this was a ground breaking moment. But for the rest of us, it was spirit showing itself again, but in a manner I never thought possible. Truly astounding!

I then at the end of this period placed two zenner cards face down, and although it was apparent that spirit was flagging in energy, the choices were again, 100% correct.

The ouija board and ghost box in use inside the old kitchen

We then went later to the former downstairs kitchen, and again using the same set-up as before, spirit came through, and kept repeating my name. I assumed this spirit wanted 

me to continue with this game, which clearly this spirit was enjoying with us. And again, spirit correctly identified the imagery on the face down zenner cards.

As an aside, using the ouija board present during the second test, the spirit identified itself as a former servant at the castle called Beth Jones, and also stated she was Welsh.

She shared some aspects from her life there, but by this time the energy was starting to wane, and so the contact session ended.

Without any corroboration, this story would be just that, a story. But both events were recorded on a nightshot Sony camcorder, of which Adam has the tapes (with masses of other evidence) to share as a joint production with Haunted Earth tv.

But for me the supernatural didn`t end there.

That night, I was sharing the Chaplains Room with team mate Sean Kim, when after a few minutes we could clearly hear below us in the Constables Room, the sound of furniture being dragged around and other noises which suggested the guest in that room was having some kind of a party.

Unbeknown to us, the same noises were being heard - but for a much longer period, by Adam and Paula Heath in the bedroom below the Constables Room.

In the morning, the room was examined and found to be exactly as it should. There was one occupant, the author of many books on the castle`s ghostly history, Ross Andrews.

He stated that during the noisy period, he was fast asleep in his room. But he wasn`t surprised we could hear this noise as there have been similar reports in the past.

Dressed for the documentary shoot

But not all went well with spirit. On the second night (Saturday) I was carefully walking down the stone spiral staircase in the East Tower, and beside the entrance door to the Constables Room, when I felt two smallish hands touching my waist. This then became a sharp push, and I went all the way down the stairs before ending up on my back.

I ended up suffering from grazing on my left elbow and little finger, with bruising down my spine terminating in more bruising on my coccyx.

I know that many guests at the castle had many paranormal encounters, and I am not privy with the details of these. But by Sunday when the guests finally left, many had decided to return at a future date to experience more nights as guests of St Briavels Castle.

The full video will be available later on as a joint production between Forest Paranormal Investigations and Haunted Earth tv.

Finally, may I thank Adam, Paula and Mark of FPI, as well as the many wonderful guests that made this weekend very special.

Chris Halton 

THE HAUNTED LEGENDS OF TAMWORTH CASTLE

TAMWORTH, more than most other English towns, is blessed with many ghoulish and ghostly legends, dating back in time immemorial.

No-one knows if there is any truth in them, but they are probably based on actual happenings in our wonderful history.

Visitors to the Castle and members of staff who work there very often tell of inexplicable goings on – a sudden chill in the air; the sound of moving furniture in empty rooms; fleeting glimpses of spirits floating across rooms and passing through thick, solid walls; poltergeist activities and many more stories that make people's hair stand on end.

But there are two ghostly legends that are told more often than any others.

One favourite story relates to a young, beautiful woman, dressed in white.

It belongs to the legendary tales of King Arthur and the Round Table.

It is said that the young lady was captured and imprisoned by an evil knight, Sir Tarquin, who was an enemy of Arthur.

After a while the lady fell in love with her captor, although he did not reciprocate her feelings.

Then King Arthur despatched noble Sir Lancelot to deal once and for all with Sir Tarquin.

He challenged the miscreant to release the young maiden, but Sir Tarquin refused and a sword fight ensued in Lady Meadow, whereby Sir Lancelot dealt a fatal blow to his adversary.

On learning of Sir Tarquin's death, the young lady was inconsolable and climbed to the battlements of the Tamworth fortress, threw herself to the ground and was killed.

The legend says that her voice can still be heard on certain nights, wailing her despair to the four winds from the top of Tamworth Castle.

Poor old Lancelot! The story does nothing to enhance his reputation as a chivalrous knight, famed for saving damsels in distress.

Sadly, the tale, although a good one, holds no credence.

All King Arthur stories are legends about pre-Saxon days when, as far as we know, there were no castles or battlements in Tamworth, nor have there been any signs that any ever existed.

Tamworth's most famous ghost story dates back to the 9th century, when a lady called Editha, (not to be confused with St. Editha of St. Editha's church), established a nunnery in Polesworth, known as Polesworth Abbey.

It survived and flourished, even though this area suffered repeated invasions from Viking marauders, who often targeted places of worship for their spoils of battle.

When, in 1066, King Harold was defeated at the Battle of Hastings, William the Conqueror shared the lands and properties of the vanquished among his nobles.

It was his Champion and personal friend, Robert de Marmion, son of William de Marmion of Normandy, who was granted the fortress at Tamworth, among other estates.

Robert immediately instigated the building of a stone keep in the fortress, probably using slave labour, Tamworth men and boys, to haul the large stones from the quarry to the top of the mound.

It was the beginnings of the Castle you see today and the Marmion's tyrannical rule over the good folk of Tamworth.

He and his extended family remained stewards of the Castle for over 800 years.

Most of the Marmions were despised by the local populace, as in the time of their tenure, through plagues, fires and famine that hit the town, they rarely lifted a finger to help the people. But they were never hesitant in taking men from the town to fight their battles.

On his acquisition of the Castle, Robert de Marmion did nothing, or very little, to endear himself to the people.

Much worse, he fell foul of the law and with the church as, seeking more land to enrich himself, he expelled the nuns from the abbey at Polesworth and 'acquired' the place for his own personal use.

Having been turfed out of their home, the nuns sought refuge in a convent at Oldbury, near Atherstone.

The legend says that one night, shortly after their expulsion, Robert was visited by Editha in a dream.

She had apparently risen from her grave and made her way through the castle walls in order to haunt him.

Dressed as a veiled nun, wearing black and with a crozier in her hand, she admonished him for his treatment of the nuns and whacked him hard with her crozier.

She said that unless the nuns were returned to their rightful place, he would suffer a violent, torturous death.

The apparition scared the wits out of the noble baron, so much that, looking for a shoulder to cry on, he confided with his friend Sir Walter de Somerville about the dream.

Sir Walter noticed how shaken the baron was, but could not console him.

Robert de Marmion died in 1101.

It is said that he went to his grave still harassed by nightmares caused by the visitation of Editha's ghost.

In common with most ghost stories, there are variations to this story.

Another version says that it was the Champion's grandson, the third baron Robert Marmion, who expelled the nuns and whom Editha visited in 1139.

It also states that it was he who allowed the nuns to return to Polesworth Abbey.

In a document that still exists today, written by the fourth baron, Robert de Marmion, it states that his father gave the nuns the abbey at Polesworth as a gift.

This, of course, is a gross misrepresentation of the truth.

In fact the Marmions were returning to the nuns their own property and restoring their rights to them. This document epitomises the unpleasant attitude of the Marmion family.

Even though the third baron had complied with Editha's wishes, he was still to suffer a violent death, being killed in Coventry in 1143.

Apparently to this day, Editha, often seen in her black robes, still walks the floors and passes with ease through the solid walls of Tamworth Castle.

I regard myself as a somewhat sceptical man who doesn't believe in ghosts.

But ask me if I would spend a night alone in Tamworth Castle with just candles for company – not on your life!

Story: TamworthHerald

AUSSIE HISTORIC BAR CLAIMS ACTIVE POLTERGEIST EVENTS CAUGHT ON TAPE

The Carlisle Castle Hotel bar, in Newtown, New South Wales

Creepy video footage appears to show ghostly figures and bottles of expensive wine flying off shelves in a 'haunted' Australian hotel.

The Carlisle Castle Hotel bar, in Newtown, New South Wales found itself serving a different kind of spirit, as surveillance cameras captured the moment bottles fell to the floor behind the bar with nobody near them.

Licensee Peter Bradbury says that if it is a ghost, it has high-end tastes.

"Red wine seems to be the choice, apparently he likes the red," he told the Australian Telegraph.

"Expensive wine too, he picked a Kilikanoon last night, which is about $27 a bottle."



In another creepy clip, bartenders and locals are given a fright as a wine glass falls from a high shelf, smashing on the bar. A third video appears to show a ghostly figure dancing in front of the cameras.

Staff say spooky things have happened at the hotel "many times", with one saying they'd seen a beer tap turn on of its own accord.

Bradbury has started posting footage of what he describes as a "thirsty ghost" on the hotel's Facebook page, inviting locals to speculate about what might have caused the paranormal activity.

Local Cat Stuart suggested it could be the work of a man who used to live in the building.

"It might be old Peter," she said. "He used to live upstairs and helped around the Carlisle [in the] early 1990s. I think his bust is still displayed behind the bar."

Some regulars say the wine bottles were probably knocked over by vibrations in the floor - with others suggesting it might all have been set up in an attempt to drum up custom.

But Bradbury remains open minded, telling local a newspaper: "When we saw the bottles and glasses just start flying off shelves, we saved it and put it up on our Facebook page for a bit of a laugh, really - but we don't know what it is."

Story: DailyMirror

My thoughts:

Putting matters into a clearer perspective, the `dancing ghost` (see video from newspaper link)  is nothing more than a fibre moving in an ambient breeze. It`s translucence can be ascribed to it`s close proximity to the camera lens.
Regarding the poltergeist activity. I noticed that on the clips shared, any person could get access behind the wine display units. From a concealed position it is easy to create the effect of wine bottles being ejected.
I also noticed some editing cuts which sadly looks very suspicious.
I can find nothing whatsoever in this video  that suggests paranormality through any event which is unexplainable. No objects are raised or carried by `unseen hands`, nor is there anything that would make these events unique. As always, I wasn`t there but with most pub or bar hauntings, the cause appears to be more publicity related than spiritual.
If this is a real haunting, why has it suddenly started?  Of course (they say) it has to be a past resident ....
I have to say, this isn`t that impressive.

WANT TO LIVE IN A HAUNTED SCOTTISH CASTLE?

A HISTORIC “haunted” Highland castle built in the 15th century has gone on the market for £2.25 million.

Dornoch Castle, which has had only three owners since being converted into a hotel in 1947, is said to be haunted by the ghost of Sutherland sheep rustler.

Built for the Bishop of Sutherland, it has served as a private residence, a school, a jail and courthouse, and now a 25-bedroom hotel.

Located opposite the 12th-century Dornoch Cathedral, where Madonna and Guy Ritchie had their son christened in 2000, the hotel owners also promote its close proximity to famous golf courses, particularly in the year the Ryder Cup comes to Scotland, and whisky distilleries.

But it is best known for being haunted by a thief called Andrew McCornish, imprisoned in its dungeons and then killed for stealing ewes and rams from nearby estates.

Marion Mackenzie, the daughter of his jailer, the Sheriff Substitute of Sutherland, was the first person to see Andrew’s ghost at the close of the 19th century.

She claimed to see the grey-haired man with a “weird face”, thick grey stockings and knee breeches sitting in her father’s study when she came in from the garden to get some honey comb for tea one day. After running for help from her family, they returned to an empty room.

But Andrew’s ghost reappeared later that night next to the bed of Marion’s uncle, the minister of Avoch, while he was sleeping.

Marion’s uncle woke up and told the ghost that if he did not go away he would call his brother, the sheriff. The ghost swiftly departed the room and never visited again.

After listening to his brother and daughter’s description of the ghost, Sheriff Mackenzie recognised it as Andrew. Despite Andrew’s disappearance, the castle’s new owner in 1922 took no chances and had the building exorcised before moving in.

The property was renamed Dornoch Castle Hotel in 1947 and, regardless of its lack of ghostly sightings over the last century, it was featured on a programme about haunted hotels on the American Travel Channel in 2003.

Since then, the building has led a quiet existence and is now on the market for just the fourth time in more than 60 years.

Euan MacCrimmond, of selling agents Strutt and Parker, said the current owners, Colin and Ros Thompson, were selling the property as they were preparing to retire from business.

He added: “Dornoch Castle Hotel is a quite stunning building, full of atmosphere and history, yet it also has all the luxuries one could expect from modern life.”

MEDIEVAL CASTLE RISING - NEW DOCUMENTARY FROM HAUNTED EARTH

Here we visit a 12th century castle Keep in the village of Castle Rising, Norfolk where Chris Halton narrates the history of the site, plus some of the royal personages connected to it. The most famous, Queen Isabella of France allegedly haunts the building, and during our stay some paranormal related material was also recorded.

This appears right after the end of the main documentary.

A special show for viewers over Christmas 2013.

Youtube Link:



Vimeo Link:

MEDIEVAL CASTLE RISING - A visit to a castle haunted by Queen Isabella of France from Haunted Earth Tv on Vimeo.