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In brief
A tremendous 13th century fairy-tale castle drenched in majestic history and which once provided sanctuary to a battle-weary monarch. A clear and cherished favourite for today’s ghost hunter thanks to the building's deluge of ghostly dwellers.
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About
The privately owned and very haunted Muncaster Castle sits gloriously in the stunning countryside of the Western Lake District and has been home to the Pennington family since at least 1208. Overlooking the River Esk and standing in over 70 acres of beautifully maintained gardens, the castle stands on the site of Roman remains. With views once described by Victorian art critic John Ruskin as “the gateway to paradise,” this striking building carries a fascinating history of fundamental significance.
History
In 1464, owner of Muncaster, Sir John Pennington, kindly provided food and refuge for King Henry VI, the last monarch of the Lancastrian dynasty, who had been living rough following his defeat at the Battle of Hexham. The king showed his appreciation by presenting Sir John with a decorative glass bowl and added a blessing that, while ever it was kept intact, the family would prosper and remain at Muncaster. The successive Pennington heirs have cherished the bowl for over 500 years and, as the King predicted, have flourished with Muncaster Castle remaining their ancestral seat.
The staggeringly impressive two-story library at the castle boasts a stunning coved ceiling and beautiful brass-railed gallery lined with Pennington family portraits. Built in the 18th century on the foundations of the medieval kitchens and servants hall, the grand library with its incredible architecture houses over 6,000 antique books.
Are you brave enough to spend the night in the castle's forbidding and notorious Tapestry Room (see haunting details of the Tapestry Room below)? If you're brave enough and are interested in booking a stay, please see our Muncaster Castle listing in the Castle Stays category of our Haunted Places to Stay. Alternatively, contact Muncaster Castle using the details provided in this listing.
Ghostly activity
- Footsteps that sound as though on stone are heard in carpeted areas of the castle corridors and have been observed by family members as though following behind them.
- Doors knobs turn and rattle, plus doors open and slam shut with no explanation.
- Dogs suddenly become unsettled and nervous as though sensing a worrying presence.
- Castle Jester from the 16th century, Tom Skeltern, also known as Tom Fool, had a reputation for being cruel and sadistic. He is thought to have been responsible for the murder of a carpenter in the castle grounds. It is said that his unnerving presence can be felt throughout the castle, but particularly where his portrait hangs. Tom appears to enjoy frightening and playing tricks on the Pennington family, their staff, and visitors.
- The Tapestry Room is notorious as the most haunted room in the castle. Muttering, low voices, the sounds of a baby and young child crying, a woman singing, echoing footsteps, and a sobbing woman are all regularly reported by visitors and those with enough courage to sleep in the room. Interestingly, a historian later discovered that the Tapestry Room was once used as a nursery for the Pennington family children.
Is it poor Margaret Pennington (above), who was sick throughout her short life and passed away in 1871 at the age of 11 years, who is the cause of any of these disturbing noises? Another phenomenon unique to the Tapestry Room involves what has been described as loud grief-stricken sobbing and the feeling of a heavy weight pressing down on the chest of those brave enough to spend the night at the infamous location.
- The ghost of a woman in a white dress has been seen around the gardens and is thought to be that of Mary Bragg. Mary was tragically murdered in the early 1800's on the road near the castle's main gate.
- People report feeling a breeze and hearing rustling skirts or clothing brushing past them.
- A dark figure, that some have described as a woman in a dark or black dress, chillingly glides towards shocked visitors before disappearing.
- Thudding sounds as though a heavy object or body is being dragged downstairs have been heard.
Video
Location
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Ravenglass CA18 1RD, UK
Access
Please note that the majority of the ground floor of the castle is fully accessible to visitors using wheelchairs, and library computers provide a virtual tour for visitors unable to access the rooms on the upper floor.
Pathways of either tarmac, grass, or gravel are available for visitors to comfortably enjoy exploring the gardens and grounds. There are some minor pathways that are steeper and of rougher terrain, and so wheelchair users and visitors with mobility difficulties are advised to keep to the main pathways.
There are a number of seating areas throughout the gardens.
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