Haunted Locations

Arundel Castle

Arundel Castle is a restored and remodelled medieval castle in Arundel, West Sussex, England. It was established by Roger de Montgomery on 25th December 1067.

Ghosts & Spirits

The first spirit is believed to be the first Earl of Arundel himself, who was responsible for the original construction of the castle. He is said to roam the keep, possibly watching over the structure.

The second spirit seems to hail from a more common story. It is believed that a young woman committed suicide by leaping from Arundel's Hiorne tower (positioned behind the castle within Arundel Park) after her love affair ended in an unfortunate . The story claims that she committed suicide because of grief however she still remains and is sometimes reported as a woman dressed in white. The apparition is said to appear most often during nights lit with the moon's light.

The third ghost is known as 'The Blue Man' and is said to still reside in Arundel Castle. He is most often seen in the library and has been reported since the 1630s. Considering the time period, some believe he may be a Cavalier from the period of King Charles I. Some say he may be the ghost of someone who once lived in the castle.

The fourth spirit is not human. Reports have been made that a spirit resembling a white bird, very similar in size and shape to an owl, is sometimes seen in one of the windows. The owl has earned reputation as symbol of death because each time it appeared, there was a death of either someone who lived in the castle or an individual closely tied to the building and its residents.

 A fifth spirit is believed to appear in the castle's kitchen. He has been seen scrubbing pots and pans, and was possibly a servant boy during his lifetime. Some believe he was treated poorly and beaten until his life ended from the abuse. In 1958, a footman in training was headed across the ground floor to turn off the lights on the drawbridge. Something caught his attention, which looked much like the top half of a man, specifically a head and shoulders. He could tell that the figure had long hair and appeared to be wearing a grey tunic with loose sleeves. As he neared the apparition, it began to fade until it disappeared entirely.

History

There are nearly nine and a half centuries of history at this castle, situated in grounds overlooking the River Arun in West Sussex and built at the end of the 11th century by Roger de Montgomery, Earl of Arundel. The oldest feature is the motte, an artificial mound, over 100 feet high from the dry moat, and constructed in 1068: followed by the gatehouse in 1070. Under his will, King Henry I passed the grounds to his second wife, Adeliza of Louvain, at his death. Three years after his death she married William d'Albini II, who built the stone shell keep on the motte. King Henry II, who built much of the oldest part of the stone Castle, in 1155 confirmed William d'Albini II as Earl of Arundel.

Apart from the occasional reversion to the Crown, Arundel Castle has descended directly from 1138 to the present day, carried by female heiresses from the d'Albinis to the Fitzalans in the 13th century and then from the Fitzalans to the Howards in the 16th century and it has been the seat of the Dukes of Norfolk and their ancestors for over 850 years. From the 15th to the 17th centuries the Howards were at the forefront of English history, from the Wars of the Roses, through the Tudor period to the Civil War. Some of the famous members of the Howard family are the 2nd Duke of Norfolk, Lord Howard of Effingham, the Earl of Surrey, and the 3rd Duke of Norfolk.

These were politically dangerous times: the Earl of Surrey was executed in 1547; the 3rd Duke of Norfolk only escaped the capital punishment because King Henry VIII died the night before the execution was due and the 4th Duke of Norfolk was beheaded for planning to marry Mary Queen of Scots. There have been two cardinals and a saint in the Howard family; St Philip Howard, 13th Earl of Arundel died in the Tower of London because of his religion and faith. By dissimilarity, the 14th Earl was responsible for many of the treasures which can be seen today. The results of all this history are concentrated at the Castle, which is home to a collection of furniture dating from the 16th century, tapestries, clocks, and portraits by Van Dyck, Gainsborough, Mytens, Lawrence, Reynolds, Canaletto and more artists. Belongings of Mary Queen of Scots and a variety of historical, religious and heraldic items from the Duke of Norfolk's stock are also on display.

During the Civil War, the castle was badly damaged when it was twice besieged, first by Royalists who took control, then by Cromwell's Parliamentary force led by William Waller. Nothing was done to rectify the damage until about 1718 when the 8th Duke of Norfolk carried out some repairs. The 11th Duke subsequently carried out further restoration.

  Queen Victoria travelled from Osborne House with Prince Albert to stay at Arundel Castle for three days in 1846, for which the bedroom and library furniture were specially commissioned and made by an incredibly well known London furniture designer. Her portrait by William Fowler was also specially commissioned by the 13th Duke in 1843.