History and ghost hauntings of muncaster castle

Holding the distinction of being the most haunted building in Britain, the magnificent Muncaster Castle stands tall in the backdrop of the Esk River on the west coastal town of Ravenglass in Cumbria, England. This privately owned castle has baffled scientists who have been trying to research the unnatural happenings and events that have been occurring since the 1990s. Muncaster castle was built on foundations that can be traced to the Roman era. Currently owned by the Pennington family, the diabolic mysticism of occurrences at Muncaster castle has garnered significant interest from individuals from all walks of life.

The sightings of ghosts in various forms have been vivid since the early 1990s. Tours allow individuals to experience and encounter the world of the unknown in the form of a night vigil in the tapestry room, the haunted bedroom in a section of Muncaster castle. Be warned that this isn’t for the faint hearted. Unearthly and paranormal events such as a child wailing, hearing footsteps, doors opening without warning, a sudden change in temperature in the area, the feeling of being patted on the back, experiences of severe chest pain, and being brutally tossed out of bed are some of the common phenomena experienced. Investigations revealed the tapestry room was formerly used as a nursery for children. The long and grim history of Muncaster castle reveals that a number of children were killed and were believed to be buried there.

While some tourists have reported of a strange gaze of a disturbed spirit, others have experienced the presence of a poltergeists. A few people have encountered a wandering vision of a face filled with animosity believed to be the ghost of Mary Bragg who was supposedly murdered and hanged at the main gate by drunken youth in the 19th century. Many others claim to have witnessed a headless figure wandering aimlessly. Some believe it is the decapitated figure of the carpenter who was put to death by Thomas Skelton, fondly known as “Tom Fool,” the jester in the castle towards the end of the 16th century. It was believed that Thomas Skelton decapitated the carpenter while he was asleep, on the orders of Sir Ferdinand Pennington who got to know about the carpenter’s affair with his daughter Helwise.

Thomas Skelton was known for his sinister alter personality which was responsible for many deaths that took place during his stay at Muncaster castle. Tom was a jester who loved erroneous diabolical humor. He lay under the shade of a tree near the doors of Muncaster castle and often misled and directed travelers towards the quicksand near the river Esk, when asked for directions to Ravenglass. Many who chose that path never returned and were never found. Legend has it that “Tom Fool” in an inebriated state miscalculated his way back to the castle and died in one of the marshes that he had led several people to death. Although paranormal activities have been investigated, the results have been inconclusive, so if you’ve lost your way heading towards Muncaster castle, don’t worry Tom is waiting to help.