Welsh Ghosts Welcome Guests in Castles, Manor Houses, Hotels
edited by Leslie Lee
Creepy is not a typical way for a destination to
promote itself, but when you have as many prominent ghosts and haunted
castles as Wales does, talk of the eerie is natural. Or rather,
supernatural?
The ghosts of Wales -- such as Caerphilly Castle’s
Green Lady, colored green because of her husband’s fatal envy; Lady Grey of
Ruthin Castle Hotel who was executed for murdering her husband’s lover and
was never properly buried, and the former librarian of Raglan Castle who
appears as a bardic figure beckoning visitors where the library once stood –
enjoy welcoming guests year-round.
But the ghosts of Wales don’t only hang out in castles.
They tend to occupy inns and pubs too.
One must-see ghost-spotting locale is Llancaiaich Fawr Manor, a
living history museum that transports visitors to the year 1645 and is noted
as one of the 10 most haunted buildings in Britain.
The building is said to be inhabited by no fewer than eight former
residents including soldiers, children and a maid who freely roam the house
and gardens. Ghost-hunting
season runs from October through March.
Among the more haunted hotels in Wales is Maesmawr Hall
in the exquisite Severn Valley near the charming market town of Newton in
Powys, Mid Wales. A half-timbered house which has been in existence since
before 1600, reports of apparitions include sightings of Robin Drwg, half
man, half beast, ritually cast into the lake. The ghosts of the Grey Lady
and the specter have been seen walking the grounds.
Gwydir Castle in North Wales is also among the more
hauntingly wonderful places to stay.
The most significant ghost is a young woman who haunts the North Wing
and the paneled corridor between the Hall of Meredith and the Great Chamber.
Associated with the sightings is the drop in temperature and the
extraordinary smell in the vicinity.
Sir John Wynn is also said to haunt the castle, sighted on a number
of occasions on the spiral staircase leading from the Solar Hall to the
Great Chamber. Other sightings
include crying children, a dog, a short Elizabethan lady in a yellow dress
and a night torch lit procession on the Great Terrace.
About Wales:
1.
Wales is about the size of Massachusetts: 200 miles long and 70 miles
across at its widest point.
2.
Wales, England and Scotland are the 3 distinct countries that make up
the island of Britain.
3.
Wales is "a peninsula on the western flank of England, facing
Ireland," as Jan Morris aptly says.
4.
The people of Wales are called Welsh; many speak the ancient Welsh
language (and English).
5.
Wales is the host nation for golf's Ryder Cup competition in October
2010, the sporting world's third-most watched event.
The Ryder Cup will be played at the Celtic Manor Resort near Newport.
For travelers interested in ghost-spotting activities,
there are many resources on haunted Wales.
A good starting point to plan a ghost-hunting itinerary is
www.TravelWales.org/haunted.
www.caerphilly.gov.uk/llancaiachfawr
www.maesmawr.co.uk
www.gwydircastle.co.uk
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