Steeped in history, the UK and Ireland are home to hundreds of castles and stately homes. But life behind closed walls wasn’t always harmonious.
Tales of headless queens, cloven-toed devils and even a monarch with burned bowels haunt dozens of sights – which now makes for some seriously spooky getaways and days out.
Here are some of the most frightful tales…
Loftus Hall, Co Wexford, Ireland
The devil was a regular guest at this 17th century mansion on the windswept Hook Peninsula in Wexford, widely considered to be Ireland’s most haunted house. The gothic edifice stands on the site of a 12th-century castle and is visited by the terrified ghost of former owner Anne Tottenham. One stormy night in the 1760s, a stranger knocked at the door. Anne invited him in for a game of cards, but while bending down she noticed he had cloven hooves in place of feet. Hearing her screams, the stranger bolted through the roof in a ball of flames.
The property will soon open as luxury hotel Ladyville House, if anyone dares to stay. Visit ladyvillehouse.ie
Blickling Estate, Norfolk
Famously beheaded in 1536 for treason and adultery on the orders of her irascible husband Henry VIII, Anne Boleyn’s ghost floats through the corridors of this Jacobean house, built on the ruins of a Tudor Hall. Supposedly born here, she often turns up on May 19 – the date of her execution. The former Queen of England has been seen arriving at night in a carriage drawn by four headless horses, driven by a headless horseman. Wearing white and clutching her blood-dripping head, she wanders the building until sunrise.
From £16.50 adults; £8.30 for children. Visit nationaltrust.org.uk
Hellfire Club, Co Dublin, Ireland
Even the appearance of this abandoned hunting lodge sends shivers down the spine. Overlooking Dublin, it’s a popular attraction for hikers – although it was once a meeting place for the 18th century Hellfire Club, once described as “a brace of monsters, blasphemers and bacchanalians”. One night, after members invited the devil to join them, the place went up in flames. Ever since, visitors have reported bad smelling odours, hearing voices, and even feeling a hand around their necks. It’s possible to see the ruins from several hiking trails. But to get the full experience, take a Horror Hike with Hidden Dublin Tours.
From €49/£41. Visit hiddendublintours.com
Berkeley Castle , Gloucestershire
Some fates are unthinkable for even the most murderous of kings. After beheading his cousin at Pontefract Castle and being cast out by his wife and her lover, King Edward II spent his remaining days in the depths of the oldest continuously occupied castle in England and was struck down with a terrible illness. But that wasn’t the worst of it. Queen Isabella, his estranged wife, allegedly instructed two men to thrust a funnel through his rear end and insert a red-hot spit into his bowels. Unsurprisingly, his screams can still be heard today.
From £16 adults; £8 children. Visit berkeley-castle.com
Leap Castle, Offaly, Ireland
Making the Game Of Thrones saga seem like a fairy-tale, a history of bloodshed has shaped this castle. Many have lost their lives over the centuries, including The Red Lady, often seen carrying a dagger through the corridors, and two young girls plummeting from the battlements. Brave guests can hunt for ghosts in The Bloody Chapel and the Murder Hole Room, where owner Sean Ryan shares stories of ghostly encounters, from hearing chanting within the walls to objects being thrown across rooms.
Visit leapcastle.net
