Ghostly Goings On at Chirk Castle or, Tales of the Unexpected
Our visit to Chirk Castle didn’t turn out as we planned. Far from the pleasant afternoon we had hoped for we left having seen and felt far more than we bargained for. Read on and see what you think …
A bus took us up to the castle entrance and dropped us off by the gate. We both love history and of course I am always on the lookout for Bears, Dragons and the Green Man. It was quite a dull dark afternoon and with the blinds being drawn down the interior was really very gloomy making it quite difficult to see some things without my glasses on. We (me and my offspring) had gone for the Folklore and Furnishings exhibition but discovered it was rather more geared to the children so was pretty basic information, but still nice to see some of the artefacts including some rather fine vases with dragons on.
Creepy Ghostly Atmosphere at Chirk Castle
However, as we went around the whole place seemed to get gloomier and gloomier. It got worse as we went around. The red bedroom was, to be frank, really quite creepy. Viktor didn’t stick their head round the door for very long, pronouncing it ‘horrible’. It felt really ‘dense’ and ‘heavy’.
Being a lover of antiquaries of all kinds I was rather surprised to find myself generally giving things only cursory glances rather than lingering. Mind you I did manage to spot a few things of interest but more on them elsewhere.
So, we reached the end of the tour of the main rooms and were directed to a tower. As it was near closing time we didn’t bother reading any of the signs but headed straight down the stairs. Old and worn and winding down it felt like we really descending into the depths of the castle. Upon reaching the bottom the place felt horrible. I got an instant headache and the room felt pressurised. I started to feel sick and really very unwell.
All Was Not Well AT Chirk Castle
Viktor looked at me, I looked at them, and we practically ran up the stairs … we couldn’t wait to get out!
We came across a sign near the entrance about Roger Mortimer who killed two boys.
Chirk Castle Gardens
Next, we headed outside to the gardens. As we went around we noticed a couple of really rather odd statues that really seemed to add to the rather strange uneasy atmosphere.
We later discovered they are by the sculptor Luccesi his work is described as often mysterious and provocative. Apparently, the statures are called Destiny and Vanishing Dream.
Upon leaving the garden we headed around the front of the castle to the drive back down. We had just passed two stone gateposts and were looking down towards a small turreted tower. “This place is just really weird’ I said. Viktor looked really upset.
Ghostly Encounter
They are really down to earth and not given to flights of fancy but said they hated the castle and just wanted to get away from it. She said she felt like the castle didn’t want us to leave when we reached the gates. To me at that point the place felt simply evil.
As we walked down the drive and past the small tower and down the hill Viktor looked really quite distressed. They said they had the impression a woman was walking beside us leaning on someone and that she was wearing an old fashioned white cap. It wasn’t that they could ‘see’ her, more it was like a memory in their mind’s eye. They said the woman was terrified. They got the impression the woman never made it away from the place.
Escape From Chirk Castle!
When we reached the car, I said firmly that we were leaving and not taking anything with us, that we were leaving the castle to itself. Picking up her phone in the car to distract herself she was shocked for these two Instagram posts to pop up. I reiterated that we were leaving the castle and its' energy behind as we drove away around the foot of the hill where the castle sat.
Halloween A Time For Strange Other Worldly Experiences
Later that evening it dawned on us it was the day before Halloween and Viktor wondered if that had had anything to do with what happened. Viktor told me they don’t believe in ghosts. Halloween is however the time of the 'thinning of the veils', between the world. As Hallow Eve it is the vigil before All Saints Day as Samhain it is the vigil before Celtic New Year. Perhaps these strange experiences were heightened because of the time of year.
Viktor was really upset about the days’ experience, saying it really freaked them out and they have refused to talk about it since.
Chirk Castle Hauntings
Today I looked online to see if the castle had any hauntings
I found this strange tale on answers.com in answer to the question “Are there any ghosts at Chirk Castle?”. A Wiki user replied on the 03/27/2011
“I believe there are - many years ago a relative who resided near the castle walked through the grounds and saw an apparition in Victorian dress appear in the road then melt away.”
Make of our disturbing day out what you will!
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Happy Halloween. Wishing you Peace and Blessings whatever faith you are or none.
Take Care
Amanda x
PS There are more legends and stores associated with the Castle we will look at those another time, along with the dragons, trees and even a bear.