NGI

Carlisle Castle was first built during the reign of William II of England, the son of William the Conqueror who invaded England in 1066. At that time, Cumberland (the original name for north and west Cumbria) was still considered a part of Scotland. William II arrived and drove the Scots out of Cumberland to claim the area for England.

... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of Carlisle Castle. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.

... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Carlisle Castle. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.

The Dungeons

Two large chambers dominated the ground floor of the castle keep and each were devoid of any furniture. The dungeons had been used extensively during the castles history with the most famous incident being when 300+ Jacobite men were crammed into the dungeons to await their fate after a nearby battle.

It is within these dungeons where the famous "licking stones" are present - called such because the men imprisoned here would lap up the slight bit of moisture that leaked from the outside and which can still be seen to happen these days.

The left most 'dungeon' was probably just a store room for either food or ammunition for the canons which were situated on top of the castle (as the other main dungeon was later used for also). Although the term 'dungeon' has stuck over the years and so for ease we'll continue to describe it as such.

Group 1 Report : Bekki Claire John Pete Ally Helen

As we went into the dungeon Bekki felt that there was a lot of energy in this room, but as the English Heritage guy started to relay history about the place, she kept quiet.

In one of the rooms Bekki was drawn to one wall in particular and as she touched it she felt the urge to lick the walls, but again the English Heritage guy started on about the History of the Licking Stones, so she kept quiet not wanting them to think she had felt this because of what he had said.

Ralph and Jay had joined us for this location and as we sat in the room, we heard a number of taps then an omming noise, which seemed to respond to Ralph saying Tom; we tried this out to see whether it was an echo, which it didn?t seem to be.

Group 2 Report : Carol Mark Dell Virginia Camille

For the start of the investigation we settled in the Dungeon area, where the TEMP reading carried out by Dell read as : dungeon 51.3 and 45.9.

We waited for our eyes to become acclimatized to the darkness before calling out. Dell carried on taking temperature readings over a period of time, and it was noticed in certain areas of the Dungeon the temperature dropped quite rapidly, once the lights were out. The main area's of note being the "Licking Walls", and the walled area, which holes could been seen where the prisoners had been chained. Successive temperature readings read as follows: 39.2, 37.9 and 37.8.

We called out, but there seemed to be very little activity in this location. The only notable activity was a dripping sound emanating from the back wall, this was heard by all of us in the group.

We then moved into the Storeroom, which is situated outside the actual Dungeon. Dell carried out a temperature reading, it was as recorded at 45.9. Mark carried out an EMF reading in here, and the only reading came from the obvious source, a security light, which was situated near the entrance. We again settled down before calling out, but again very little activity was felt in this location too. We then headed back into the Dungeon area, but sadly the investigation was hampered by the the main lights being turned back on due to Health and Safety regulations and this caused a little stir amongst not only our, but all groups throughout the castle.

We then proceeded a bit further up the corridor to a room, which had barrel's on on a window ledge. The temperature in here was 44.1. We called out but again no activity was experienced in here either, so we went back to the Dungeon and Storeroom area.The temperature in the Dungeon area had increased, and now read 61.3, this was obviously due to the lights been on. Again no activity was felt in here, and as our time was up we ventured to our next location.

... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Carlisle Castle. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.

Captains Tower

Situated seperate from the main Keep - the Captains Tour was placed over the main gate into the Keep courtyard and would have been used previously as a rally and offices.

The tower was split into 2 main levels - a main gathering area for on duty soldies which containd 2 long plastic tables and a couple of chairs and then down a staircase what appeared to be a large unfurnished single room which was probably a office of some kind when the Keep was in use as a garrison.

Group 1 Report : Bekki Claire John Pete Ally Helen

In this location Bekki again picked up on the lady in tartan with the child and also the soldier shooting the ghost, but it felt a little strange as she felt the soldier had been alive when he had shot the ladies ghost, but then she could also feel the presence of this soldiers spirit, which confused her. Bekki also felt that the woman had been connected to this room, and Ally also picked up on this, she felt the woman had paced the room waiting for her executioners. She also got a connection to the Catholic faith, which Bekki had previously picked up on in other locations.

The English Heritage guy told us about a story in which a guard on duty one night had challenged a figure of a woman and when she had not responded he had charged her with his bayonet, only to find it went straight through her and he died from the shock of the incident soon after. This description seemed to fit with what Bekki had picked up about the soldier shooting the ghost.

Bekki wandered into a small opening which seemed to be bricked off, and got the feeling of being barricaded in - we were then told this that was where bones of two skeletons had been found.

Group 2 Report : Carol Mark Dell Virginia Camille

Dell carried out a temperature reading before we conducted the investigation, it read as 39.3.

We brought along a pendulum to this location as we felt it would be a good idea for the guests to have a go at using this apparatus. It was felt this it would give the guest's a feeling of being involved, also they could then gauge for themselves that we as paranormal group were not out to fake things.

It has to be noted that in this particular location we did manage to turn off the lights, which made the atmosphere more conducive. Apart from the very strong wind rattling the window frames, which was bit off putting at times, we still called out, but sadly the wind did hamper things.

Virginia was the 1st to use the pendulum. Once she got the hang of how to hold it, she appeared to be getting movement quite rapidly. This is the conversation Virginia had with a male spirit via this form of communication. Mark was videoing this as it happened.

• Virginia.... "is there any spirit presence here"?
• Pendulum...."yes"
• Virginia..... "are you a female spirit"?
• Pendulum... "no"
• Virginia..... "are you a male spirit"?
• Pendulum...."yes"
• Virginia..... ."are you a young male"?
• Pendulum...."yes"
• Virginia...... "did you live in the castle"?
• Pendulum.... "no"
• Virginia......."did you work in the castle"?
• Pendulum....."yes"
• Virginia........ "are you alone in this room with us"?
• Pendulum......"no"
• Virginia........."did you die in this castle"?
• Pendulum......"yes"
• Virginia..........."is your family here with you in this room"?
• Pendulum......."yes"
• Virginia.......... "can your family see us"?
• Pendulum........ "yes"
• Virginia........... "did you die with your family"?
• Pendulum....... "yes"
• Virginia........ "how many in your family"?
• Pendulum ...... 4
• Virginia......... "do you have a brothers & sisters"?

At one point Camille took over the pendulum.

To hasten this part, the pendulum stated that this particular spirit had 2 brothers....the older brother was aged between 20-25, we eventually established his actual age as 23, but he had no sisters. He died at 17 years of age, and was killed in the 14th century. His parents were Italian, but he was English. He had the nickname of BANK. It appeared that at this point something, or someone, was playing a little joke with us as things became slightly erratic, and when asked the pendulum said "yes" it was. It was stated that he didn't work in the castle after all, worked in Carlisle itself, but had a job related to the castle...i.e. maintained/repairs, and that his family helped him in his work, especially his brother. He had a girlfriend she was English and his real name was between H-I. He worked with money and had 2 jobs in the castle. Yes he was called BANK, he was only joking, this was not his christened name.

A new spirit entered the equation, it was related to the previous spirit. It appeared to be a parent, female and the age of death 30-40, eventually established actual age as 34 years. She too died in the 14th century, name between A-H, eventually established as Elizabeth, she had 2 sons, connection Italy.

At this point we had to move on as our time slot for this particular location had been fulfilled.

... Head over to Haunted UK for a review of the general history and haunted history of the Carlisle Castle. Alternatively, use the table of contents to view the reports for each location.

Altar Room and Storeroom

Although this location contained more than just the Altar Room and the Storeroom - it was these two locations where most attention was focused during the investigation.

These were two small rooms opposite each other - one of which (the storeroom) contained nothing more than a small amount of cleaning equpment and one slit-window. The other room contained a small table with a Scottish Flag draped over it and upon the table a cross.

The storeroom, in fact, had once been a holding cell for a very important Jacobite Major who had been held within it for over a year as a hostage. He'd been locked in there as is - pitch black and with no furniture.

The Altar room had probably just been a store room itself previously but had at once held a very important piece of 'stock' - King David I of Scotland died in Carlisle Castle and his body had been laid out in this small room for a number of days - hence the Scottish flag and cross.

Group 1 Report : Bekki Claire John Pete Ally Helen

We arrived at the location and after the lights went out we let ourselves adjust to the environment, but were suddenly interrupted by the caretaker of the building marching in to ask why the lights had been turned off. It turned out that for Health and Safety reasons the lights had to be turned back on, which totally ruined the atmosphere. But we carried on regardless.

We decided to try our luck in the small cell which seemed to be a little darker; this cell contained a table with a Scottish flag covering it and a wooden cross in the middle. We decided to try an energy circle and Bekki felt as if there was someone in the room at the same time Claire mentioned different visions she was getting, a man with a basket of fish, a man in chain mail etc, the guy who was with us then clarified the connections that her visions had.

Bekki also got the feeling that something found the presence of the cross in the room quite amusing, and while we where discussing this she felt something touch her neck in the area her crucifix pendant was. We questioned this and Bekki got a voice in her head saying ?The Irony of it?, what that meant she didn?t know.

As we where leaving this cell, Bekki looked into the larger room and got a vision of a posh guy, possibly royalty, It confused her a little because although he looked Scottish, she got the feeling he spoke French. Bekki mentioned this information as well as a name she got associated with him (Charles Edward), The English heritage guy with us connected this to Charles Edward Stewart, aka Bonnie Prince Charlie and clarified that he did indeed speak French and had spent some time over there.

Back in the larger room, Bekki mentioned to Claire that throughout the building in a number of different places she had been shown a vision of a woman in tartan with a small child. She also got a vision on a soldier shooting a ghost with a bayonet, which she was a little embarrassed to mention at first as she felt it seemed like something out of the Ghostbusters and thought it may be laughed at.

Helen said she was getting whilst sat in the chair. She said that when she looked towards the corner near the window it looked like it opened up and became a passsageway. Claire sat in the chair to see if she could also see this. Claire could see the shadowed area Helen was describing from the chair but to her it just looked like a shadowed area. Helen said she could see the wall opening up so she sat back in the chair and Claire went to the area Helen could see the wall opening up in. Helen said she could see it again and that Claire looked to be vanishing into it. Bekki then sat in the chair to see if she could experience. Claire stood against the wall with her legs on the chimmney/vet and said she felt a strong menthol energy there. She said it was cool and icy but it wasnt the obvious draught from the chimmney as she felt 'energy' from it. She felt this for 1-2 mins very strongly.

When in the room where the scottish flag was whilst the group was passing the twitch around Claire got the impression that the energy in hewre didnt like crosses. The in hear mind she saw the image of a man wearing silver chainmail in his head and chest and over it he was wearing a white tabbard with a red cross on it and he was holding a silver broadsword pointing upwards in front of this. Linked to this she got open moorland/rough ground and a basket of fish. She felt it was symbolic as everything was so clean and shiny.

She also got the same David. John said he felt this person was the man who introduced fish to the moat and helped built the castle.

Claire then got the image of a man with bright carrot red hair and a beard, which was shaggy not curly. He had a broad white face and as she got a pain in her neck and it felt pushed to one side at an angle she felt that he had his neck broken. She saw trees round him and felt he was not from round here. She got the names Harry/ Henry.

John said this sounded like a descendent who also helped build the original castle/settlement who wasnt from here he was from the New Forest and he had died falling from a horse which resulted in his neck being broken.

John also said more about both of these people but Claire felt that he was trying to fit them in around what Claire had said rather than it being exactly what she had gotten so they are not included.

At times Claire felt like she was swaying and had the urge to lie down and go to sleep. Claire liked it in this room, she felt a definate energy which she thought was unrelated to the images but it felt that the scottish flag and the cross and everything else was a joke.

Group 2 Report : Carol Mark Dell Virginia Camille

At this location our group was joined by Ralph (medium) and Jay. We were in the 'Altar' room just off the main Bell room. At the end of the room there was an altar with a scottish flag draped over it, this area - and around, is where Ralph was drawn to. Ralph felt he wanted to shout out the name John Major for some reason, also the name William. Ralph felt there were patterns i.e. Mosaic type, on the floor or at least underneath.

He felt that a coffin, which would have been put on the altar was related to someone specific. Ralph mentioned a 3 corned hat, carriage with Horses. At one point standing in an alcove just off from the actual Altar, Ralph felt pins and needles in his legs and hands. He also felt he was undressing/dressing something, could have been a body of a specific person.

The Altar he felt represented where this body was laid out. Ralph felt as though he was been pushed from behind. Jay used his EMF meter at the centre of Ralph's back to see if anything could be picked up. Ralph also felt, that it was as if there was a dead body stood up in this particular alcove....the name Charlie came in to Ralph's mind at this point too.

Camille then volunteered to stand in the same corner/alcove where Ralph had been. He also felt the pushing sensation. Virginia, when she stood there, felt as though she was being pushed back. Ralph felt a female presence in the same corner. Jay felt the pushing, and commented that his legs were shaking. Mark commented that he felt a slight tingle in his right leg. Unfortunately, Carol felt nothing.

The Storeroom off the Altar room was our next port of call. Ralph felt a Major's presence, and he felt the need to pace the floor. Ralph felt as though this location had a hostage feel about the place. Ralph felt an energy, and Mark felt something across his left cheek. Head height, it appeared there was a coldness around the head area whether you were on the ground or stood up, and with this Ralph also felt nausea. Jay felt a breeze past his face at one point. Ralph had a "playboy bunny" image spring to mind, or at least a rabbit. The Major Ralph felt was a Jacobite who was confined in this room for 1 year, and that this may account for his image of a rabbit as in "rabbit hole" sensation. This would also account for the "pacing" sensation Ralph felt he wanted to do.

Jay heard footsteps on the stone floor outside the room. Clicking in the corner was also heard. Dell heard 2 knocks in the same corner. A cat like sound (meowing) was heard by all the group. Ralph/Jay saw a shadow at the door and felt as though someone was on the other side - Mark went to investigate but no-one was there. A whistle was also heard.

Ralph at this point became inundated with various images, facts he said are as follows:

Ralph saw a stool, Austrian houses with pointed roofs, thin tracks right on the road. The name Wein was mentioned, and Dell commented that an engraved door in the Bell room had an Austrian connection. Ralph saw a Market Square, which was cobbled, 1/2 house down?? Bicycle, strange looking thing. A bird, a type of owl but not an owl. An Eagle, or winged woman, a real statue...Angel connected with owl like bird. Ralph's shoulders were aching at this point, and he commented on triple rings joined together. A Nun in a headdress, but larger than the normal Nun's headdress. A house 3 storey, very plain with shutters on either side of the window, on to a road leading to a square and a river. He also saw a St Benedict window.

Around Dell he saw the spirit presence of a male with long hair, sharp face/features, beard (all black and tightly knitted), strong eyebrows, and pronounced forehead. The spirit was aged between 35-40. Ralph felt that Dell possibly had a past life, and that this was an American connection...i.e in the era of Abraham Lincoln, which is where Ralph felt this particular spirit (near Dell) came from.