NGI

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

The Galleries

Overlooking the Great Hall and at the highest level in the keep are a series of passageways that was known as The Galleries. These passageways circumnavigate the Great Hall and allowed people to look down on the Great Hall. The tight stairs that lead up to the Galleries also led to the roof of the Keep.

It can be echoey up here and noise from the Great Hall can travel upwards, however, once you can discern what noise is coming from where, its quite easy to determine any noises their source.

Group 1 Report : Bekki Derek Jen Susan Shirley Diane Val Sandra

This was our final location and the least active, we experienced nothing in this location despite other groups seemingly doing so.

After Investigation - Packing Up

While putting the chairs away, I went into the side room, used for storing the chairs, which had an old gate on it. I opened this wide to ensure we could move around it with chairs and as I turned away I saw it slowly close, I assumed this was just the way it fell, when I had let go of it, but as I said something to one of the team, I turned around again and it was wide open. It is possible it had swung one way, but shouldn't be able to sping back naturally.

Group 2 Report : Jay Julie Norma Thea Chris John Charlotte Christian

The Galleries were their usual dark and spooky. At first, though, people made their way up to the roof and we spent a few minutes just taking in the sights. On previous visits Jay had been uncomfortable up here - not one to be usually affected by heights, he'd always had the sense that he'd wanted to run and jump off, but tonight he felt fine.

When we went to the Galleries proper, we all spread out in groups of twos for a while and sat or stood in silence just listening.

Jay was wandering around just making sure everyone was okay. At one point John thought he caught a couple of things on camera. One of the objects we ruled out as a small plastic covering that was attached to a small piece of scaffolding, but there was definitely something else in the darker reaches of the photograph that we couldn't identify. Jay then walked off and around the Galleries to where Norma and Chris were.

When he arrived, he found Norma in a bit of a tizz. Both of them had been looking out over one of the balconies and had saw Jay walk past the opposite opening in the Galleries - to be followed a second or two afterwards by a smaller, darker and what looked to be a hooded and cloaked figure that floated behind him. Jay had seen, heard or felt nothing, but both Norma and Chris had seen the dark figure following Jay.

There is a story of people being followed around the Galleries when they walk and so we all grouped together and headed to one of the corners where we would each walk alone around the galleries - if the figure had been spotted - it meant that this particular spirit was doing his rounds tonight.

When we got to the corner where we would start - Jay immediately felt a dark presence. He was quite on edge and as the others arrived they also felt a strange feeling in this area of the Galleries with Pam, who had joined us for this location, claiming she could see the man standing there.

The first brave explorer went off into the darkness and as he did, the presence seemed to go with him. When he returned after his circuit he claimed he could hear a noise behind him as he walked, similar to a hand repeatedly slapping against the wall.

Others went on their trip but it appeared that not everyone heard much. Shortly, the presence returned to where we were waiting and many could feel it once more amongst us. Norma then went off walking and as she did, the presence once more seemed to go off with her.

Again, on her return, she claimed that she'd lost her balance at one point as though seemingly shoved into the wall - this had confused her because this happened in one of the lighter part of the galleries and she'd have thought it would have happened in the darkest of corners. She could see the wall, but could do nothing to prevent herself being pushed into it.

In all, 4 of our group reported something strange happenning when on their circuit and it was indeed strange that 2 of those people set off on their circuit when a strong presence could be felt where we were gathered and which seemed to follow them when they began their travels.

Group 3 Report : Claire Phil Kathryn Susan Gillian Sheena Wendy Julie

Whilst the lights were on Phil and I briefly walked around the gallery and went on to the roof whilst the lights were on to show the guests this area.

Whilst walking on the galleries I asked if anyone specifically didn't want to know anything about previous things experienced here. I said I wasnt going to tell them anyway,but was asking because if they picked up on things or specific areas I might confirm things if they tied in, so didn't want to do this if it was not what they wanted. They all said they were ok with this.

Whilst up on the roof the lights went out. I asked the guests who had done this before, all but one person said they had been on an organised ghost hunt before. I asked if any of them were sensitive or mediums but they all said no.

I suggested for the first 20 mins we went down onto the galleries and all split up into smaller groups or 2's or 3's and went and sat in an area and got used to the noises/feel of the place as well as listening etc.

I went and stood in the corner that has no light source and the small step near it (for the purpose of the rest of the report I will refer to this as the 'dark' area).

I felt fine whilst stood here for 5 minutes.I noticed that the passage towards the steps seemed to be darkening but I put it down to my eyes.

I then moved to the stairs (that lead to the open door to the roof) and down the next corridor where I passed 2 guests who were sat listening. I passed Phil a bit further along.

I went into the next passage and came across more guests etc until I had eventually done a circle and was back at the stairs which lead up to the locked door to the roof. As I passed the guests they all said they were experiencing nothing 'paranormal'.

I sat on the stairs leading up to the door and Phil was in the doorway of the corridor leading to the passage which goes to the other staircase. I heard movement from the top of the stairs where I was sat,which sounded like there was someone on the roof. Phil said he had seen people going up the stairs down the corridor so I went to the top and shouted through the bars on the locked door to check who was up there.They said they were all up there maybe except one,and I counted 5 people. When I went down Phil said he'd seen a white flash in the corner of the corridor away from the stairs.We went to investigate and could find no cause for this.I checked the gallery quickly for guests but there were none. Whilst I had been looking Phil said he'd seen 'white flashes' in the dark corner, for which no obvious source could be found. Whilst there Phil remarked how dark it was, although it just seemed to be normally dark to me.

We stood for a few mins and Phil said he could see the corridoor towards the open stairs 'darkening on the right side'. I could see this slightly but I do think what I saw was my eyes, as oppose to anything else.

I said I could smell a scent here like perfume. To me it smelt a bit like the perfume 'poison' mixed with something 'fruity', like peach. Phil couldn't smell this. I checked it was not his deodorant I was smelling and this had a totally different smell all together. Also I had been stood close to him at other times and not smelt this. The smell then went.

The guests came down from the roof, where they said they had experienced nothing 'odd'.

We spread out again and I went round to check what people were experiencing.

In the corridor which faces the locked stairs and the dark corner 2 guests said they had twice seen a 'yellow flash' down there directly under the red security light (at the dark corner). They presumed it was a torch but when they looked no one was down there.

I went and sat on the stairs that were locked again on my own. I went into a meditation almost straight away (not related to the keep so I wont put the details here) for about 15 minutes.

Other Things Of Note :

Phil said he was stood in the dark corner with 2 of the guests and they all thought it was very odd it was so dark and they could not see their own hands in front of them.They all felt a bit 'spooky' in this area.

Ten minutes into the vigil two of the guests who I came across when sat in a window alcove just past the open stairs said they'd heard a constant dripping water sound.They had not checked this and they didn't tell me until after this vigil. They had not noticed it anywhere other than here. A few 'orbs' were captured on camera by the guests I believe.

Phil said that he hated being on the roof,he felt like he was going to fall off. He said this was odd as he has a good head for heights and previously worked as a satellite dish fitter being up high on ladders with no walkways etc. I asked him to go back up and see if he felt the same. He said he did,and that for him this was very odd.

I said that I'm terrified of heights and cant even go up a ladder into a hayloft. However I didn't feel scared at all on the roof and could stand at the edge and enjoy the view,which is very odd for me.I had not thought anything about this,or indeed noticed it until Phil mentioned how it made him feel.This has always been the case here.

Group 4 Report : Mark Carol Gail Liane Angela Michelle Aileen Jean

Unfortunately, this particular location was very distracting for us. Claire and Pam's group were in the Main Hall below, and there was a lot of activity going on down there. Apparently both Pam & Claire (in particular Claire) had connected with a spirit/spirits presence and, this I have to be honest, gave the Gallery location a negative air, sorry. As a group we couldn't concentrate, we were too busy watching from above at the going ons down below, and because we couldn't get quietness for the obvious reasons, calling out was fruitless/pointless at this stage. We decided to leave this location and we wandered off to other locations e.g. top of the Keep, other little alcoves on route etc.