To distant countries. Haunted castles in europe Haunted castles england briefly about them

We all know legends about ghosts: sinister or kind, translucent matter from the other world wandering next to us. Of course, every self-respecting ghost has a creepy dramatic story, often with elements of unrequited love, and always ending in a tragic death.

There are many old houses and ancient castles, covered with centuries-old legends and, of course, inhabited by real ghosts that still roam their winding corridors to the delight of tourists.
Blickling Hall (Blickling Hall). England

The English castle Blickling Hall is located in the east of the country in the county of Norfolk. The castle building was built in the middle of the 16th century for the Chief Justice of Hobart under the first king of the Stuart dynasty, James I.

Prior to this, under the Tudors, Blinking Manor was in the possession of the Boleyn family. According to old English beliefs, the famous Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was born here, and now her ghost often appears in the castle.

Blinging Hall

Anne became the second wife of the King of England in 1533, after he tried to break off his previous marriage, which did not bring him a male heir. As a result, Henry severed not only his marriage, but also the relationship of England with the Vatican. So strong was his love for the beautiful Anna.

Ann Bolein

Having put on the crown of England, Boleyn became more demanding - the ambitious queen made many enemies for herself. Over time, she began to behave even more provocatively: she ordered the most expensive jewelry, arranged excessively magnificent holidays ... But the heir to the throne never appeared. Anna gave birth to the king another daughter ...

Heinrich was disappointed. By 1536, the king was infatuated with another woman, Jane Seymour, and decided to get rid of the capricious Anna. The Queen was accused of treason against the King and the Motherland. May 19, 1536 Anne Boleyn was beheaded. Since then, her soul has been haunting Blinging Hall Castle. Most often, she is seen holding her head in her hands ...
Rožmberk Castle. Czech

Rožmberk Castle in the Czech Republic stands on the high bank of the Vtalva. Its walls have seen a lot in their lifetime - the castle was erected in the XIII century by the knights of the five-petal rose - the Rožberks.

Rožmberk Castle

In 1429, the then owner of the castle, Ulrich Rozmberk, had a daughter, she was named Perchta. When the girl was 20 years old, her father forcibly married her to the nobleman Jan Liechtenstein. Ulrich counted on Jan's political connections, and the groom, in turn, on the state of the Rozhberkovs.

Both hopes were not justified. The husband did not love the unfortunate Perkhta and treated her extremely badly, moreover, his mother and sisters also liked to make fun of the girl.

Jan Liechtenstein died in 1476. On his deathbed, the tormentor asked for forgiveness from Perkhta, but she refused him. In response, the dying man exclaimed: “So be damned!”.

White Lady

Three years later, Perkhta also died, but her soul remained on earth, apparently, the words of the curse had an effect ... Now she lives in the Rozhberk family castle, being alive in a white dress. Therefore, it is called "White Lady".

The white lady does not harm anyone, this is a good ghost. According to legends, the White Lady sometimes appears in a black dress or black gloves - this means that someone will die soon. Somehow she appeared in a red robe, after a while there was a major fire in the castle.
Boynitsky castle. Slovakia

Slovakia, neighboring the Czech Republic, also has its own White Lady - here her name is "White Lady". The White lady from Slovakia has her own prototype - a historical character, Countess Julia Korponai.

Julia was the wife of Captain Korponai, with whom they lived in the eastern Slovak city of Levoča. During the liberation anti-Habsburg movement, the countess fell in love with the leader of the enemy troops and, in the name of her love, opened a secret city entrance to the imperial troops when her city was besieged.

White Lady

Soon Julia Korponai was executed for treason. Since then, her ghost often appears in the city hall of Levoča, the sad beauty wanders along the walls and tries to open secret doors with a key.

In fact, White Pani is a literary character. Moritz Yokai wrote a book about the White lady based on the story of Yulia Korponai. The artist William Forberger also contributed to the legend of the White Lady, who painted her portrait.

Despite the fact that the White lady is a literary character, the legends about her are very popular in Slovakia. According to them, it appears not only in Levoča, but also in the most beautiful old castle in Slovakia - Bojnice Castle.

Boinice Castle

Bojnice Castle was founded in the 12th century on the site of an ancient volcano. Initially, the castle was made of wood, later it was rebuilt in stone Gothic. By the 16th century, the castle acquired a Renaissance style. The last transformations took place with Bojnice Castle at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Then the owner of the castle, Jan Palffy, rebuilt the Renaissance building into a romantic palace in the image of the French castles of the Loire. The fact is, Yang was passionately in love with a French girl from an aristocratic family. He proposed to her and she agreed, but did not want to move to a castle unusual for her refined taste.

However, the reconstruction of the castle dragged on for more than 20 years ... During this time, the girl, of course, married another. Jan remained single until the end of his days, now his ashes rest in the castle.
Fontainebleau. France

France also has its ghosts and ancient castles. The most haunted castle in France is considered to be the residence of the French kings - Fontainebleau.

The forest surrounding the castle has long been a favorite hunting ground for the French crown. The building of the palace was erected in the 16th century under Francis I. Fontainebleau became the first residence of kings in Europe, devoid of any defensive functions. As always, France acted as a trendsetter.

fontainebleau

The walls of Fontainebleau saw how the fate of Europe was decided, peace agreements were signed here and important decisions were made. Napoleon Bonaparte lived here, and here he abdicated...

But not only the living lived in a beautiful palace. In any era, there were eyewitnesses of countless spirits and ghosts wandering through the intricate labyrinths of the castle. The guests from the other world more than once gave their advice to the kings and predicted significant life events.
Glamis Castle. Scotland

In Scotland, every second castle is haunted, and medieval castle Glamis can be called one of the most haunted, and, at the same time, the most beautiful castle in Scotland. The history of Glamis dates back to the 11th century. From time immemorial, Scottish kings loved to hunt here. The modern building of the castle with battlements and a gloomy silhouette took shape only by the 17th century.

Glamis Castle

In 1034, the first tragedy occurred here - King Malcolm II of Scotland was brutally murdered in Glamis Castle. On the day of the assassination, the king's blood soaked into the wooden floor of the then Glamis hunting lodge, Malcolm's ghost has haunted the area ever since. The blood stain has survived to this day in the so-called Malcolm's room, and the ghost still visits there.

In the 15th century, the following mystical story Glamis. The Earl of Glamis was an avid card player. One Saturday evening, he was so carried away by the game that he could not stop until midnight. One of the servants reminded the count that Sunday had already come and that it was not proper for a Christian to gamble on that day.

To which the count replied: “I will not stop the game even if the devil himself decides to join us!”. In a moment, thunder rang out and Satan appeared, he announced to the players that they had lost their souls to him and were now doomed to play cards until the Last Judgment.

Glamis Castle

The Earl plays cards with the devil to this day in the "non-existent" room of Glamis Castle. Outside, the room is clearly visible through the windows, but there is no door to it inside the castle. They say that when the servants caught the count's ghost playing cards with Satan, they walled up the entrance to this accursed room. If you approach this wall on the night from Saturday to Sunday, you can hear the voices of the players ...

In addition to the bewitched earl and the murdered king, you can also find here the Countess Glamis burned at the stake on charges of witchcraft, Janet Douglas, who is now called the Gray Lady, as well as the ghosts of a woman without a tongue, a servant boy frozen to death, and even a vampire girl!
Blenheim Palace. England

Blenheim Palace is located in the town of Woodstock in England near Oxford. The palace was built at the beginning of the 18th century near Woodstock Castle, which was destroyed during the English Civil War.

Blenheim Palace

Back in the 12th century, Henry II, King of England, loved to spend time in Woodstock Castle, which was the royal residence, with his mistress, the beautiful Rosamund Clifford.

According to one of the many legends, Heinrich created an intricate labyrinth in the garden around the castle, in which it was possible to find the right path to the castle only by using a silver thread. So the king protected his beautiful Rosamund from a jealous and treacherous wife.

But the happiness of lovers could not last forever. One day, the queen tracked her unfaithful husband and entered Woodstock Castle. She offered Rosamund a choice of two ways of death - from a dagger or from poison. The girl chose the second and died in terrible agony ...

Fair Rosamund

Until now, the ghost of the beautiful Rosamund is waiting for her Heinrich in the vicinity of Woodstock, now she is often seen within the walls of Blenheim Palace.
Dunster Castle. England

Another English castle, Dunster, is located on the western headland of Somerset in England. The history of the castle has more than 1000 years, of which about 600 years, until the middle of the 20th century it was owned by one family - the Luttrell. Once only the castle passed from one owner to another, until 1376 Dunster Castle belonged to the Maughan family.

Dunster Castle

Despite the fact that the castle lived a fairly peaceful life, eyewitnesses say that a ghost has settled here too. There is almost no castle in England without these translucent inhabitants.

A mysterious ghost of the "man in green" appears at Dunster Castle. Most often, for some reason, he goes to the souvenir shop, which is located in the castle. Sometimes a poltergeist happens in a store - goods suddenly start falling off the shelves. I wonder why this harmless shop did not please this ghost so much?
Villa Crenshaw House. USA

Although modern Americans in The Canterville Ghost are not at all afraid and do not even believe in ghosts, which are so numerous in the castles of stiff Englishmen, the inhabitants of the United States themselves, as well as the British, have no less ghosts. Only they do not live in ancient castles overgrown with moss, but in houses and villas, mainly of the 18th-19th centuries.

"The Canterville Ghost", a frame from the cartoon

A striking example of a creepy haunted house in the United States is Crenshaw House Villa, or “Villa of Old Slaves”, which is located in Illinois. The villa was built in 1838 for John Crenshaw, the only slave owner and trader in the state. There were rumors in the area about the unprecedented cruelty of Crenshaw, who kept slaves in terrible conditions in the attic of the villa.

In addition to the official use of slaves to work in the salt mines, which was allowed by the Illinois state constitution, Crenshaw was engaged in stealing entire families of blacks from the northern states, where slavery was already prohibited, in order to transport the unfortunate to the south, where forced labor was still used.

In the attic of John's house there was a kind of prison for the abducted - black slaves were kept on chains in narrow cells.

Crenshaw House

Already in 1851, the first eyewitnesses of strange sounds coming from the attic of Crenshaw Villa appeared: the rumble of chains, screams and groans. The fame of a haunted house was entrenched in the house, of course, this was primarily due to stories about slaves tortured in the attic of the villa. In 1864, Crenshaw sold the villa and died in 1871.

In the 20th century, the ghostly villa belonged to the Sisk family. In 1920, Hickman Whittington wrote an article for a local newspaper about the paranormal at Crenshaw House, after which he decided to spend the night in the villa's mysterious attic. Hickman did not live to see the morning ...

In subsequent years, many curious tourists came to the old villa to personally get to know its inhabitants. According to the legends, none of the daredevils could spend even a few hours in the former prison - all of them ran out with terrible screams from there. In 1961, the owner of the house banned people from entering Crenshaw House after dark.

Since 2003, the mansion has been owned by the Illinois authorities and is closed to the public.
Stanley Hotel. USA

Another creepy American place is located in Estes Park, Colorado. This is the Stanley Hotel, well known for Stephen King's The Shining. It was here that Stephen came up with the plot for the future novel, and here the mini-series of the same name was filmed.

Stanley Hotel

The fact is that the hotel is actually inhabited by the ghosts of the first owner of the Stanley Hotel and his wife. The hotel staff constantly hears strange sounds from the vacant rooms, the piano standing in the lobby often starts playing by itself. Also, the ghosts of children and Lord Dunraven, who previously owned the land where the building now stands, often appear in the hotel.

However, unlike their book counterparts, ghosts do not harm anyone. It remains a mystery why the ghosts chose this place, since no documented murders have occurred here.
Mikhailovsky (Engineering) castle. Russia

The last thing on the list of the most sinister haunted houses and castles is our Russian haunted castle, or rather a ghost. This is the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg, which was erected on the site of the wooden Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna by the most mysterious Russian emperor, Paul I.

Mikhailovsky Castle

October 1, 1754 in summer palace Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich was born. Pavel, who is sometimes called the Russian Hamlet, back in 1784 decided to build a castle especially for himself. This idea came to the Grand Duke after a trip to Europe, the first sketches of the building's layout belonged to the future emperor himself. Work on the design of the castle lasted almost 12 years.

In November 1796, Paul ascended the throne. In the first month of the reign of the new emperor, a decree was issued on the construction of his long-standing and carefully planned dream - the Mikhailovsky Castle. Pavel I decided to transfer his residence to the new palace, fearing palace coups: “To build a new impregnable palace-castle with haste for the permanent residence of the sovereign. He should stand in the place of the dilapidated Summer House.

The construction of the Mikhailovsky Castle began at the end of February 1797 and lasted 4 years. On February 1, 1801, Paul I with his family and retinue solemnly moved to his new residence. 40 days later, on the night of March 11-12, 1801, the emperor was killed in the Mikhailovsky Castle, in his own bedroom, 47 years after he was born in the same place, only in a different palace ...

Fedor Alekseev. View of the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg from the Fontanka

After this bloody event, the court and the imperial family returned to Winter Palace, and the Mikhailovsky Castle has a bad reputation.

Legends about the death of Paul appeared in the capital. It was said that shortly before his death, a holy fool appeared in St. Petersburg, who said that the sovereign was allowed to live for as many years as the inscription over the Resurrection Gate of the Mikhailovsky Castle consists of. This inscription read: "THE HOUSE OF YOUR HOUSE IS SUITABLE FOR THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOR THE LONGITY OF DAYS." There are exactly 47 letters here, the same number as the years of the unfortunate emperor.

Moreover, many argued that the spirit of Paul I did not want to leave his castle, and is still there. The ghost of the mysterious emperor was seen by soldiers transporting military equipment, new residents of the palace, and ordinary passers-by often noticed a transparent figure standing in the windows of a gloomy castle. It remains only to guess whether Paul I found his peace or still visits his beloved brainchild at night ...

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The British take care of their traditions and culture. It is customary to arrange costumed holidays dedicated to historical characters of the distant past. The Queen of England and the most famous ghost, Anne Boleyn, is no exception.

The gazetteer of English ghosts says: "There are more ghosts in the British Isles than anywhere else." The English scientist Paul Lee noted: “The number of ghosts depends on how acceptable it is for a given people. British ghosts are part of the culture. We have had them at all times and under any government.”

When the shadows of the past come alive

In this country, the courts are seriously considering the applications of homeowners demanding tax cuts, as it is difficult to find tenants in some of England's haunted houses and castles. There are real estate offices specializing in the sale of haunted real estate.

Before buying and selling, pedigrees are carefully examined, reliable sources from the archives are studied ... And only if the existence of a ghost is proven, the building is put up for auction.

Here is an ad in an English newspaper: “A 16th-century castle is for sale in a quiet area of ​​Susek County, complete with furniture and a ghost that does no harm to anyone. It is guaranteed that it will not leave the castle even in case of its possible rebuilding.”

Purely English crime

The favorite in the ranking of English ghosts is the ghost of Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, who lives in Bliklint Hall Castle in Norfolk. The queen, accused of adultery and high treason, was beheaded on May 19, 1536.

The ghost of Anne Boleyn is often seen sitting in one of the bedrooms of her ancestral castle, with a severed head lying in her lap. Sometimes the queen walks through the rooms, holding her head in her hands. There are also more terrible visions: a decapitated Anna rushes in a carriage ...

In addition to her, two more noble ghosts roam the castle - the knight John Falstaff, an ally of Henry IV, and Sir Henry Hobart, who died in a duel in 1698.

All three would not be real British ghosts if they did not meet for traditional English tea, only not at 5 pm, but at midnight before the full moon. In any case, it is at this time that they are seen in a large hall in front of an old fireplace.

By the way, the ghost of Anna generally likes to wander around places memorable for the queen. So, for example, he is often seen in the Tower, where Boleyn was imprisoned before his execution. There is nothing surprising in this: for ghosts there is no time, no distances, no walls...

They say that a certain gentleman in the 16th century simply tortured the architect who built the castle for him with his nit-picking. For which he paid: a terrible ghost started up in his castle. The truth was revealed only after centuries.

It turns out that the architect took revenge on the owner by making special “singing” niches under the windows. The wind howled so terribly in them that the owner of the castle soon went mad. Purely English crime.

The English also say: my house is my castle. And if love reigns in this fortress, evil ghosts will bypass such a house.

The ringing of chains and the smell of sulfur

The most original sights of Great Britain are ghosts. Here they not only believe in them, they are proud of them, they are searched for, counted and classified.

In Britain, there are societies "Ghostbusters", "Club of connoisseurs of ghosts", "Scientific society of spiritualistic ghosts". Most ghosts of aristocratic origin live in castles. Ghosts are the villains and their victims, animals, as well as the entourage of old crimes - furniture and so on.

The most massive international gathering of ghost hunters takes place in England on Halloween, the ghost festival in Bisham Abbey, Buckinghamshire - in May, and the ghosts themselves appear in public when they please.

There are about 230 castles and mansions in England that are haunted. Also, ghosts are found on the roads, in parks, subways and even in the holy of holies - the National Bank. In Kent, there is even a special ambulance service that catches ghosts.

By the way, if the ghost does not howl and does not ring with chains, you can find out about his arrival by a sudden feeling of cold, the smell of sulfur, anxiety of pets, and failure of electrical appliances.

edited news elche27 - 1-05-2011, 23:06

We all know legends about ghosts: sinister or kind, translucent matter from the other world wandering next to us. Of course, every self-respecting ghost has a creepy dramatic story, often with elements of unrequited love, and always ending in a tragic death.

There are many old houses and ancient castles, covered with centuries-old legends and, of course, inhabited by real ghosts that still roam their winding corridors to the delight of tourists.

Blickling Hall (Blickling Hall). England

English castle Blickling Hall located in the east of the country in the county of Norfolk. The castle building was built in the middle of the 16th century for the Chief Justice of Hobart under the first king of the Stuart dynasty, James I.

Prior to this, under the Tudors, Blinking Manor was in the possession of the Boleyn family. According to old English beliefs, the famous Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII, was born here, and now her ghost often appears in the castle.

Blinging Hall

Anne became the second wife of the King of England in 1533, after he tried to break off his previous marriage, which did not bring him a male heir. As a result, Henry severed not only his marriage, but also the relationship of England with the Vatican. So strong was his love for the beautiful Anna.

Ann Bolein

Having put on the crown of England, Boleyn became more demanding - the ambitious queen made many enemies for herself. Over time, she began to behave even more provocatively: she ordered the most expensive jewelry, arranged excessively magnificent holidays ... But the heir to the throne never appeared. Anna gave birth to the king another daughter ...

Heinrich was disappointed. By 1536, the king was infatuated with another woman, Jane Seymour, and decided to get rid of the capricious Anna. The Queen was accused of treason against the King and the Motherland. May 19, 1536 Anne Boleyn was beheaded. Since then, her soul has been haunting Blinging Hall Castle. Most often, she is seen holding her head in her hands ...

Rožmberk Castle. Czech

Lock Rozmberk in the Czech Republic stands on the high bank of the Vtalva. Its walls have seen a lot in their lifetime - the castle was erected in the XIII century by the knights of the five-petal rose - the Rožberks.

Rožmberk Castle

In 1429, the then owner of the castle, Ulrich Rozmberk, had a daughter, she was named Perchta. When the girl was 20 years old, her father forcibly married her to the nobleman Jan Liechtenstein. Ulrich counted on Jan's political connections, and the groom, in turn, on the state of the Rozhberkovs.

Both hopes were not justified. The husband did not love the unfortunate Perkhta and treated her extremely badly, moreover, his mother and sisters also liked to make fun of the girl.

Jan Liechtenstein died in 1476. On his deathbed, the tormentor asked for forgiveness from Perkhta, but she refused him. In response, the dying man exclaimed: “So be damned!”.

White Lady

Three years later, Perkhta also died, but her soul remained on earth, apparently, the words of the curse had an effect ... Now she lives in the Rozhberk family castle, being alive in a white dress. Therefore, it is called "White Lady".

The white lady does not harm anyone, this is a good ghost. According to legends, the White Lady sometimes appears in a black dress or black gloves - this means that someone will die soon. Somehow she appeared in a red robe, after a while there was a major fire in the castle.

Boynitsky castle. Slovakia

Slovakia, neighboring from the Czech Republic, also has its own White Lady - here her name is "White Pani". The White lady from Slovakia has her own prototype - a historical character, Countess Julia Korponai.

Julia was the wife of Captain Korponai, with whom they lived in the eastern Slovak city of Levoča. During the liberation anti-Habsburg movement, the countess fell in love with the leader of the enemy troops and, in the name of her love, opened a secret city entrance to the imperial troops when her city was besieged.

White Lady

Soon Julia Korponai was executed for treason. Since then, her ghost often appears in the city hall of Levoča, the sad beauty wanders along the walls and tries to open secret doors with a key.

In fact, the White Pani is a literary character. Moritz Yokai wrote a book about the White lady based on the story of Yulia Korponai. The artist William Forberger also contributed to the legend of the White Lady, who painted her portrait.

Despite the fact that the White lady is a literary character, the legends about her are very popular in Slovakia. According to them, she appears not only in Levoča, but she can also be seen in the most beautiful old castle in Slovakia - in Bojnice castle.

Boinice Castle

Bojnice Castle was founded in the 12th century on the site of an ancient volcano. Initially, the castle was made of wood, later it was rebuilt in stone Gothic. By the 16th century, the castle acquired a Renaissance style. The last transformations took place with Bojnice Castle at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Then the owner of the castle, Jan Palffy, rebuilt the Renaissance building into a romantic palace in the image of the French castles of the Loire. The fact is, Yang was passionately in love with a French girl from an aristocratic family. He proposed to her and she agreed, but did not want to move to a castle unusual for her refined taste.

However, the reconstruction of the castle dragged on for more than 20 years ... During this time, the girl, of course, married another. Jan remained single until the end of his days, now his ashes rest in the castle.

Fontainebleau. France

France also has its ghosts and ancient castles. The most haunted castle in France is considered to be the residence of the French kings - fontainebleau.

The forest surrounding the castle has long been a favorite hunting ground for the French crown. The building of the palace was erected in the 16th century under Francis I. Fontainebleau became the first residence of kings in Europe, devoid of any defensive functions. As always, France acted as a trendsetter.

fontainebleau

The walls of Fontainebleau saw how the fate of Europe was decided, peace agreements were signed here and important decisions were made. Napoleon Bonaparte lived here, and here he abdicated...

But not only the living lived in a beautiful palace. In any era, there were eyewitnesses of countless spirits and ghosts wandering through the intricate labyrinths of the castle. The guests from the other world more than once gave their advice to the kings and predicted significant life events.

Glamis Castle. Scotland

In Scotland, every second castle is haunted, and a medieval castle Glamis can be called one of the most haunted, and, at the same time, the most beautiful castle in Scotland. The history of Glamis dates back to the 11th century. From time immemorial, Scottish kings loved to hunt here. The modern building of the castle with battlements and a gloomy silhouette took shape only by the 17th century.

Glamis Castle

In 1034, the first tragedy occurred here - King Malcolm II of Scotland was brutally murdered in Glamis Castle. On the day of the assassination, the king's blood soaked into the wooden floor of the then Glamis hunting lodge, Malcolm's ghost has haunted the area ever since. The blood stain has survived to this day in the so-called Malcolm's room, and the ghost still visits there.

In the 15th century, the following mystical story of Glamis took place. The Earl of Glamis was an avid card player. One Saturday evening, he was so carried away by the game that he could not stop until midnight. One of the servants reminded the count that Sunday had already come and that it was not proper for a Christian to gamble on that day.

To which the count replied: “I will not stop the game even if the devil himself decides to join us!”. In a moment, thunder rang out and Satan appeared, he announced to the players that they had lost their souls to him and were now doomed to play cards until the Last Judgment.

Glamis Castle

The Earl plays cards with the devil to this day in the "non-existent" room of Glamis Castle. Outside, the room is clearly visible through the windows, but there is no door to it inside the castle. They say that when the servants caught the count's ghost playing cards with Satan, they walled up the entrance to this accursed room. If you approach this wall on the night from Saturday to Sunday, you can hear the voices of the players ...

In addition to the bewitched earl and the murdered king, you can also find here the Countess Glamis burned at the stake on charges of witchcraft, Janet Douglas, who is now called the Gray Lady, as well as the ghosts of a woman without a tongue, a servant boy frozen to death, and even a vampire girl!

Blenheim Palace. England

Blenheim Palace located in the town of Woodstock in England near Oxford. The palace was built at the beginning of the 18th century near Woodstock Castle, which was destroyed during the English Civil War.

Blenheim Palace

Back in the 12th century, Henry II, King of England, loved to spend time in Woodstock Castle, which was the royal residence, with his mistress, the beautiful Rosamund Clifford.

According to one of the many legends, Heinrich created an intricate labyrinth in the garden around the castle, in which it was possible to find the right path to the castle only by using a silver thread. So the king protected his beautiful Rosamund from a jealous and treacherous wife.

But the happiness of lovers could not last forever. One day, the queen tracked her unfaithful husband and entered Woodstock Castle. She offered Rosamund a choice of two ways of death - from a dagger or from poison. The girl chose the second and died in terrible agony ...

Fair Rosamund

Until now, the ghost of the beautiful Rosamund is waiting for her Heinrich in the vicinity of Woodstock, now she is often seen within the walls of Blenheim Palace.

Dunster Castle. England

Another English castle dunster, located on the western cape of Somerset in England. The history of the castle has more than 1000 years, of which about 600 years, until the middle of the 20th century it was owned by one family - the Luttrell. Once only the castle passed from one owner to another, until 1376 Dunster Castle belonged to the Maughan family.

Dunster Castle

Despite the fact that the castle lived a fairly peaceful life, eyewitnesses say that a ghost has settled here too. There is almost no castle in England without these translucent inhabitants.

A mysterious ghost of the "man in green" appears at Dunster Castle. Most often, for some reason, he goes to the souvenir shop, which is located in the castle. Sometimes a poltergeist happens in a store - goods suddenly start falling off the shelves. I wonder why this harmless shop did not please this ghost so much?

Villa Crenshaw House. USA

Although modern Americans in The Canterville Ghost are not at all afraid and do not even believe in ghosts, which are so numerous in the castles of stiff Englishmen, the inhabitants of the United States themselves, as well as the British, have no less ghosts. Only they do not live in ancient castles overgrown with moss, but in houses and villas, mainly of the 18th-19th centuries.

"The Canterville Ghost", a frame from the cartoon

A prime example of a spooky haunted house in the US - Villa Crenshaw House, or "Old Slave Villa" which is located in Illinois. The villa was built in 1838 for John Crenshaw, the only slave owner and trader in the state. There were rumors in the area about the unprecedented cruelty of Crenshaw, who kept slaves in terrible conditions in the attic of the villa.

In addition to the official use of slaves to work in the salt mines, which was allowed by the Illinois state constitution, Crenshaw was engaged in stealing entire families of blacks from the northern states, where slavery was already prohibited, in order to transport the unfortunate to the south, where forced labor was still used.

In the attic of John's house there was a kind of prison for the abducted - black slaves were kept on chains in narrow cells.

Crenshaw House

Already in 1851, the first eyewitnesses of strange sounds coming from the attic of Crenshaw Villa appeared: the rumble of chains, screams and groans. The fame of a haunted house was entrenched in the house, of course, this was primarily due to stories about slaves tortured in the attic of the villa. In 1864, Crenshaw sold the villa and died in 1871.

In the 20th century, the ghostly villa belonged to the Sisk family. In 1920, Hickman Whittington wrote an article for a local newspaper about the paranormal at Crenshaw House, after which he decided to spend the night in the villa's mysterious attic. Hickman did not live to see the morning ...

In subsequent years, many curious tourists came to the old villa to personally get to know its inhabitants. According to the legends, none of the daredevils could spend even a few hours in the former prison - all of them ran out with terrible screams from there. In 1961, the owner of the house banned people from entering Crenshaw House after dark.

Since 2003, the mansion has been owned by the Illinois authorities and is closed to the public.

Stanley Hotel. USA

Another creepy American place is located in Estes Park, Colorado. This is a hotel Stanley Hotel well known from Stephen King's The Shining. It was here that Stephen came up with the plot for the future novel, and here the mini-series of the same name was filmed.

Stanley Hotel

The fact is that the hotel is actually inhabited by the ghosts of the first owner of the Stanley Hotel and his wife. The hotel staff constantly hears strange sounds from the vacant rooms, the piano standing in the lobby often starts playing by itself. Also, the ghosts of children and Lord Dunraven, who previously owned the land where the building now stands, often appear in the hotel.

However, unlike their book counterparts, ghosts do not harm anyone. It remains a mystery why the ghosts chose this place, since no documented murders have occurred here.

Mikhailovsky (Engineering) castle. Russia

The last thing on the list of the most sinister haunted houses and castles is our Russian haunted castle, or rather a ghost. This Mikhailovsky Castle Petersburg, which was erected on the site of the wooden Summer Palace of Elizabeth Petrovna by the most mysterious Russian emperor, Paul I.

Mikhailovsky Castle

On October 1, 1754, Grand Duke Pavel Petrovich was born in the Summer Palace. Pavel, who is sometimes called the Russian Hamlet, back in 1784 decided to build a castle especially for himself. This idea came to the Grand Duke after a trip to Europe, the first sketches of the building's layout belonged to the future emperor himself. Work on the design of the castle lasted almost 12 years.

In November 1796, Paul ascended the throne. In the very first month of the reign of the new emperor, a decree was issued on the construction of his long-standing and carefully planned dream - the Mikhailovsky Castle. Pavel I decided to transfer his residence to the new palace, fearing palace coups: “To build a new impregnable palace-castle with haste for the permanent residence of the sovereign. He should stand in the place of the dilapidated Summer House.

The construction of the Mikhailovsky Castle began at the end of February 1797 and lasted 4 years. On February 1, 1801, Paul I with his family and retinue solemnly moved to his new residence. 40 days later, on the night of March 11-12, 1801, the emperor was killed in the Mikhailovsky Castle, in his own bedroom, 47 years after he was born in the same place, only in a different palace ...

Fedor Alekseev. View of the Mikhailovsky Castle in St. Petersburg from the Fontanka

After this bloody event, the court and the imperial family returned to the Winter Palace, and a bad reputation was attached to the Mikhailovsky Castle.

Legends about the death of Paul appeared in the capital. It was said that shortly before his death, a holy fool appeared in St. Petersburg, who said that the sovereign was allowed to live for as many years as the inscription over the Resurrection Gate of the Mikhailovsky Castle consists of. This inscription read: "THE HOUSE OF YOUR HOUSE IS SUITABLE FOR THE HOUSE OF THE LORD FOR THE LONGITY OF DAYS." There are exactly 47 letters here, the same number as the years of the unfortunate emperor.

Moreover, many argued that the spirit of Paul I did not want to leave his castle, and is still there. The ghost of the mysterious emperor was seen by soldiers transporting military equipment, new residents of the palace, and ordinary passers-by often noticed a transparent figure standing in the windows of a gloomy castle. It remains only to guess whether Paul I found his peace or still visits his beloved brainchild at night ...

Mantsev Artem

The work forms an interest in history, in the country of the language being studied, develops cognitive and creative activity. A variety of castles in Great Britain has been studied. Castles where ghosts are said to be found have been identified. A brief description of these castles is given. The booklet and the message “Great Britain. Haunted Castles.

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MUNICIPALITY
CITY OF DISTRICT SIGNIFICANCE NIZHNEVARTOVSK
MUNICIPAL BUDGET GENERAL EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTION "SOSH № 8"

RESEARCH PROJECT

"GREAT BRITAIN.

Haunted Castles»

3rd grade student.

Supervisor:

Elisova Maria Ivanovna,

English teacher.

NIZHNEVARTOVSK

2012

Introduction……………………………………………………………………………………………..…....2

Chapter 1. Great Britain. Haunted Castles………………………………………….……..……...4

Chapter 2 Research by British scientists in the field of paranormal phenomena……………………………………………………………………………………………..……...7

Chapter 3 Mysticism and secrets of British castles………………………………………………………....10

Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………………...……..16

List of used literature…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Applications…………………………………………………………………….………………..…….18

INTRODUCTION

Castles are one of the main treasures of the state in the British Isles. They reflect the soul of the people who created them, tell about life and death, love and hate, happiness and sorrow. They represent centuries of history.Great Britain, the largest European power. Castles that have stood the battle against time; castles scorched by battles and stained with blood; finally, the castles, which embodied the dream of beauty and freedom - all this is the best page in the history book of the country.

The castles of Great Britain are known all over the world for their age and architectural power, many of them are closely connected with the fates of prominent personalities of different eras. A close acquaintance with these diverse cultural monuments allows us to trace the history of the country, the development of medieval building technologies and the change in the main functions of castles over the centuries using their examples. Castles have always played a big role in culture, acting, depending on the status of the owner, as a military base, a seat of government or a stronghold to protect the region from the enemy. Sometimes one castle combined several functions at once, but first of all it was a private residence - the house of the owner of the castle, his family, servants and subordinates. At the same time, fortified structures served as symbols of power, power and wealth. They were used to intimidate enemies, defeat rivals, and entertain guests.

The British are immensely proud of castles, rightly considering them an important part of the unique heritage of their country. Today you can find full-fledged fortifications with battlements, round towers and drawbridges, and residential castles-palaces, which are still occupied by representatives of famous noble dynasties, and comfortable hotels. Many castles regularly host jousting tournaments and bird of prey shows. Add a fascinating history, mesmerizing landscapes, a mysterious atmosphere (castles boast a record number of ghosts per square meter) - and it will become clear to you: there is nothing more interesting in the UK than medieval castles.

Relevance of the topic. The castles of Great Britain, their history and purpose have attracted the attention of thousands of people for many centuries. In our time, when most of the castles are destroyed, and those that remain are gradually being destroyed, it became necessary to preserve the castles as a cultural heritage. We must understand the role of castles in history and their purpose for the present.

Thing research - a variety of castles.

An object research - a group of Britain's most mysterious castles.

Hypothesis research - information about the existence of ghosts in the castles of Great Britain helps to expand the horizons and knowledge of people interested in the history and culture of Great Britain, and also attracts people who have never been interested in this.

The purpose of this work is to discover the unknown Great Britain, the mystical Great Britain. I chose this topic - “Great Britain. Haunted Castles, as I believe that the paranormal has always been the subject of the most heated debate among both scientists and ordinary people. And for the latter, various visions or even information about them are phenomena that inspire horror, fear of ignorance, but at the same time, no one has ever refused the opportunity to see something mysterious and exciting.

The main objectives of the study:

1. Explore the variety of UK castles
2. Reveal castles that are said to be haunted.Give brief description these castles.
3. Design a booklet and message “Great Britain. Haunted Castles.

Research methods:

Literature analysis, pproblem-search method, research, systematization and generalization.

Practical significance.

Such work forms an interest in history, in the country of the language being studied, develops cognitive and creative activity. Independent activity contributes to a comprehensive acquaintance with the topic under study, the expansion of knowledge on this issue. The skills of working with literature develop critical thinking, the ability to analyze phenomena on a scientific basis, and this is a component of any research work.

These studies can be used in English lessons.

CHAPTER 1. GREAT BRITAIN. Haunted Castles

"Land of greatness, home of Mars,
The royal throne, this second Eden,
Against the evils and horrors of war
A fortress built by nature itself,
The happiest tribe is the fatherland.
This world is special, this wonderful diamond
In the silver frame of the ocean
Which, like a castle wall
Ile protects the island with a protective moat
From the envy of not so happy countries..."
William Shakespeare.

The fate of Great Britain, in my opinion, is one of the most striking and memorable historical treasures of our world. This country has always attracted the attention of tourists, researchers, writers, scientists, artists and rarely left anyone indifferent. I think something magical and mysterious is already in the very air of foggy Albion, making you plunge headlong into the history of this great country.

Almost every nation has its own reputation. For example, they say that Russians are generous, kind; the Spaniards are noble and very proud; the French are cheerful and frivolous; the Germans are very industrious, but rather boring; Americans are boastful, energetic,

Now about the British. What is a typical Englishman like?

For most of us, the inhabitants of the UK, at first glance, seem to be reserved and unflappable people, even slightly stiff.

The clear order, the "discipline" of life in this country, the principle of those who inhabit it, would seem to suggest that there could never have been any unforeseen circumstances or unexpected turns of events in history. But first impressions are always deceiving.

Great English history has gone through ambition, avarice, betrayal and betrayal. The walls of the castles were silent witnesses of the bloodshed, long corridors still keep the echo of the cries of the unfortunate victims, whose restless souls never entered either heaven or hell. Sobbing in pain, crying out for retribution, they became the ghosts of the castles of Great Britain.

Castles are a special part of the history of this beautiful country. They are not only real masterpieces of architecture from different eras, but also keep many secrets. Most of the historical events are somehow connected with various castles. They claim that they are inhabited by real ghosts! Whether this can be trusted is hard to say. After all, no one has yet been able to accurately prove or disprove the veracity of these statements. AnywayUK castleskeep the memory of many generations of their inhabitants, among which are not only representatives of the English nobility, but royal dynasties. They are witnesses of insidious conspiracies and magnificent coronations, love stories and tragic events.

Until the 11th century, castles were mainly built of wood, so they were often destroyed during the assault and burned down. And only at the end of the 11th - beginning of the 12th centuries castles began to be built of stone. Interestingly, the most ancient castles were not habitable. The owners of the castles lived only in a small, most durable building - a donjon, which was not very comfortable, but was able to withstand any assault. Only a few centuries later, nobles and monarchs allowed themselves to expand their living space and equip other premises of the castles. It was at this time, towards the end of the XIV century, that special castles appeared, designed for life, and not for war.

The inhabitants of the United Kingdom willingly believe in the existence
ghosts, which is quite reasonable:here, in almost any castle, stories about encounters with ghosts have been recorded for centuries in special books. Enthusiasts believe that the reason for such a spread of ghostsin Foggy Albion lies in the maritime climate and special geographical location. And perhaps - in the abundance of bloody historical events in this relatively small country .

According to statistics, in terms of the number of officially registered cases of sightings of ghosts, the inhabitants of the British Isles are deservedly in the first place: they met with 147 ghosts, which is confirmed by the testimony of trustworthy witnesses and police reports. In second place are Spain (99), followed by France (48) and Belgium (32). The Scandinavians now have the least chance of seeing a ghost - in three countries only 14 stories are described that are recognized as true, and only isolated cases - in Eastern Europe.

Ghost hunting in the UK is an honorable and highly paid business. Both the phenomenon of the existence of ghosts and the causes of each individual case are investigated. British scientists have analyzed a lot of data.

In most cases, villains become ghosts, as well as their victims. Ghosts love spacious and darkened rooms. In this sense, castles suit them perfectly: they have a place to wander around and jingle chains, howl terribly or freeze high under the ceiling of the main hall.

Here is a short program for those who wish to become a mocking Casper (please do not take it as a guide to action!):

1. Born in England, in a family of aristocrats (about 80% of ghosts are of noble origin).

2. Settle in a castle (70% of cases).

3. Commit a crime (there are a lot of options) and not repent.

4. Become a victim of a villain (there are also many options) and not forgive the offender.

The gazetteer of English ghosts says: "There are more ghosts in the British Isles than anywhere else." The English scientist Paul Lee noted: “The number of ghosts depends on how acceptable it is for a given people. British ghosts are part of the culture. We have had them at all times and under any government.”

In Britain, even the National Heritage Foundation is looking for ghosts (in addition to its main activity). In 2007, on the eve of Halloween, he ranked the most famous haunted castles. The rating is based on the book Ghosts: Mysterious Tales of a National Heritage by researcher Sheen Evans. According to the writer, out of 630 castles and old mansions in Britain open to the public, ghosts live in 230.

CHAPTER 2. RESEARCH OF UK SCIENTISTS IN THE FIELD

PARANORMAL EVENT

In the UK, ghosts are taken care of. For example, the first official club of ghost seekers was organized in this country in 1665. This society was founded not by insane or psychopaths, but by quite respectable scientists of that time, among whom was the famous physicist Robert Boyle, known to every schoolchild according to the Boyle-Mariotte law. And the only task of this interest club was precisely the study of the phenomenon of ghosts. And in 1882, another organization was created to study the same issue - the Society for Psychical Research. The great merit of this society is that they began to question eyewitnesses and carefully document all information about ghosts. True, the problem is still far from being solved.

Humanity still does not know for sure whether ghosts actually exist. Most representatives of traditional science argue that they do not exist. Modern psychologists have even developed a theory as to why some people see or feel the presence of ghosts.

Psychologists say that these "glamors" are nothing more than a reaction of the brain to some external factors affecting the body, in particular, temperature and light intensity. Simply put, ghosts appear in the most suitable environment. As for the mediums who are able to determine where the ghost appears, here the British psychologists have their own explanation. They believe that mediums perceive more acutely those external factors that form the impression of someone's presence in ordinary people. I note that at the same time, psychologists do not at all claim that their theory is the ultimate truth. However, in the UK they intend to build a haunted house. In the arsenal of scientists there is a whole set to create an eerie atmosphere in the house: lighting, electromagnetic fields, infrasonic vibrations, temperature changes, and the like. By manipulating all of this, the researchers hope to prove that all the talk about ghosts is just a fantasy, caused by certain reactions of the human brain to changes in the environment.

Scientists have tried many times to study the mysteries of the Hamptons. Physicist Richard Weissman even received official permission to install instruments there. He installed sensors that recorded the temperature and humidity in the room (Weissman explored the gallery where Catherine Howard appears).

In this way, he tried to determine the currents of air, which, in his opinion, bring and take away ghostly visions. He did not achieve much success. I spent a lot of sleepless nights and, as a result, I forgot to sleep right at the post. It was then that he was awakened by the ghost of Catherine. The sleepy scientist was unable to pinpoint exactly where she came from or where she disappeared. “Half of the visitors to the castle, with whom I talked, experienced strange sensations,” the scientist noted. "But I haven't found any evidence of her spirit." According to Richard Weissman, evidence of the proximity of a ghost to a person, in particular, is that "we feel intense cold, breathing difficulties and pressure on the chest." But the director of the museum, on the pretext that the research might scare away the ghosts, put a swift end to Weissman's night vigils.

The same Richard Wiseman with a group of 9 scientists conducted research in Edinburgh Castle, rich in its bloody history. For ten days, 240 volunteers from all over the world tried to catch ghosts, holed up in the cellars of the famous castle, where a prison for captured French soldiers was set up in the seventeenth century, and in the ancient dungeons located in the medieval "Old Town". Scientists are interested in the Edinburgh underground, primarily because it is here, according to hundreds of reports, that tourists and locals met ghosts. The task of the volunteers was to wander at night through the corridors, cellars and attics of the castle in search of spirits. At the same time, everything that happened in the castle was recorded by the most sophisticated equipment capable of sensing electromagnetic changes, detecting air currents, temperature changes, geomagnetic fluctuations, ultrasounds, and so on. Among them, a $50,000 digital scanner, which is commonly used by police to search for people, was given the lead role. Ghostbusters paid special attention to the place around south bridge castle, where, according to tradition, the ghosts of people buried alive there during the plague appear. In addition to these unfortunates, there are other ghosts in the castle - a ghost playing the bagpipes, a mother with a stillborn child and other spirits. “We want to establish whether all this is a delusion or the truth,” Richard Weissman explained the purpose of the experiment. Either way, it won't be a waste of time. Experience will make it possible to understand the mechanism that leads people to believe in spirits.”

“The results were not entirely expected,” reports the British press. - Half of the participants in the experiment (presumably, they were people deprived of imagination) did not experience anything unusual, the rest experienced something similar, but for the most part not terrible - such as an unexpected and sharp drop in temperature, unpleasant, God knows where an uncomfortable draft came from, or the feeling that someone is watching you. Several subjects, however, had more ominous impressions from their underground vigils: one felt as if something red-hot was being applied to his hand, another went into a real panic, irritated by the sounds of someone breathing in the corner of the room. Someone was touched on the face and pulled at the edges of the clothes; and one of the volunteers saw a certain person in a huge leather apron. The strangest thing is that the person in the apron was reportedly seen repeatedly in the same place, and the volunteer had never been to Edinburgh before and about national characteristics knew nothing of the Edinburgh ghosts.

To the surprise of the researchers, who, being true scientists, did not put a penny on ghost stories and in fact were just looking for a rational explanation for "encounters with ghosts", most of the strange sensations occurred in those dungeons that were already infamous. In the same places, which, despite their ominous appearance, had not previously been visited by ghosts, the number of recorded oddities turned out to be significantly less. And this despite the fact that, according to the conditions of the experiment, the volunteers were not told anything about exactly where they would have to watch and what its “ghostly” story was.

After experimenting with volunteers, they examined the cellars of Edinburgh using a wide variety of scientific equipment, measured temperature, humidity, magnetic fields, etc., but did not notice any deviations from the norm.

CHAPTER 3. MYSTICITY AND SECRETS OF BRITISH CASTLES.

In the meantime, I want to tell you about the famous castles of Great Britain, the history of which is associated with legends and traditions about ghosts that often appear there.

1. Blickling Hall Castle, county of Norfolk -Norfolk manor house Earls of Buckinghamshire from the family Hobarts erected under the kingJames Ifor the ancestor of the family, the supremeJudge Hobart . It is believed that the building was designed by the same architect ashatfield house. Previously, at Tudors, Blickling Manor was owned byBoleyns.

Blickling Hall is famous for its ancientlibrary and exemplary garden, the improvement of which many generations of the owners of the estate have been looking forward to. Among the gardeners involved in the arrangement of the territory, there was a famousHumphrey Repton. During battles for englandBlickling House, like many other country estates, wasrequisitionedfrom the owners and was used for the needs of the state. It is currently managed byNational Trust.

The castle takes first place in the "ghostly" ranking. Here appears the ghost of Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII, who was beheaded on May 19, 1536 on suspicion of adultery and treason. The ghost of the inconsolable queen is often seen sitting in one of the bedrooms, while the severed head rests peacefully in her lap. Sometimes the queen walks decorously through the rooms of the castle; in this case, the unfortunate woman holds her head in her hands. Two more "residents" live in the castle: the spirit of the good-natured comrade-in-arms of Henry IV - the knight John Fastolf, whom the great Shakespeare entered into several of his plays at once ("Windsor Gossips", "Henry IV", "Henry V") as Falstaff, and the ghost of an arrogant Sir Henry Hobart, who was killed in a duel in 1698. Some eyewitnesses claim that at midnight before the full moon, all three ghosts gather in a large hall in front of an old fireplace and drink traditional English tea with scones and butter.

2. Leeds Castle , Kent - located on two islands of the River Len (River Len). This medieval fortress is one of the most beautiful castles in the world, and its name comes from the name of the Saxon nobleman Ledian, who built the first wooden fortress on this site in 857. Later, a stone castle was built, which once again reorganized and turned this castle into the royal residence of Edward I the Long-legged. Leeds was a royal palace that belonged to the crown from 1278 to 1552. It is also known as the Ladies' Castle as many of the queens of England lived there. Leeds ceased to be a royal property in 1552. Since then, Leeds Castle has been a private property.
Currently, the castle houses a magnificent collection of paintings, furniture and tapestries, old dog collars of the 15th-17th centuries; also has vegetablelabyrinthout of two and a half thousandyewtrees; a bird aviary where you can see about a hundred rare and exotic birds.

The castle is haunted by the ghost of a large black dog. Although animal lovers will no doubt wonder what is so scary about a big black dog? This dog appears as an omen of death. There is a story about how this ghost once saved a woman's life. She was sitting in the bay window when she saw the ghost; frightened, she bounced far from the window, and within a few seconds the wall with the window collapsed and its fragments fell into the moat! There is no certainty that this really happened, but, in any case, it is not a bad story.

3. Windsor Castle, county Berkshire.

The magnificent Windsor Castle located in the county of Berkshire is the oldest and most active castle in the world. For over 900 years, it has been towering over the surrounding landscape, personifying a symbol of royal power. Today, the castle is one of the three official residences of the Queen, along with Buckingham Palace and Holyrood House.
William the Conqueror, taking steps to control the western approaches to London, chose this strategically important site, located high above the Thames, for the construction of a new castle. In addition, he was only a day's journey from the capital and another Norman stronghold. Tower of London. Windsor and the Tower were the first two castles built by the Normans immediately after the successful invasion of the British Isles, to ensure the defense of the conquered territory.

The castle's royal apartments were first opened to the public in 1845 during the reign of Queen Victoria. Today, thousands of tourists visiting the castle can admire the remarkable works of art exhibited in them, among which are the masterpieces of such great masters as Rembrandt, Rubens, Holbein and Van Dyck, as well as magnificent collections of French and English furniture and priceless collections of unique porcelain.

At Windsor, the Queen often receives state visits from foreign monarchs and heads of government. Honored foreign guests arrive at the castle on a horse-drawn carriage through the gates of George IV to the quadrangular palace square, where they are greeted by a guard of honor.

Royal Windsor Castle has its own ghosts. The restless ghost of the Duke of Buckingham roams the halls of Windsor Castle, whom the court astrologer summoned at the request of his son, and forgot to bring back. But, most often, the castle is visited by King Henry VIII. The creak of his wooden leg at night announces the corridors and enfilades. And the royal family, and the servants, and the guards suffer severely from the ghosts that plague them.

4. Hughenden Manor Castle , Buckinghamshire,occupies almost 1500 acres. It originated in the 11th century. as the possession of William, son of Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. In 1848, the castle was bought by Benjamin Disraeli, the future Lord Beaconsfield and British Prime Minister, for £25,000 (currently £1.5m). In 1862, he and his wife Mary Anna rebuilt the house with Gothic motifs. At the initiative of Lady Beaconsfield, a small garden with flower beds and sculptures was laid out on the estate. After the death of the Disraeli couple, the mansion passed to the owner's brother, Ralph, then to his son, and since 1949, to the National Foundation, which organized a house-museum here.

The ghost of politician and writer Benjamin Disraeli, Lord Beaconsfield, sometimes greets guests on the front stairs. A snow-white snowdrop invariably sticks out in his buttonhole. April 19 - the day of the death of the lord - is celebrated in the UK as "snowdrop day" (during his lifetime, the snowdrop was his favorite flower).

5. Dunster Castle , Somerset.

On the territory of the western Cape of Somerset, passing along the Bristol Bay and passing into Exmoor, at all times only one family clan dominated. First from the time of the Norman Conquest until 1376 it was the Mohuns family, and then from 1376 to the present day their successors the Luttrells family who owned it for 600 years until 1950. On the territory of England, it is perhaps no longer possible to find a castle like Dunster (with the possible exception of Berkeley), which has only once passed to another owner since its construction. It is worth adding that it is also difficult to find a castle so harmoniously blending into the forest natural landscapes. The graceful silhouettes of the towers and pediments look great against the background of the northern sky. A particularly effective view of the castle opens not from the river or the lower meadow, but from the main street of the quiet town leading to the entrance to the castle.

The castle is inhabited by the restless soul of the "man in green", who freely roams the rooms of the castle, passes through the walls, plays pranks in the museum shop.

6. Stirling Castle - located in Scotland in the area of Sterling. Stirling Castle is one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland, both historically and architecturally. The castle is located at the top of the Castle Hill. The castle is surrounded by steep cliffs on three sides, creating a strong defensive position. The first mention of Stirling Castle appeared in the 12th century. Most of the main buildings of the castle were built in the 15th and 16th centuries. Only a few buildings from the 14th century remain, while the outer fortifications date from the early 18th century. Several Scottish kings and queens have been crowned at Stirling Castle, including Mary Scots in 1543. The castle was besieged at least eight times, including several times during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The castle was last besieged in 1746 when Pretty Prince Charlie tried unsuccessfully to take it.

The castle is surrounded by many legends. According to one of them, King Arthur's Camelot, the world-famous knightly round table, was located here. Historians do not have documentary evidence to say this for sure, but many Scots and visitors believe in this legend. Stirling, like any medieval castle in Scotland, is not complete without ghosts. The “most famous” ghost of the castle is the spirit of the maid Mary Stuart. According to legend, a fire broke out in Stirling that almost took the life of a royal person. The maid saved the mistress at the cost of her life and, according to rumors, her spirit still wanders within the walls of the castle.

7 Glamis Castle, Scotland

The castle first belonged to the family of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and from 1372 was the royal residence. It is where Queen Elizabeth was born. Now the castle is the property of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorn. Once this castle was just a hunting lodge of the kings of Scotland. It was here that King Malcolm II of Scotland died from wounds received in battle. In 1372 the house was transferred to the family of the Earls of Strathmore. Since then, Glamis has been the ancestral home of the Bowes-Lions, the Scottish Earls of Strathmore and the Kinghorns. Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, now the Queen Mother, grew up in this house. Princess Margaret was also born here. Glamis itself became a castle in the 17th century, when it was thoroughly rebuilt. And, like any British castle, it immediately acquired ghosts. There is a secret room located in the thickness of the wall. Its windows are visible from the courtyard, there is no entrance to the room. According to legend, the Earl of Strathmore and his friend are doomed by the devil to play cards there forever for daring to gamble on Sunday. If you approach the wall in the place where the room is located, then on the night from Saturday to Sunday you can hear the conversation of two unfortunate people.

For several centuries, the ghost of Lady Janet Douglas, accused by King James V of witchcraft and burned alive, has been haunting Glemis. The ghost of the Gray Lady, about whom nothing is known at all, often appears in the castle and its environs. The spirit of the little pageboy often appears in the drawing room of the Queen Mother, where she sits quietly awaiting orders. An unknown knight dressed in full armor peers into the faces of sleeping guests at night.

One of the rooms of the castle - Duncan Hall - is considered the place that inspired Shakespeare to describe the scene of the murder of King Duncan by Macbeth in the tragedy "Macbeth".

Despite the gloomy legends, Glamis himself is very picturesque. Near the castle there are several gardens, including an Italian park with hedges and beech alleys. Many representatives of the royal families of Scotland and Great Britain stayed here. The rooms contain collections of antique furniture and works of art. The atmosphere of the middle of the 19th century has been preserved in the dining room. In the living room there are magnificent paintings and sculptures, in the library there are rare copies of books. The castle is surrounded by Dutch and Italian gardens with beautiful trees, shady alleys, flower beds of roses.

8. Lanhydrock Castle, Cornwall

Surrounded by magnificent gardens, which are collected rare species trees and shrubs, and a beautiful park, with an area of ​​450 hectares, is the most beautiful estate in Cornwall - Lanhydrock. This amazingly beautiful Victorian castle was built in 1630 by the Roberts family. For more than two and a half centuries, representatives of this genus lived in it. But in 1881, a fire broke out in the house, which not only destroyed most at home, not affecting only its north wing, but also became a black page in the annals of the family.

Like almost all ancient castles in Great Britain, Lanhydrock has its own ghosts. An old woman dressed in gray is often seen in the gallery. And it looks quite real. But one has only to approach it, as the figure simply melts in the air. We also saw a middle-aged gentleman in the castle. According to the archives preserved in the castle, during the Civil War, the royalists hung a stranger right on the gate of the estate, who, judging by the description, looks like two peas in a pod like a ghost wandering around the castle. Sometimes laughter is heard in the nursery and servants' room, and the smell of cigars comes from the smoking room. In a word, the ghosts obviously like a beautiful castle.

9. Powis Castle , County Powys.

The castle was originally a fortress on which the power rested, the Welsh rulers. In 1286, the last crown prince of Powys renounced his royal title in favor of the English king Edward I, who annexed Middle Wales to his dominions. In return, he was granted the title of Baron de la Pole. The territorial affiliation of the barony de la Pole corresponds to the English word Poole (Poole), since in the old days the city of Welshpool, where Powys Castle is located, was often called "Poole" for short.

The castle is famous for its world famous garden. With its huge trimmed yews and a collection of rare and whimsical plants. The history of the garden dates back to the reign of the Welsh kings of the 12th century, later, in the 18th century, the garden was repeatedly changed in the Italian, and then in the French style. The foundations of the garden are laid out on four terraces, a worthy equivalent of the Hanging Gardens of Babylon. Bright green lawns, clipped yew, hedges, hot flower borders, ancient trees, moss cover are classics. This is a worthy example of a British garden.

In the dusk of the corridors and passages of the palace, visitors often see the "lady in black", feel the touch of her cold hands.
10. Belton House Castle , Lincolnshire.

Belton House Castle was built in the late 17th century. The British themselves consider it one of the most beautiful and harmonious of their castles of the Restoration period. Now the castle belongs to the British organization National Trust, which is engaged in the preservation of historical objects of architecture. The film "Pride and Prejudice" was filmed here. latest version Jane Eyre.

Rumor has it that a ghost is walking around the castle - the mysterious "gentleman in black" majestically strolls near the queen's bedroom, whistling an old Scottish song.

Such an abundance of ghosts in the country, oddly enough, does not interfere at all the British live in peace. They take care of all the "ghostly" places with their characteristic stiffness. This is not surprising: crowds of tourists come to see the ghosts every year. Here, ghosts are elevated to the rank of national treasure, and they are treated accordingly.

I told you about the ghosts of some castles in the UK, and now you can freely choose which of the ghosts you would like to see yourself.

CONCLUSION

This work only briefly outlines the most popular legends about the ghosts of Great Britain, living in the castles of the country.

In my research, on the one hand, the proof of the existence of ghosts was presented, and on the other hand, for those who do not believe in the presence of otherworldly forces, these facts were presented as phenomena inherent in the human psyche. And when reading the historical explanation of the presence of certain visions and ghosts in the castles of Great Britain, everyone can choose for himself whether he believes in ghosts or not. Thus, information about the castles of Great Britain helps to expand the horizons and knowledge of people interested in the history and culture of Great Britain, and also attracts people who have never been interested in this. This confirms the hypothesis of my study. We can say that the goal of the work has been achieved.

LIST OF USED SOURCES AND LITERATURE

LITERATURE

1. Zaporozhtsev M.A. British castles. In the Company of Kings and Their Ghosts: A Historical Guide. - "Veche", 2009. - 320s.

2. Donskova I.I. Scotland. mystic country Celts and Druids: A Historical Guide. - "Veche", 2008. - 218s.

3. Robin Eagles. History of England. A detailed history guide. - "Astrel", 2010. - 294 p.

INTERNET RESOURCES

4. Medieval castles and fortresses of the world. [site] URL:www.allcastles.ru, free.

Donskova I.I. Scotland. The Mystical Land of the Celts and Druids: A Historical Guide. - "Veche", 2008. - 218s.