By: Blonde One
On our recent walk from Torquay to Totnes we had a lovely day, felt very relaxed and cheerful and experienced some lovely sunny weather. Everything was right. Except, that is, when we got to the lane at Berry Pomeroy…
It was at this point in the walk that the skies darkened and we felt a few spots of rain. The warm, dry air of the morning was now cold and damp, and our cheery chatter turned to more ghostly tales. The castle of Berry Pomeroy loomed down at us in the lane with its spooky looking towers leaning precariously as if they were going to topple close to our feet at any moment. Our feet moved a little quicker at this point and we checked over our shoulders a few more times that we had before!
This castle is well known for being haunted and is reputed to be the most haunted building in Devon and one of the most haunted in the whole of Britain. It’s a 15th century Elizabethan mansion that was abandoned before being complete in 1700. The demolition began almost straightaway with lead from the roof, floor flagstones and window glass being removed.
Luckily for us English Heritage have now taken care of it and it can be visited and appreciated in all its ghostly glory.
It is said to be haunted by the Blue Lady who was the daughter of a Norman lord. She murdered her own child who was fathered by her own father and she roams the castle and its dungeons mourning her loss. If you see her and she beckons to you asking for help, don’t go to her as she will lead you to her tower where you will fall to your death!
The White Lady, allegedly the ghost of Margaret Pomeroy, also haunts the dungeons after being imprisoned by her sister. Her sister was said to be so jealous of her beauty that she wanted her incarcerated and kept out of sight.
Whether you believe in ghosts or not I don’t know, but check out the colours of the tops that we wore for our walk that day!
My sister is quite a sensible person, far less crazy than me and not a believer in many myths and tales. However she was driving through the lanes beneath Berry Pomeroy several years ago, and swears blind that a bright light came straight towards her car (like a bright set of car headlights) and then shot over the top of her car. What on earth could that have been??? Spooky! ?????
Oh that is spooky! I’m glad we didn’t linger in the lane.
I used to live in Marldon. Me,my sister and mum were taking a walk down that lane and without saying anything until we got back, we all said we felt we were being ‘watched ‘. Never liked it down there.
Looks lovely – I must go and visit it one day! In broad daylight.
Definitely go in daylight. There is a good cafe at Berry Pomeroy Castle too!