Walkworth Castle by Day
Visited 31 August 2002
Warkworth Castle isn’t renowned for being a haunted location, but after doing some research there are ghost stories connected to the castle and there have also been sightings. Armed with my camera and an open mind I ventured out into the heart of Northumberland to visit Warkworth Castle.
Although Warkworth is at least as old as the eighth century, the first castle built here was in the mid-twelfth century, a motte and bailey structure probably of wood. This original castle was built by Earl Henry of Northumberland who was the son of King David I of Scotland, who held the land at that time. The site was on high ground at one side of the peninsula of land formed by the curving River Coquet, with the village and river crossing protected by the castle.
The castle was rebuilt in the fourteenth century and was granted to the Percy family in 1332 who also lived in and maintained Alnwick Castle. They built the Grey Mares tower, altered the Carrickfergus tower and the solar as well as one of the chapels. The castle was the responsibility of the Percys until fairly recently. In 1922 the high cost of maintenance led to the castle being handed to the Office of Works (now the English Heritage) who still manage the site today.
I went to Warkworth with my mate, and castle fanatic, Andy. On first impression of the castle I was impressed with it and looking forward to taking a few photos and trying to get in rooms alone and seeing if I had any success seeing, hearing or sensing anything. Upon arriving at the castle we crossed a bridge over the moat and entered a stone doorway (originally the bridge wouldn’t have been there, there would have been a drawbridge). We paid our entry fee (£3.60) and took a look around. We checked out the various rooms and stone passageways and took some photos. There are two chapels, two towers, the Colliergate church - an unfinished building where there is just an outline in the grass of bricks where the foundations are, two crypts, one of which is partially underground and will have been used for holding tombs, and a smaller crypt for the priest of the church to get ready, and many other rooms and passageways. There is also a Hermitage about one mile away from the castle, if you take the riverside walk and then get the ferryman to row you over you will find the Hermitage which is completely carved into solid rock. The hermitage is open two days a week.
The castle was rebuilt in the fourteenth century and was granted to the Percy family in 1332 who also lived in and maintained Alnwick Castle. They built the Grey Mares tower, altered the Carrickfergus tower and the solar as well as one of the chapels. The castle was the responsibility of the Percys until fairly recently. In 1922 the high cost of maintenance led to the castle being handed to the Office of Works (now the English Heritage) who still manage the site today.
I went to Warkworth with my mate, and castle fanatic, Andy. On first impression of the castle I was impressed with it and looking forward to taking a few photos and trying to get in rooms alone and seeing if I had any success seeing, hearing or sensing anything. Upon arriving at the castle we crossed a bridge over the moat and entered a stone doorway (originally the bridge wouldn’t have been there, there would have been a drawbridge). We paid our entry fee (£3.60) and took a look around. We checked out the various rooms and stone passageways and took some photos. There are two chapels, two towers, the Colliergate church - an unfinished building where there is just an outline in the grass of bricks where the foundations are, two crypts, one of which is partially underground and will have been used for holding tombs, and a smaller crypt for the priest of the church to get ready, and many other rooms and passageways. There is also a Hermitage about one mile away from the castle, if you take the riverside walk and then get the ferryman to row you over you will find the Hermitage which is completely carved into solid rock. The hermitage is open two days a week.
The castle keep was built in the late fourteenth century and is, in essence, a castle inside of a castle. The keep is very impressive and has 3 floors. The keep is very dark and certainly does seem to have an atmosphere. We were in there alone so if was easy for us to split up and spend some time alone in rooms taking a few photos and standing quietly trying to pick up anything that may be there.
A Grey Lady haunts Warkworth castle, she has been sighted in the castle and also has been heard. It is believed that she is the ghost of Margaret Neville, wife of the first Earl of Northumberland.
The wine cellars were used as an overflow prison back in the days when the castle had to defend itself from invading Scots, and many visitors to the castle feel an unsettling presence there.
The wine cellars were used as an overflow prison back in the days when the castle had to defend itself from invading Scots, and many visitors to the castle feel an unsettling presence there.
The Hermitage I briefly mentioned earlier was built by Sir Bertram of Bothal. His wife-to-be, Lady Isabella was on her way to meet Sir Bertram when she was attacked by the Scots. She was taken prisoner and news of her capture soon reached Sir Bertram and also her brother. When Sir Bertram arrived he stabbed to death the person standing over his beloved Isabella, unfortunately it was her brother. When Sir Bertram had arrived her brother was in the process of helping her get free, Sir Bertram obviously thought it was a Scot who meant Isabella harm. Isabella had also tried to intervene to help her brother and she was also killed.
Bertram was inconsolable and as a penance he decided to spend the rest of his life as a hermit and carved himself what is now know as The Hermitage. There have been many reports of a ghostly hermit thought to be Sir Bertram on the banks of the Coquet and near his hermitage. One report states that he was kneeling at prayer by the river.
Bertram was inconsolable and as a penance he decided to spend the rest of his life as a hermit and carved himself what is now know as The Hermitage. There have been many reports of a ghostly hermit thought to be Sir Bertram on the banks of the Coquet and near his hermitage. One report states that he was kneeling at prayer by the river.
Conclusion
Unfortunately I didn’t see or experience anything during my visit to Warkworth, the castle keep has an uneasy feel about it and it was good to be able to stay in the there for a while alone. I may come back to Warkworth, and I would love to stay here on an overnight ghost hunt but unfortunately I know that the English Heritage aren’t too keen on 'that sort of thing'.
