Gentleman ghost seen in Keep bedroom

Yesterday I was volunteering at a Cowboys and Indians Fun Day at Penrhyn Castle. I had to sign in as a volunteer in the Stewards' room in the castle. I asked a couple of the stewards if they had heard any ghost stories recently, as I still need stories for the Dining Room and the State Bedroom to complete my Ghost Tour booklet. The Head Steward told me that recently a visitor asked him who the man in the old fashioned dress suit was? He had encountered him in one of the Keep bedrooms. The Head Steward was mystified as to who it could be, so he went with him to investigate the sighting. When the man took him back into the bedroom there was nobody of that description in there. If it had been a live person they would have had to walk past the Room Steward on their way out of the bedroom along the Grand Hall Gallery. Nobody dressed like that had been seen. I wonder who it was? I will keep my eyes and ears open when I am next in the Keep. I hope that I will see one of the ghosts myself, but so far they have been avoiding me!

Medieval staircase ghost

Last week we had a group of 50 children from a local holiday play scheme doing hands-on activities with the Learning team at the castle in the morning. In the afternoon we took them around the castle on a costumed guided tour in four groups. We were dressed as two Lady Penrhyns, a housemaid and a butler. My friend, who was dressed as Lady Penrhyn, was taking her group of 10 children ahead of me. As she was standing by the medieval tower spiral staircase between the Drawing Room and the Ebony Room, she suddenly felt as though she was being pushed hard in the chest by an invisible force. She was not afraid because she has heard about other people's experiences in the same place, so she knew what it was. She said that she stood by the tower door as she explained to the children about the tower being built in the 1400's as a look-out tower. She does not usually stand right next to it when she explains the history, but this time she did. She felt the strong pushing sensation, like a heavy weight on her chest. When she moved out of the Ebony Room it disappeared as quickly as it had come. By the time she got to the foot of the Grand Staircase her chest felt normal again, much to her relief!

It is interesting that she felt the same sensation that several people have experienced in that exact spot. I have spoken to staff who have felt it and have heard stories of visitors who have described exactly the same feeling there. One visitor left me a comment on this site describing her experience. I will be moving past it very quickly next time I take a group on a tour of the castle!

I asked the room stewards today if they have heard any stories about the dining room or the state bedroom because I have stories about every other room in the house. I would be very interested to hear about any experiences anyone reading this blog has had if they would like to leave me comments. I am writing a booklet for the National Trust about the ghosts stories which will be hopefully published soon . It will be a room by room tour of the castle with ghost stories from each one for people to carry around with them if they want to do their own ghost tour. I will let you know when it is published and available in the castle shop.