Ludlow Castle: A Love Betrayed

It is said that a young woman who was betrayed by her lover haunts this medieval castle. 

This castle now lies in partial ruins in the Shropshire countryside in southern England.

Ludlow is located in a town of the same name was used during the Middle Ages as an important strategic stronghold --it controlled the borders between Wales and England. It sits on an outcrop that overlooks the River Teme.

In the 1100s Marion de la Bruyere had a secret lover, Arnold de Lys, who was an enemy knight of the castle’s lord. Marion arranged to meet her lover by lowering a rope ladder over the castle’s battlements so Arnold could climb up to her.

The two lovers continued to rendezvous this way. Unbeknownst to Marion late one evening as she lowered this rope ladder for Arnold, he purposefully left it dangling.

A short time later 100 enemy soldiers climbed up as well. They slaughtered many of the castle’s inhabitants and took control.

Marion realizing the man asleep beside her has betrayed her, angerly, picks up his sword, and slices his throat.

Grief struck by what she has done she then climbed to the top of the castle’s Pendover Tower and jumped to her death. Survivors heard her screams of torment as she fell onto the rocks below.

Soon after her suicide, stories started to circulate that her ghost remained at Ludlow. It was said people saw her ghost wandering through the castle.

These witnesses stated in the evening they saw Marion re-enacting her suicide--often on the anniversary of her death. People have also heard her screams.

One legend states that she is still heard lamenting, “Goodbye, cruel world” just before she jumps.