The ghost story holds a
special place in Ireland. For hundreds of years, it provided home storytellers
exciting material to share —especially in the rural areas.
One favorite, classic story
often told in the evenings involved a newly married couple.
Sea view of Charles Fort. |
This couple married at
Charles Fort, or Dun Chathail near Kinsale, County Cork. This fort was built in
1677 and remained in use until the early 1920s. It was initially used to defend
attacks from the sea.
The bride in this story was
the daughter of Colonel Warrender, an early commander at the garrison.
This pretty young lady, named
Wilful, fell in love with a visiting officer, named Trevor.
Permission was given and the
pair married, as was the custom, the celebration lasted throughout the day.
In the early evening, the couple slipped away for a quiet stroll around the fort.
Charles Fort |
A sentry standing guard on
the one battlement, saluted as they passed. This soldier observed Wilful, as
she stopped to admire the scene that lay before her.
She clapped with delight when
she spotted a sweet briar of flowers that bloomed below. The sentry immediately
offered to climb down and pick a flower for her.
Wilful charmed, by this
daring offer, accepted. Irked, Trevor pointed out to the sentry that he was not
allowed to leave his post.
The sentry then suggested,
that if Trevor was willing, they could switch places. Trevor could put on his
uniform and stand guard while he climbed down.
The groom balked at this idea,
after all, he was a knighted officer, and it would be undignified to put on a
private’s uniform.
But catching the pleading
look in Wilful’s eyes, he agreed.
The sentry then went to
retrieve a flower while Trevor stood guard. It was not long though before he
became drowsy. He had drunk a lot of wine during the celebrations.
He fell asleep and slipped to
the ground just as Colonel Warrender came looking for the happy couple.
The commander spotting who he
thought was a sentry asleep, a severe dereliction of duty, drew his pistol and
shot.
As he approached the body, he
realized he had just killed his son-in-law.
When Wilful returned with her
flower, she began to scream in agony as she spotted Trevor’s body. Before her
father could stop her, she threw herself over the battlement.
Her body struck a buttress,
and she died.
Battlement at Charles Fort |
The colonel overcome at the sight of his daughter’s body, her bridal gown soaked in blood, moved to the seaward
side and jumped.
His body hit the rocks below.
A wave carried his body away.
This tragic event has been
recounted many times over the centuries.
Soldiers at Charles Fort,
both Officers and enlisted men began to describe strange activity.
Throughout the early 20th
Century soldiers reported being shoved down stairs, many said an irrational
feeling overtook them as they walked the battlements. They reported a force
seemed to compel them toward the edge.
Many witnesses have seen
Wiful’s spirit, she became known as The White Lady. She is spotted along the
battlements wearing a bloodstained wedding gown.
White Lady Ghost |
She is described as pale,
always staring straight ahead, never moving. The one exception to this is when
flowers are blooming.
Her ghost is seen walking
toward this sight.
Even after the fort had been
abandoned for many years, and lay in ruins, witnesses, still report seeing this
female ghost.
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