A Tragic Wedding

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.

Dragsholm Castle

This castle located in Odsherred, Zealand, Denmark is named after a “drag” which is a narrow stretch of land that the Vikings used to “drag ships across” in order to avoid the dangerous waters north of Zealand Island.

Dragsholm Castle in 1896

Dragsholm Castle is near several lakes so its full name means “islet by the drag.”

In the 12^th century Peder Sunsen, the Bishop of Roskilde designed Dragsholm.

Today, 100 ghosts haunt Dragsholm. Its long tragic history is believed to be the reason for this.

In the Middle Ages Dragsholm was used as a fortification by its noble owners.

After the Protestant Reformation, in 1536 King Christian lll degreed Denmark a Lutheran state--all monasteries, abbeys, church schools and cathedrals were ordered to denounce their Catholic beliefs for Lutheran ones.

For the next 128 years, 1536-1664, Dragsholm was used as a prison for ecclesiastical and noble prisoners.

Bishop of Roskilde during
Reformation.

Joachim Ronnow, the last Bishop of Roskilde was imprisoned within his own castle in 1436. It is said he haunts Dragsholm’s tower where his captivity began.

Ejler Brokenhuus, a nobleman known as the “mad squire” was also imprisoned in the castle’s tower room. He was chained to one wall. It is not known if he became mad before or after his imprisonment.

Today, Dragsholm hosts two restaurants, conference rooms and a hotel.

Visitors to the castle report hearing moaning as well as Catholic chanting coming from this haunted tower room.

Mary, Queen of Scots third husband James Hepburn, the 4^th Earl of Bothwell, was captured in Norway in 1573. King Frederick ll of Denmark had him imprisoned at Dragsholm.

Earl of Bothwell--James Hepburn

One report states he was given only enough food and water to keep him alive. He then was chained to a pillar and left. Before he died in 1578, he went mad.

Witnesses state they have seen the Earl of Bothwell riding into the castle courtyard in his carriage. Several reports state people have heard his horses’ hooves hitting the cobbled yard late at night.

One female ghost that haunts Dragsholm is nicknamed the White Lady. It is believed she was Celine, a daughter of the noble Bovles family. She fell in love with a commoner that worked at the castle. She then became pregnant.

When her father discovered her secret he ordered servants place her in one dungeon, chained to a wall, they then bricked her in while she was still alive.

This story is believed confirmed because in the 1930s workmen at Dragsholm repairing the plumbing found a skeleton enclosed in a small space, wearing a white dress.

The White Lady‘s apparition has been seen at night wandering about the castle. Not surprising, it is stated that she is looking for her lost love. Other witnesses have reported hearing her moan.

Dragsholm Castle today.

Another ghost seen is that of a young “fair maiden.” She worked at the castle and finding herself with a painful toothache she approached the castle’s noble owner. He had a poultice made which helped.

She unfortunately died after this but it is believed her ghost lingers because she is still grateful for her master’s help. She is seen at night--on a regular basis.

Many believe she is a protective spirit--still watching over Dragsholm out of gratitude.

The White Lady, the Earl of Bothwell and the Grey Lady are said to be the most active of all the ghosts at Dragsholm Castle.

Stockholm’s Haunted Palaces

The Royal Palace

This palace located in Stockholm, the capital of Sweden, has been used as the royal residence since the 18^th century.

It is one of the largest palaces in the world. It has 1430 rooms, 660 of them have windows.

Stockholm's Royal Palace

It is known to be haunted. Its two most famous ghosts are a White Lady known as vita fran and a Grey Man known as gra mannen.

A Harbinger

The White Lady is said to appear just before someone dies in the royal family. She, therefore, is a classic harbinger.

King Oscar ll

She was first made famous when old King Oscar ll wrote about her in his memoir.

She is seen dressed in a white dress, and a long white veil covers her dark hair. She wears dark gloves and carries a chain of keys in her hand.

As she walks through the palace, these keys are heard clanking together. Many Swedish royals and staff have seen her over the years.

The Founder of Stockholm

Another ghost seen at the palace is known as the Grey Man. It is said he has appeared before every reigning King at least once during their lifetime.

Birger Jari

He is believed to be the ghost of Birger Jari. Jari was the founder of Stockholm. He built a fortress with a core tower in the 13^th century. This site evolved into the royal palace that was completed in the 1830s.

A Haunted Mansion

The Palace of Scheffler is considered to be the most “haunted house” or Spokslottet-- in Stockholm. For this reason, people often refer to this palace as simply the Haunted Mansion.

Since the 1920s this palace has been owned by Stockholm University. It is used mostly today just for storage and occasionally for conferences.

A merchant, Hans Petter Scheffler built this mansion in 1690.

Palace of Scheffler

Ghost stories about this home have circulated since the 18^th century. Witnesses have reported strange singing and music coming from this building when it was unoccupied.

Mirrors and windows in the mansion have broken simultaneously without a known cause.

One story points to a former owner of this palace as the cause of this strange activity. Jacob von Balthazar Knigge was said to be a devil worshipper. He mysteriously disappeared in 1796.

At the time, witnesses stated that he was taken away in a black carriage with a coachman who had horns and a tail.

Another possible cause for this activity involves several deaths connected to the mansion.

Gustaf Sandstrom, an opera
singer, once rented a room in the palace. He committed suicide in his room in 1879.

A young married couple were murdered in the mansion and then bricked-up behind a wall in the basement.

In the mansion’s garden, a grave was discovered in 1907. These remains were removed to a cemetery. It is believed more people are buried in this garden.

Swedish National Heritage Board
Mansion in the early 1900s.

One legend connected to the palace is about a priest who was brought in to rid the home of this unwanted activity.

In one version of the story, this priest fled the home in fear before he finished the job.

In another version, it is said an angry spirit tossed him out of an upper window. There was no one in the building but him at the time.

Some believe all this unwanted activity is the reason why the university uses this beautiful old palace for storage most of the time.

The Stockholm Metro is also said to be haunted. A ghost train known as the Silverplein is seen. My post about this haunting is here.

The White Lady of Wopsy Mountain

This story has been a popular legend throughout the Allegheny Mountains since the mid-1800s. It is about a White Lady ghost that is seen in the Wopsononock Mountain area or as the locals in Altoona, Pennsylvania affectionately call it, Wopsy Mountain. 

This ghost is seen along a very steep road that descends from the top of this mountain.

There are several versions of this story *, the following is often told. A newly married woman was traveling with her new husband and baby in a horse-drawn carriage on this mountain when their buggy hit an icy patch along a snow-laden steep road. Just as they approached a deadly curve called Devil’s Elbow their carriage careened off the road and crashed down a ravine. 

The baby was thrown from the carriage, and as the vehicle hit bottom, her husband was killed instantly. She was knocked unconscious. When she came round, she found her husband’s body. She went in search of her baby but couldn’t find it. Devastated she wandered into the woods and was never seen alive again. 

In the years since many witnesses have claimed to see her ghost.

People traveling down this very steep road state they see her at the bottom near Devil’s Elbow. But as they approach she just vanishes into thin air. She is seen walking along or standing on the side of this road. Sometimes she is seen holding a candle or lantern. 

She is described as wearing a long flowing white gown. Some feel she haunts the area because she still searches for her baby.

Several who have spotted her in this isolated area have offered her a ride. She accepts their offer, but once she entered their vehicles, she was reticent and smiled a lot. They all agree that she is beautiful. 

A couple of witnesses were shocked to see that when they looked in their rear view mirror, they didn’t see her reflection but when they turned to face her, she was still sitting in their back seat.

One group of students saw her as they traveled through this mountain area. They didn’t at first know they had seen a ghost. It was a cold spring night, and they were anxious to get to their college friend’s home. 

They were all startled to see a woman standing alone who appeared to be wearing a wedding gown on the side of the road up ahead. As they drew abreast of this figure, they saw the detail on her dress, but none of them could make out her features. One witness later stated that there was a ‘blur” were her face should have been. 

They passed by but curious about what they had actually seen they turned their car around and went back. They found no trace of the woman. 

When they arrived at their destination, they heard the story of the White Lady from their friend. It was at this point they realized they had seen her ghost.

Two friends also saw her ghost while out hunting on the mountain thirty years ago. It was a fall evening as they scouted in the woods for a place to hunt. When suddenly their jeep headlights picked up her form. Knowing the legend of her ghost, the driver immediately backed the jeep around and quickly headed down the road. But the ghostly figure easily kept up with them. 

After they had gone a short distance, the ghost just disappeared. But further down the road, this figure appeared in front of the men again standing in the middle of the street. Afraid, the driver decided to plow right through her but as they approached she once more just vanished. This story is well-known in Lakemont and Altoona.

* Another version states she is the traditional jilted bride. In this story, she waits and waits, but her groom never shows up. She then is told that her lover ran away with another girl from the village. It is noted she pined for her beloved until the day she died. It is said she returns to exact revenge on the living for her lost love. She supposedly targets "couples" that drive through the mountain. 

Many of the accidents that occur at Devil's Elbow and at the mountains other dangerous curves are blamed on her ghost. Witnesses have seen her ghost at Wopsy's summit lookout as well. 

A side note: when talking to the people who live in the area I found it best not to mention this story as a legend, most people I spoke to firmly believe this mountain is haunted.

Connecticut: Easton’s Union Cemetery

This old cemetery established in the 1700s is considered one of America’s most haunted. This probably is due to the fact that Ed and Lorraine Warren--well-kmown demonologists and ghost hunters-- investigated Union several times. Ed was able to capture some compelling evidence on video of a wispy ghost that has been seen by various witnesses in this cemetery as well as nearby. The Warren’s also wrote a book entitled Graveyard that is about Union Cemetery. *

Over the years a substantial amount of photographic and video evidence has been collected at Union by ghost investigators. The ghost that is encountered in this cemetery is known as the “White Lady”. She is described as having long black hair and she is seen wearing a white gown and a white bonnet. Witnesses often describe her as being luminous or “glowing” brightly.

She is seen in various forms. These range from people hearing a woman sobbing or just feeling her presence to witnesses who have seen her apparition. Among these witnesses are several police officers. People have stated they have seen her floating among Union’s tombstones. Many EVP’s have been captured at this spot. This ghost is also seen at the other end of Route 59--that runs by Union-- at Stepney Cemetery. This is where Ed Warren is buried.

This White Lady is seen often on Route 59. Several people while driving along this route state that she appeared suddenly, glowing brightly in the middle of the road, right in front of their cars. All--with one exception--reported that they felt they would run her over but instead she passed through their cars harmlessly and then just vanished.

The one exception to this happened to an off-duty fireman in 1993. Late one night as he passed Union, he saw the apparition of a farmer materialize in the passenger seat of his truck. Then the glowing White Lady appeared in front of his vehicle. He slammed on his brakes but this ghost instead of passing harmlessly through his truck seemed to collide with it, for the fireman heard a loud thud. As he came to a stop the farmer and the White Lady both disappeared without a trace. At least this is what he initially thought--when he got out of his truck he discovered his front bumper was dented.

As to who this ghost was while alive depends upon the theory or legend told. One states that she was a lady who was murdered by an adulterous lover or a love-struck stalker in the 1940s. Another states that she was most likely a woman found at the turn of the 20^th century behind the Easton Baptist Church that sits next to Union Cemetery. This woman’s body was found dumped in a sinkhole behind this church. A third story states she was a woman who died in childbirth. It seems she still is looking for her lost child.

Union Cemetery is still in use. It is open to the public until sundown. This cemetery is a popular destination for ghost hunters. Be forewarned--it is strictly forbidden to be in this cemetery after dusk. This rule is enforced. Some people who have ignored this rule, have been fined, others have been arrested.

* In future I will write a post about the Warrens. Their contributions to demonology and ghost hunting are invaluable.