The castle is presently the home of Sir Humphry Wakefield Bt., his wife The Hon. Lady Wakefield and their family. The family claim it is the most haunted castle because of the many ghosts which frequently haunt their home.

The most notable ghostly apparition is the ‘blue boy’ (or ‘radiant boy’) who is said to haunt the castle’s Pink Room. Many guests, whilst occupying the room, have heard terrifying wailing sounds soon to be followed by a halo of blue light appearing above their bed.

Although that particular haunting ended when a gruesome discovery during renovation work revealed the bones of a young boy and a man who had been bricked inside a wall. It was intended that no one should ever hear their piteous cries for help, as the wall was built 10 feet thick.

A Short Tour of Chillingham Castle

This was not the end to the hauntings in Chillingham Castle. The owners have also witnessed a much more sinister energy which wanders the halls…the terryfying spectre of the once evil torturer – John Sage.

JOHN SAGE – A GHOST OF EVIL PAST

When nightime falls around Chillingham Castle, one of the most feared sounds to be heard on occasions is that of ‘something’ slowly dragging its foot as it wanders the corridors. It is believed to be the spirit of former Lieutenant, John Sage who earned the nickname ‘dragfoot’, when in life, his leg was injured by a spear during his final battle in the ongoing wars with his Scottish neighbours.

After his injury he was desperate for a position of work and was proud to be given the title of Chillingham Castle torturer by the castle owner Edward Longshanks (1200 AD). Sage was a monster of a man and his gruesome work would give him immense satisfaction for the next 3 years, where he would go on to torture at least 50 of his Scottish enemies per week.

Sage would revel as the Scots were captured and tossed into the castle’s dungeons. These poor souls would wish they had perished on the battlefield, as Sage was renowned for carrying out the most hideous tortures in history. One torture device came to be known as one of the most feared…’the cage’. This apparatus would trap its victim and then be placed over a blazing fire – roasting the captive for hours, whilst Sage sat studying his enemy – writhing and screaming for their death.

Sage’s insatiable thirst for torture would eventually lead to his downfall, when one day his lover Elizabeth Charlton paid him a visit. During their sexual liaison, Sage decided to place Elizabeth on one of his other torture devices – ‘the rack’. Sage then began strangling her during the height of her sexual pleasure, but he went too far and accidentally killed her.

Chillingham Castle Ghosthunt – Orbs & Ghosts

Elizabeth’s father (a Border Reiver, clan leader and outlaw), upon hearing of his daughter’s death, warned the now almost penniless Longshanks, if he did not have Sage killed he would join in an allied attack with the Scots against the Castle.

Longshanks’ dwindling resources due to the war and the fact that the Border Reiver’s were a powerful force gave him little choice but to put Sage to death. He was hanged on the grounds of the castle on ‘Devil’s Mile’ (aka, Devil’s Walk) before a crowd of jeering onlookers.

As Sage’s body still twitched with life, the crowd set about him – slicing pieces from his body, including his nose, toes, and testicles. A rather ‘cutting’ fate, some may say, for one who’s greatest rapture was the sight of an ungodly end.

Sightings – Ghosts of Chillingham Castle

Author: Jackie Reynolds – http://www.worldmysteriesandtrueghosttales.com

The castle itself dates back to the 1200’s. Today, however most of it lays in ruin. Areas of the castle that do remain include, the chapel and one of its towers. The castle’s diverse and strange history, have seen the castle used as both a prison and an asylum. But, the truly fascinating tales and legends revolve around one of it’s previous tenants.

The man’s name was Johann Konrad Dippel, who often went by the sir-name Frankenstein. Johann was born in 1673 and had trained as both a physician and a scientist. As a man, Johann was notorious for his outspokenness and opinions. In fact, his opinions of church and religion landed him in prison for the crime of heresy.

Johann’s experiments and studies extended into the realms of alchemy. At a time when doctors robbing graves was not uncommon, it is hardly surprising that his name was linked to these kinds of things. In fact, his elixir known at the time as Dippel’s Oil contained bone char, which comes from the burned remnants of bone. Due to his habits and lifestyle, the townspeople drove the strange doctor out of the village.

Today, local legend claims that his ghost along with others now haunt Frankenstein Castle. Johann, is said to be seen most often between Christmas and New Year’s Day sitting on the roof of the chapel. Visitors to the castle have included numerous groups of paranormal investigators and ghost hunters, hoping to unravel the mysteries surrounding Frankenstein’s home.

Frankenstein really does exist.