Ghosts of the castle

Originally part of gateway through castle, walled in and divided into Dining Room
and the Oak Room by using stone from castle. The floor of the gatehouse was
raised by a few feet during this rebuilding which took place in the 1650s along
with the Elizabethan panelling

This nis taken from another group that investigated here.


Participants gave their accounts and experiences to Team Spirit; some
participants began to feel the sensations of gentle paranormal activity,
one participant felt a cold chilling sensation down the side of his face and felt
a breeze pass down his arm and across his chest; another participant at the
same time felt a blowing breeze on his cheek as though a kiss had been placed
there. The atmosphere felt very tranquil and uplifting. Another participant felt the
feeling of being lifted off her feet, there were further reports of cold breezes on
the nape of participants necks, tingling sensations down the spine and extreme
cold spots in certain areas of the room.


Doorway to the Oak Room.

On entering the Oak Room two participants reported the sensation of extreme
cold and described their feelings to Karmen. They further explained,
'Its as though one enters the area of phenomena by taking two footsteps into a
freezing atmosphere, as though one has entered into a freezer, with the
sensation of walking through a water fall and feeling the water flowing above
one's head and on the third step, one exits into a normal climate again".


Oak Room or “Grey Lady” Room

An area where paranormal phenomena most reported by staff over
longest period of time. The Grey Lady apparition is common folklore in
Kenilworth and Coventry, like many other spirits of local fame, assumed to exist
by multitude of sightings by witnesses of all ages, backgrounds and
psychological states with consistent reporting over centuries.
The Grey Lady is also to be found residing in the grounds of the castle during
daylight hours, but most commonly observed in windows of the gatehouse,
particularly this large bay window known to have been moved from
Elizabeth I private chambers.

Due to the long standing tradition of castle employees dressing in Tudor style,
from the late 1920’s when the Stables were turned into a themed restaurant
and tea house, to the re-enactments and entertainments of the 1970s
and 1980s, many sightings were assumed to be staff by witnesses, only for
that assumption to be overturned by Castle crew who knew that nobody was
dressed that way at that time. A notable sighting occurred in the late 1960s
when Castle employees assumed the Grey Lady was a member of a period
music group preparing in the room, and the musicians assumed she was
one of the staff.


Fireplace: The most extraordinary feature of the room is the fireplace,
carved with a Latin inscription “DROIT ET LOYAL” (Right & Loyal).
The fireplace was probably relocated from Dudley's privy chamber.
It bears Leicester's initials 'R L', with the date '1571' and the motto and badges
of the Order of the Garter, of which he was a knight.
The carved wooden over mantle has the initials 'E' and 'R' ('Elizabeth Regina'),
it is thought to have been part of a bed head which was made for
Queen Elizabeth I.


Participants Reactions:

One particular lady described sadness and tears surrounding the fireplace.
This is an interesting point; As Karmen had reported whilst conducting the
vigil on 25/09/06 a 'veil of tears' surrounds the fireplace and she gave further
accounts and links with spirit reciting the names and the story surrounding
the fireplace; this information was captured on film when team spirit conducted
the vigil at the Gatehouse on 25/09/06. Staff at Kenilworth castle confirmed
Karmen's findings regarding the fireplace to Team Spirit.



Participants Reactions

One participant reported she felt a strong presence cascading by her left-side, and then felt the sensation of someone stroking her cheek; another participant reported a strong fragrance of scented roses hovering in front of her; a member of staff smelled the pungent fragrant scent of lavendar which she doesn't normally like. Other participants reported the sensation of overwhelming sadness when they touched the fireplace.


Stairways and Passages:

On the wooden staircase leading up to the first floor, the Castle Guides drew
attention to the Stonemasons Marks on stones. The staircase was relocated
from another part of the castle, and was cut in half down the centre of steps to
fit in and to double its length, hence half newel posts and half banisters strangely
disappearing into walls. This staircase was added in the 1650s rebuild of the
gatehouse.

Several participants on the Ghost Tours reported a strong fragrance of roses
on certain parts of the staircase; One gentleman described his experience as
'The smell of old fashioned roses, very very strong, a beautiful scent'.

Participant Reactions:
Whilst conducting psychometry on the staircase, Karmen linked part of the
staircase to the Castle; which was further confirmed by staff members,
Karmen also reported the 'sighting' of a lady-in-waiting, she visualised the
apparition walking through the staircase from the waist up. Karmen further
reported a beautiful scented fragrance of roses drifting up and down the
staircase. Karmen also linked the 'sighting' of child spirit, running up
and down the stairs, calling out for 'Daddy' A member of staff at Kenilworth Castle
confirmed the sighting of the lady spirit; and further reported a child's voice
has been heard within the Gatehouse out of hours.



Participants Reactions:

A number of participants felt a heaviness hanging in the
atmosphere; many reported the feeling of being watched. Several participants felt the sensations of suffocation. Another participant felt a damp, cold breeze across his cheek.

Three participants witnesssed and felt paranormal activity of strong vibrations and movement from the cot that resides at the end of the four poster bed.
They further reported 'the cot just shuddered'.

Many participants did not want to linger in this room, they further reported to the team, they felt very unsettled in this area of the Gatehouse.

First Floor

Drawing Room.
This has been preserved as a drawing room from the 1930s period, when the
castle was privately owned/rented. The phenomena reported by Castle staff in
this room mainly involved the unusual behaviour of a glass-fronted bookcase.
The room has a cosy feel.

During the ghost tour nights we took time to have a quiet few minutes in this
room to listen to the silent ambience of the castle gatehouse and allow
sensitives to focus in the atmosphere.

Due to the sensation of overwhelming heat and suffocation, one lady had to
leave the room, as Karmen, Jerry & a member of staff from the Castle went to
the lady's aid; she described the experience she had encountered in the
drawing room.

Another participant reported the same sensation of overwhelming heat.
Many of the participants described their experiences to the team.
A gentleman reported hearing the voice of a man talking; whilst two other
participants reported hearing music accompanied by two female voices
singing to its song.

There were no heat sources in the room, the temperature being equally cool
throughout the building on the tour evenings.

Elizabethan Bed Chamber

Dark oak panelled room with original Elizabethan four-poster bed, though not
originally from Kenilworth Castle. It was in this room that tour members had
some of their strongest sensations.
The bed is surprisingly small. Not because the Tudor people themselves were
small, but because they thought it good for the constitution to sleep in a more
upright position.



Elizabethan Bed Chamber:
A member of staff reported a 'sighting' of a ghostly apparition with red eyes in this room; a photo was taken immediately, and there appears to be a face in the fabric of the chair.


Exhibition Room:
Reached via the wooden spiral stairs, the exhibition room, with its small rooms in the turrets were retiring or bedrooms.



One participant witnessed the visualisation of an object forming and taking shape before his very eyes. He further described the object hanging in mid air; describing it as spear shaped and its size. Then, he reported, the object suddenly dissolved. Several participants went to this area of the exhibition room and reported a chilling cold spot within its immediate vicinity.


The roof structure and ceiling of the Exhibition Room utilises king post roof trusses and was used as the council chamber of Kenilworth Town Council from 1958 until very recently, when it was converted to an exhibition room on the theme of Elizabeth and Leicester.

Spiral Staircase: The tours descended the Gatehouse via the tight spiral staircase, the original staircase for the building, another feature of the gatehouse usually not open to the public to exit through the original small door at the foot of the tower