Corfe Castle: The Treacherous Ruin

Few castle ruins are as dramatic as Corfe. Its shattered towers rise from a natural hill in the Purbeck Hills, deliberately destroyed during the Civil War in an act of spite and betrayal. But the castle’s dark history began centuries earlier, with the murder of a teenage king that gave it its reputation for treachery.

The History

The Murder of Edward the Martyr

In 978 AD, the young King Edward (later called Edward the Martyr) visited Corfe, where his stepmother Ælfthryth resided. He was murdered—stabbed while still mounted on his horse, possibly on Ælfthryth’s orders—to allow her son Æthelred (the Unready) to take the throne.

Edward was later venerated as a saint, and his murder established Corfe’s reputation as a place of treachery.

Civil War Betrayal

During the English Civil War, Corfe was held for King Charles I by the formidable Lady Bankes. She successfully defended the castle twice against Parliamentarian sieges (1643 and 1645-1646), earning legendary status.

The castle finally fell in 1646, betrayed from within by one of its officers. Parliament ordered it slighted, and the towers were systematically undermined and blown up, creating the dramatic ruins seen today.

The Hauntings

Edward the Martyr

The ghost of the murdered Saxon king has been seen:

• A young man on a white horse
• His clothing is bloody
• He appears near the main gate
• His murder seems to replay on certain nights

Lady Bankes

The indomitable defender of the castle walks her domain:

• A proud woman in Civil War-era dress
• Seen on the battlements
• Carrying keys or a pistol
• She appears to be still defending her castle

The Headless Woman

A headless female figure roams the ruins:

• Identity unknown
• Dressed in white
• Appears near the King’s Tower
• May be connected to medieval executions

The Betrayer

The officer who betrayed the castle is said to walk in eternal shame:

• A soldier in Royalist uniform
• His face is hidden or blank
• He appears to be fleeing
• Seen near the breached walls

Civil War Echoes

The destruction of the castle echoes through time:

• Explosion sounds
• Rumbling of collapsing masonry
• Screaming
• Most common around the anniversary of the slighting

The Phantom Procession

On certain nights, a ghostly procession has been witnessed:

• Medieval figures walking up the hill to the castle
• Carrying torches or candles
• Possibly connected to Edward the Martyr’s funeral
• A mournful, silent parade

Modern Activity

The National Trust, which manages Corfe Castle, has received numerous reports:

• Visitors feeling watched from empty towers
• Photographs showing figures in period dress
• Cold spots throughout the ruins
• Audio recordings of medieval music and voices

Visiting

Corfe Castle is owned by the National Trust and is open year-round. The village of Corfe Castle below is equally atmospheric, and the ruins are particularly striking at sunset when the stonework glows and shadows lengthen.

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Corfe Castle has known treachery for over a thousand years—the murder of a king, the betrayal of a garrison. The spirits of victims and defenders alike still walk its broken walls.