Ruthin Castle

Ruthin Castle crowns a hilltop in North Wales, a medieval fortress with origins dating to 1277. Built by Dafydd ap Gruffydd, brother of Llywelyn the Last, the castle played a central role in Welsh and English conflicts for centuries. Destroyed and rebuilt multiple times, the current structure incorporates medieval ruins with Victorian and modern additions. Now operating as a luxury hotel, Ruthin Castle offers guests accommodation steeped in Welsh history—and haunted by those who never left.

The Castle’s History

Ruthin Castle has witnessed over 700 years of turbulent history:

Medieval Period (1277-1400s):

• Built by Welsh prince Dafydd ap Gruffydd
• Captured by Edward I during Welsh conquest
• Strategic stronghold during English rule
• Besieged during Owain Glyndŵr’s rebellion (1400)
• Severely damaged during Welsh uprising

English Civil War (1640s):

• Held for King Charles I
• Besieged by Parliamentary forces
• Scene of Lady Grey’s execution
• Partially demolished after the war

Victorian Era:

• Rebuilt as a country house
• Gothic revival additions
• Became private residence

Modern Era:

• Converted to hotel in 1960s
• Extensive renovations preserving historical features
• Now operates as medieval-themed luxury hotel

The Ghost of Lady Grey

Ruthin Castle’s most famous ghost is the Lady Grey, also known as the Grey Lady, whose tragic story dates to the English Civil War:

The Legend

During the English Civil War, Ruthin Castle was held for the Royalist cause. The castle’s lady was caught in a romantic liaison deemed treasonous—either with a Parliamentarian soldier or in some versions, helping enemy forces.

When her betrayal was discovered, she was executed within the castle walls. The methods vary by account: some say she was beheaded in the courtyard, others that she was hanged from the battlements, still others claim she was walled up alive in the dungeon.

Regardless of the method, her death was brutal, and her spirit has haunted Ruthin Castle ever since, forever dressed in grey mourning clothes.

Her Manifestations

Lady Grey appears throughout the castle:

Visual Sightings:

• A woman in grey clothing, sometimes hooded
• Walking through corridors and chambers
• Standing at windows overlooking the grounds
• Appearing in guest rooms
• Seen on the battlements at twilight
• Most active in the medieval sections

The Grey Lady’s Behaviors:

• She walks a specific route through the castle
• Often appears sad or contemplative
• Sometimes seems to be searching for something
• Occasionally looks directly at witnesses before fading
• More frequently seen during anniversary dates of Civil War events

Physical Phenomena:

• Extreme cold accompanying her appearances
• The scent of old-fashioned perfume or herbs
• The rustle of fabric when she’s near
• Doors opening as if to let her pass
• Cold spots that move through rooms

Guest Experiences

Hotel guests have reported numerous encounters with Lady Grey:

Room Activity

Certain rooms experience more phenomena:

The Tower Rooms:

• Guests waking to see her standing by windows
• The sensation of someone sitting on beds
• Objects moved overnight (particularly jewelry)
• Overwhelming sadness felt in specific spots
• Cold drafts from sealed windows

The Medieval Chambers:

• Apparitions seen in mirrors
• The sound of a woman weeping
• Footsteps in empty adjacent rooms
• Lights dimming when Lady Grey is near
• Electronic devices malfunctioning

Witness Testimonies

Guest reports show consistent patterns:

• “I saw a woman in grey standing in my room at 3 AM. She looked at me, then walked through the wall.”
• “Something woke me—a terrible coldness. There was a figure by the window.”
• “I heard someone crying in the corridor, but when I looked, no one was there.”
• “My necklace was moved overnight, placed carefully on the dresser though I’d left it in my bag.”

The Dungeon

The castle’s original dungeon, now a banqueting venue:

• Overwhelming oppressive atmosphere
• The sensation of despair and suffering
• Some visitors experience panic attacks
• Cold spots and temperature fluctuations
• The feeling of many presences, not just Lady Grey

Other Paranormal Activity

Beyond Lady Grey, Ruthin Castle hosts additional phenomena:

The Medieval Guards

Figures in period armor have been seen:

• Walking the battlements
• Standing guard at gateways
• The sound of boots on stone
• The clatter of weapons and armor
• Possibly soldiers from various sieges

The Banquet Hall

The main dining hall experiences:

• The sound of medieval feasting
• Phantom music from lutes and harps
• Conversations in Welsh and medieval English
• Cold spots near the fireplace
• Shadows moving along walls

The Kitchen Corridor

Former servant areas report:

• Footsteps echoing through passages
• The clatter of dishes
• Voices speaking in Welsh
• The smell of cooking from another era
• Doors that won’t stay closed or locked

The Grounds

The castle grounds and ruins hold mysteries:

• Lady Grey walking toward the old execution site
• Mist formations that seem to take human shape
• The sound of horses when none are present
• Cold spots in specific outdoor locations
• Residual hauntings of battle and violence

Welsh Cultural Context

Lady Grey’s haunting fits into Welsh ghost traditions:

• Grey Ladies are common in Welsh castles
• The color grey associated with mourning and liminal states
• Executed women often become ghosts in Welsh folklore
• Castles as repositories of cultural memory and trauma
• The Civil War as particularly traumatic period in Welsh history

The bilingual nature of Wales adds another dimension—some EVP recordings capture voices speaking Welsh, suggesting manifestations from the castle’s Welsh period.

Staff Experiences

Hotel employees report regular paranormal activity:

Housekeeping:

• Finding rooms disturbed after cleaning
• Sensing Lady Grey’s presence
• Objects moved in predictable patterns
• The smell of perfume in empty rooms
• Some staff refuse to work alone in certain areas

Night Staff:

• Security seeing figures on CCTV that aren’t physically present
• Reception glimpsing Lady Grey crossing the lobby
• Bar staff hearing sounds from locked floors
• Maintenance reporting tools moved overnight

Long-term Employees:

Staff who have worked at Ruthin for years:

• Develop familiarity with the Grey Lady
• Can predict when activity will increase
• Share their own encounter stories
• Generally view her as harmless, even protective

Historical Research

Attempts to identify the Grey Lady have been inconclusive:

• No definitive record of an execution matching the legend
• Multiple women could fit the description
• Civil War records for Ruthin are incomplete
• The legend may conflate multiple events
• Oral tradition has preserved the story across centuries

Some researchers suggest the haunting predates the Civil War, and the execution story was added later to explain an older phenomenon.

Modern Investigations

Paranormal investigation teams have studied Ruthin Castle:

Evidence Collected:

• Photographs showing anomalous mist and shadows
• EVP recordings with female voices
• Temperature fluctuations documented
• EMF spikes in the medieval sections
• Video footage of unexplained movements
• Consistent witness testimonies

Overnight Studies:

Investigations in the most active areas have produced:

• Multiple investigators experiencing cold spots
• Equipment malfunctions
• Emotional responses (sadness, anxiety, fear)
• Some team members seeing Lady Grey directly
• Compelling evidence of intelligent haunting

The Hotel Experience

Ruthin Castle embraces its haunted reputation:

• Medieval banquets with ghost stories
• Historical tours of the castle and ruins
• Information about Lady Grey provided to guests
• Paranormal investigation weekends
• Staff who discuss encounters (when asked)

Guests can choose whether to book the most active rooms or avoid them. Many visitors come specifically hoping to encounter Lady Grey.

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Ruthin Castle rises from its Welsh hilltop as it has for over seven centuries, its stones holding memories of conquest, rebellion, war, and tragedy. Lady Grey continues her eternal rounds through corridors and chambers, forever dressed in mourning, forever seeking something lost in the violence of the Civil War. Guests sleeping in medieval rooms may glimpse her grey figure passing through walls, or feel the cold of her presence—a reminder that some deaths echo through time, and some sorrows cannot be buried with the dead.