Walworth Castle

County Durham Home

Location of the haunted place: Walworth, nr Darlington

Origin ofthe haunting: unknown

Background: The castle, built in 1189, became a privately-owned hotel in 1981. The east and west wings were rebuilt during the time of Elizabeth I and in 1759 the north wing was rebuilt. The castle was used by the Durham Light Infantry as an Officer's Mess and HQ during the war. It then became a school for girls before being refurbished and opened as a hotel. The ghost of a maidservant tells the story.

Ghost story: I didn't mean to be any trouble. But you have to do as you're told when you work in the house of a Lord. We had a bit of fun together and I thought he liked me. I knew he wasn't serious. Why would a Lord want a humble servant girl when he could have his pick of the rich ladies?

He got very angry when he found out I was pregnant. I didn't want to tell him because I knew he would be mad. The house was having some building work done and he had me bricked up in a spiral staircase. That was a cruel thing to do; I didn't deserve that horrible death. You can still hear me climbing the stairs which go up to one of the turrets from behind the library.