I have always been fascinated by The Tudor’s, and started my
family history hoping to find that I am related to Henry VIII or Anne
Boleyn. I left high school straight
after my GCSE’s, and did not get my first A Level until I was 24. I selected History and the coursework project
question was, ‘talk about an area that benefitted from the industrial
revolution’, or along those lines. The
obvious choice for me was Cardiff and the growth docks area using the
Glamorganshire Canal to bring coal down from The Valleys. My love of local history began!
Through my day job I was invited to attend a one off, out of
season, ghost tour with Visit Caerphilly at Llancaiach Fawr. It is a fully restored Tudor Manor which is
furnished as it would have been in 1645, including guides and characters in
traditional dress. It is a Grade I
listed building and it is thought to have been built on the site of an earlier
medieval structure.
Llancaiach Fawr, the house at dusk
It was the home of Colonel Edward Prichard when King Charles
I visited on 5th August 1645, which is why the house has been set up
for this moment in time. The Colonel was
one of the Commissioners for the King and was charged with raising money for
the Royalist cause. However, very
shortly after the Kings visit, the Colonel changed sides and supported Parliament
instead. He was appointed Governor of
Cardiff Castle and was commended for his consistency during the battle of St
Fagans.
As well as historical tours, Llancaiach Fawr now host events
throughout the year including private conferences, meetings, dinners and
weddings. One of the most popular
events are the Ghost Tours, and the house has been named the 7th
most haunted building in the UK. Many TV
programmes have been recorded there including Most Haunted and Ghost
Story.
Sunset across the fields as I arrived at Llancaiach
I arrived at sunset and with the red sky and dark trees, the
scene was set. Before going into the
house, we were asked if we believed in ghosts or were sceptics. I fell under the sceptic category, but with
an open mind. It was explained that
strange things have been experienced in almost every room, along corridors and
upon the stairs. There have also been
reports of different smells in the air such as lavender or even roast beef – when
there was nothing in the ovens. The team
were keen to impress that the tour was more to learn more about the history of
the building and the people who lived there, and no ghost activity, if any, is
set up.
Now dark there was a short walk through the grounds and into
the house, and the tour started in the kitchen.
Stories were told of a grand clock ticking, even though it had been
removed many years before. The house was
occupied right up until it was converted in the 1990’s. The family who lived here had friends who
were refused to return to the house after staying the night, with one reporting
that a figure of a lady stared at them throughout the night before disappearing
into the fireplace.
Gardens and grounds leading up to the house
The most ‘famous’ ghost is that of Mattie, a housekeeper
from the 19th Century. She is
believed to be the most active, or most seen.
Reports of hearing the rustle of her petticoats has been heard in the
bedchamber where it is believed she died tragically and the sound of keys
jangling in the corridors. Upstairs in
the bedrooms further stories were told of a little boy who fell to his
death. He has previously made his
presence known by tugging ladies dresses, or trying to hold their hand.
It was in one of the bedrooms where I had my first encounter. (Remember the scepticism!) Myself and another lady sat down on a bench
during one of the stories, which lent against a chest of drawers. Both of us thought one of the gents stood
next to us had lent on the drawers as we felt it move behind us. However, when we looked up at him he had his
arms crossed. Before moving to the next
room, we questioned him about it – he denied touching it at all. The chest of drawers were made of a very
heavy wood, I could not shake it without putting considerable force on it. Very spooky…
First room on the tour, the kitchen
The last room we visited was what would have been used as
the local courtroom. A figure has been
seen in deep contemplation, and it is believed that this is the Colonel
contemplating turning his back on King Charles.
I was sat at the back of the room, and heard a door slam in one of the
upstairs rooms and footsteps on the stairs.
The house was completely empty aside from our tour group. Luckily I was not the only who heard
this.
The walk through the building was definitely eerie, and
there were some unexplained noises.
However, the spookiest thing for me was the walk back to the car. The tour guides locked the building behind us
and we all left together. The speakers
on the side of the building used for outdoor events began to crackle. The guide informed me that they are
disconnected, and she was more than willing to take us back into the building
to prove it.
Leaving the house after dusk, is there a figure in the window...?
Tours start in the autumn and run until spring and start at
£16.50 per person for the hour and a half.
I would highly recommend attending one.
Whether you believe or not, the building, the history and the way the
stories are told are brilliant.
Is it haunted? I’d
say so!
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