Ghosts of Mountfitchet Castle

Mountfitchet Castle was built in 1066 following the Norman Conquest of England by Robert Gernon, who came to England with William the Conqueror from France.

Following the foundation of the castle, Richard de Montfitchet played a significant role in England's turbulent history. He served King John I on his expedition to Poitou in Western France, but soon joined other barons in opposition to the King and was one of the twenty-five barons of Magna Carta entrusted with ensuring the King's compliance with its terms.

The struggle for power continued after the Magna Carta. After the papal annulment of Magna Carta, Richard was captured at the Battle of Lincoln in May of 1217. When the French withdrew the following October, Richard renewed his loyalty to the crown and recovered his lands.

Centuries later, the legacy of Mountfitchet lives on. The current Mountfitchet Castle is a reconstructed wooden Motte-and-Bailey-style castle, built in the 1980s. Many believe that the castle is home to lingering spirits from centuries past.

Adding to the castle's mystique, over many years, spooky happenings have been witnessed and reported at Mountfitchet Castle. The most haunted area of the castle seems to be in and around the Grand Hall in the inner bailey. Visitors have seen orbs, felt the temperature drop, and heard the faint sounds of medieval music, the clashing of swords, and monks chanting. Others have felt a sense of sadness or foreboding.

Among these eerie reports are unofficial sightings of the torso of a knight, clad in chainmail and a helmet, always appearing in or behind the Grand Hall during the afternoons.

The tales do not end there. The ghost of a monk has also been felt by psychics or mediums and seen by castle staff members at night, clad in a cloak with no facial features.

Perhaps the most interesting ghost sighting occurred in July of 2010 inside the Grand Hall. The night watchman remarked that, on several occasions, he had felt uncomfortable in the hall, as though he were not alone. He set up a camera in the room, and over the next three weeks, a few orbs appeared on the footage. Eventually, the camera captured a ghostly apparition inside the Grand Hall. Could it be the monk reported to wander the castle grounds?