One Day One World Project: 03:00 – 04:00

a ghostly story

I have written several posts about Ludlow Castle, but now that we are in the middle of the night perhaps it is time for a slightly darker tale?

The castle is reputed to be haunted by the twelfth century Marion de la Bruyere. Legend suggests that the fair damsel Marion, who lived within the castle walls, was besotted by  a knight called Arnold de Lisle who was an enemy of the castle’s lord, Josse de Dinant. Although he had been captured together with Walter de Lacy during a previous attack on the castle, de Lisle persuaded Marion into giving him a piece of knotted linen which the men used to escape from their prison.

One fateful night some time later when de Dinant was absent, Marion sent Arnold a secret message saying that the castle was almost empty and that she would leave a rope dangling for him to climb in.  De Lisle, who was more intent on capturing the castle than romance, gained access to the castle and left the rope for a hundred of de Lacy soldiers to climb in and capture the castle, murdering the sleeping garrison in their beds. Marion, whilst in the arms of her lover,  was woken by the screams of the dying men and realised that she had been betrayed. She snatched her lover’s sword from the table beside her and ran it through him, then filled with grief and shame she threw herself from the Pendover or Hanging Tower.

Stories vary somewhat regarding the ghost itself. Some say  if you visit the tower at dusk on quiet evenings her ghost can be seen, but if you go on the anniversary of her death you can hear her scream as she falls to the rocks below.

castle

(Sorry Lisa, I struggled with this time period – but things can only get better…)

Lisa of the blog NorthWest Frame of Mind has decided to run a different project over the next 24 weeks. To try to show what is happening in different parts of the world (if you all join in) at a particular time of day. If you would like to participate you have until next Saturday midnight to post a photo or write about what is happening in your part of the world.   This week is between 03:00 – 04:00.  I hope you’ll join in! See links for more details.

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Heyjude

I have lived in the UK for most of my life, but when young I definitely had wanderlust and even ended up living in South Africa for several years which was a wonderful experience. I now look forward to a long and leisurely retirement doing what I like most - gardening, photography, walking and travelling.

35 thoughts on “One Day One World Project: 03:00 – 04:00”

    1. Ah, well, no, actually I didn’t 😦
      Not sure I want to wander around the castle at that time of night…

  4. Struggled with the time – and won. The photos are suitably atmospheric, and you didn’t have to be up at such an uncivilized hour (or were these photos actually taken at 3 – 4 am?) Although I’m often up at that hour: 8 pm might be more of a challenge for me!

    1. No Meg, I am firmly in my bed at this time of night and for once no disturbances! I will try and get up next week though and see what is going on in the early hours. I suspect very little.

        1. Weeell, as long as I avoid Marion, and the Grey Lady in the churchyard and the soldier who wanders around the market which is just a few hundred yards from where I live, or linger near the Hanging Tower where one is supposed to hear the sounds of heavy breathing, I should be alright. I think. Maybe. Then again…

    1. Cheers Lisa – I suppose I really ought to have got up and had a wander around the castle, but it is a bit spooky at night time!

    1. Oh, this castle has a very colourful history. If Prince Arthur hadn’t died here who knows how history would have panned out.

    1. I didn’t get up to take these photos M-R. And I’m not sure I’d want to go wandering around the castle at this hour either. Not that I’m scared of ghosts you understand. 😉

    1. The capture of the castle is true, but as for Marion’s ghost…I suppose I COULD go for a walk at dusk. Can’t find the date of her death though.

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