Amberley Castle - Ghost Story
Occupying a beautiful village location just west of the town of Arundel in West Sussex, Medieval Amberley Castle is a picturesque and luxurious retreat. Over its 900 year existence, it has its fair share of history and tragic tales and, now an award-winning hotel, it is believed to have numerous ghosts and paranormal activity. The most famous by far is that of a young servant girl named Emily….
Several hundred years ago, Emily, who worked at the castle, fell in love with a handsome bishop who lived at Amberley Castle. Their whirlwind romance soon turned into clandestine meetings in the quiet corners of the stronghold and, in the early stages of the relationship, Emily fell pregnant; a dire situation for an unmarried young woman at the time. When Emily courageously told the bishop about her condition, instead of being overjoyed he shunned her, rejecting both her and her unborn child.
As the story goes, overwhelmed by her heartbreak and in utter despair, Emily is said to have fled up to the spiral staircase to the highest point of the castle before flinging herself over the walls of the battlements to her death, staining the grounds with her innocent blood.
Various guests have claimed to have spotted the ghost of Emily or felt her spirit over the years; apparently the bloodied figure wanders the battlements and adjoining parts of the building, and can be heard crying and even laughing maniacally around the hallways. The ghost’s presence has also been reportedly sensed in and around the Herstmonceux Room, which has access to the battlements. There is a mixture of experiences from guests: some say her ghost brings an eerie sense of calm whilst others say this lover scorned is frightening to behold!
Amberley’s other hauntings include disembodied voices, who seem to be shouting at one another, and the sound of multiple footsteps racing towards the battlements, presumed to be the ghosts of long-dead soldiers preparing to defend the castle.