The scene: It is the year of our Lord 1549 and England is in turmoil. The Reformation is gathering pace and the Book of Common Prayer has been authorised by Parliament. Edward VI is King, aged 11, with the ineffectual Duke of Somerset his “Protector”. Rising prices, political weakness and religious intolerance is causing conflict and riots in the West Country.
This is where we join the story of death and dereliction. Edward has ordered the seizure of Berry Pomeroy Castle in punishment for the Pomeroys’ religious beliefs. Seeking death before dishonour, the two Pomeroy brothers choose to ride their blindfolded horses over the battlements of the castle, to perish violently below. With no time for mourning, the castle is then given to the brother of Jane Seymour whose family hold it for the next 130 years. You can read my article about Hampton Court to see what happened to Jane, and how she contributes to the ghostly history of England.
During their tenure the Seymours massively extended the buildings, until it was reputedly destroyed by lightning in 1685, and never repaired. It has often been asked what trees and plants were destroyed during the building and the chaos which always accompanies a building site. Many believe in the pagan protection which certain plants give, and which might have saved the castle (you can read my short story called The Guardians for a taste of this). But what we see now is a skeleton which perches on the crown of a lonely hill, overlooking the surrounding country with a mystical presence.
Visitors today often feel the coldness of something unseen when they stand close to the ruins. There are many ghosts whispered about by locals. Mounted horses have been seen. A shadowy lady haunts the shell who is said to be condemned to wander the corridors in perpetuity for smothering her baby, which was the product of an incestuous relationship with her father. And in the dark dungeons Margaret de Pomeroy was starved to death by her jealous sister over a love dispute. Margaret can be see beckoning, her face tortured with pain and grief, perhaps asking for witnesses to come forward. She can be felt with a cold chill by those who get too close to her. And there are many more stories about ghostly spirits, some even of children, who are the consequences of those troubled and brutal times.
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