The Haunting Ruins of Pennard Castle...

Half buried in windblown sand along the Gower Peninsula in South Wales, is what's left of the once majestic, Pennard Castle.

By Eiona R

Commissioned by Henry de Beaumont, the first Earl of Warwick in the twelth century, the castle has slowly been consumed by time and sand after its abandonment right around the turn of the fifteenth century. Now all that's left is the gatehouse, the curtain wall, and the remains of the Norman Hall - oh - and the ghosts, of course.

They say that the Gwrach y Rhibyn (The scary banshee creature of Wales) haunts the area. Stories handed down through the centuries tell us that anyone daft enough to spend the night inside the castle, won't live to see the dawn! We also have tales of a ghostly woman, consumed by sorrow, who walks the grounds on moonless nights. Some say that despair caused her to walk into a nearby lake from which she never emerged--at least not in mortality. No one is quite sure who she is, or what caused her sorrow.

Personal Photo of Three Cliffs Bay near Pennard Castle

We have a legend connected to this castle as well. According to folklore, centuries ago one of the castle's rulers set off to battle a Welsh prince. He and his army prevailed. In return, he was asked to name his prize. Said he, "I'll take the Prince's daughter to be my wife."

An extravagant celebration and feast marked the occasion of the eagerly anticipated marriage. The guests were truly enjoying themselves, as one can imagine. Then suddenly, strange lights appeared on the beach. These lights were accompanied by noise that greatly disturbed the Lord of the Castle and his guests. He called his men to arms and they made all haste to remove the errant revelers. Yet, he found the tables turned when he came upon the Fair Folk, making merry themselves in a celebration of their own. They didn't take kindly to the unwelcome intrusion of angry mortals, with swords held aloft. In retaliation for the affront, the Faeries cursed the castle and buried it, along with everything the Lord owned, deep in the sand.

Moral of the story? Don't tick off a faerie and never. ever threaten them with a sword or anything else for that matter!