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

The Phantoms of Powis Castle...

Since many of the scenes in "Court of the Hawk" take place in an ancient castle, I thought I'd share some of the ghostly goings on inside the castle known as Powis.

Now, on a rocky promontory in Welshpool, Wales, Powis Castle has proudly stood for centuries. This magnificent fortress served a dynasty of Welsh princes and as one might expect, a host of residents died within its boundaries. Some have remained.

When it comes to the spirits of Powis, we have a little something for everyone!  There are shy spirits who lurk about the Dukes room and the ballroom wing. We also have accounts of a lady dressed in black. For whatever the reason, she sits in a chair facing the fireplace in the Duke’s Room. No one knows quite who she is though. Is she sad? Or just bored?

Would you like to actually feel a ghost if not see one? Over the years, some have reported physical contact by an otherworldly presence. They say they can feel a hand brushing their arm and when they turn to look, no one is there. At least, no one living.

Many hear the piano in the ballroom wing played by unseen hands, and some have even seen the stool moving when the room is empty of mortals. Loud knocking on doors and windows after the castle is locked up tight is a common occurrence as well.

The Ghosts and Lost Treasure of Castle Coch...

I haven't written about a haunted castle lately and I've missed it! Since we're solidly into our Court of the Hawk book tour & Giveaway, I thought I'd tell you about a beautiful, fairytale Castle in Tongwynlais, Cardiff, Wales, known as Castle Coch.

Engraving titled "CASTELL COCH, ON THE TAFF." circa 1874

Now Castle Coch (or the Red Castle so named for the red sandstone used in its creation) had its origins way back in the year 1081 when the Normans built it to protect Cardiff after they conquered and took possession of the town. As fortunes come and go, they deserted the castle shortly thereafter and a century or two later, Gilbert de Clare used the earth motte left behind, and erected a stone fortress somewhere around 1275, give or take a couple of years in either direction. Then, early during the fourteenth century, the castle was destroyed during the Welsh rebellion. The Marquesses of Bute were then given the castle as part of a marriage contract in 1760. 

Suffice it to say, the castle changed hands many more times during its history and is now in the custody of the Welsh heritage agency.

Now for the fun stuff:

Y Ddraig Goch...The Red Dragon of Wales

Still feeling the dragons as Court the Hawk Book Tour and Giveaway continues, so...

Most Myths evolve. They take a story here and a story there. Here a Hero, there another hero...a villain or two...and in time, someone writes their version down. So it is with Y Ddraig Goch, the Red Dragon and symbol of Wales. 

5th century manuscript of Historia Regum Britanniae, Vortigern and the Red Dragon

Recorded in the 9th century's Historia Brittonum, we find the tale of Vortigern the Saxon tyrant, who was determined to build a fortified tower. Men were called to the task and every day they worked from the break of day until the setting of the sun.  Yet, all of their labors were in vain, for each night, something--or someone--completely destroyed the structure. Frustrated beyond measure, Vortigern turned to his wise men for a solution to this vexing problem.

Beneath the Sea... The Kingdom of Cantre'r Gwaelod...

Llys Helig isn’t the only kingdom to have disappeared beneath the sea in Wales. We also have Cantre'r Gwaelod (or the Lowland Hundred as translated into English), sometimes called the Welsh Atlantis. This fertile tract of land once existed between Bardsay and Ramsay Islands. However, if you want to visit it now, you might have to get yourself a wet suit and scuba gear, and then dive to the bottom of what is now Cardigan Bay, West Wales.

Sunset Over Cardigan Bay by Peter Broster

As with other lost kingdoms, a legend or two is also associated with Cantre'r Gwaelod. If we go way back in history and take a look at the Black Book of Carmarthen, we find mentioned therein, the land of Maes Gwyddno or the plain of Gwyddno. According to this book, the sea swallowed Cantre'r Gwaelod when a maiden named Mererid ignored her duties and in consequence of the neglect, the well overflowed. (Doesn’t make any real sense to me either…)

Wales' Lost Kingdom of Llys Helig...

Atlantis isn't the only one you know...

According to a legend that began a very, very long time ago--the sixth century to be precise--a Welsh prince by the name of Helig ap Glanawg had a kingdom in North Wales. He built an opulent castle in which he lived and ruled his people. He and everyone in the principality lived well enough for the day and time, but then one day a raging torrential storm caused the sea to overstep its bounds and the massive waves swallowed the entire kingdom. People, buildings, castle, everything...just gone.

Ocean Waves by Amada44

This legendary lost kingdom is mostly thought of today as nothing more than a myth with no truth based in fact. No surprise there, right?  Except...

Several expeditions have been launched in the past to prove--or disprove--the existence of Llys Helig. One such expedition, undertaken in the year 1864 by Reverend Charlton Hall, Reverend Richard Parry, and a geologist (accompanied by two local boatmen), found a submerged ancient wall off the coast of Penmaenmawr that could date to the sixth century. The team, therefore, said it could very well be part of Helig's castle. Some scoffed over the discovery. They said it was nothing more than a natural rock formation which just happened to run a very straight, regular course 100 yards in length. I'm sure if we looked hard enough we could find hundreds of formations just like this one underneath the sea...no really, I'm almost sure of it.

Ahem...

The Ghosts of Gwydir....

Well, it's October and almost Halloween, so I just can't let the month go without a single mention of ghosts. Because "Court of the Hawk" takes place almost exclusively in Wales, I decided to, well, talk about Wales!

Gwydir Castle by Jo Turner

Nestled in the lovely valley of Llanrwst, Conwy, Wales, sits the enchanting Tudor courtyard house known as Gwydir Castle.

Just a bit of History:

In the 14th century, a man by the name of Hywel Coetmore is said to have possessed the original Gwydir structure, which was subsequently destroyed during the Wars of the Roses. Then, one of Hywel's decendents later sold the place to Meredith ap Ieuan, a decendent of Owain Gwynedd. According to history, somewhere around the year 1500, Meredith rebuilt Gwydir.

In turn, Meredith's son, John Wynn ap Meredith is responsible for increasing the size of the castle beyond its rectangular keep-like Solar Tower and the adjoining hall block. During the 17th century, a knight by the name of Sir John Wynn, doubled the size of the courtyard mansion. In 1816, most all of his contributions were destroyed, but fortunately, we still have the lovely porch that Sir John added to the front of the Solar Tower.

All right then - The Ghosts:

The Wispy, Women in White at Tretower Castle...

In giving a nod to the ghostly lasses residing alongside Sir Cailen Braithnock, (though the poor man doesn't have a clue...) I thought we'd take another look at a haunted castle in Wales that many say is home to several ethereal ladies.

At the turn of the 11th century, there arose in the kingdom of Powys, in Crickhowel, a motte-and-bailey castle known as Tretower. At this time, a Norman knight by the name of John Picard built the structure using earth and timber. By the middle of the 12th century, a member of the family built a stone keep on the motte, replacing the timber defenses.  History records that six generations of Picard's descendants lived and died here. 

Tretower Castle Photographer: Andrew Lewis

Then, in or around the year 1540, Sir William Herbert, connected to the Picards by marriage, gave the castle to his half-brother Sir Roger Vaughn. Roger subsequently built Tretower Court, and on its grounds, one of our wispy white ladies is said to wander. Many believe she is the spirit of Sir Roger Vaughan’s wife.

The Haunting of Sker House

Neath Abbey

The time? Halloween night. The place? Celt Central, the land of the druids, the very area the celebrated and near mythical King Arthur may have once hung out. Ogres, giants, ghosts, faeries, (and who knows what else) cavorted about in the darkness...an inky black darkness.... 

This scenario brings to mind a guy from Missouri that once worked with my husband, a police officer at the time. The man said there were three things one never should mess with:  The mafia, the IRS, and the unknown.  

Anyway... On this particular night, three teenage adventurists tempted fate and leaped headlong into breaking the third rule...you know...the one about messing with the Unknown?