Dudley Castle - Dudley, West Midlands
Dudley Castle looks over the town of Dudley on a limestone hill which is one of the highest points in the West Midlands. That land was held by the Saxon Earl Edwin in 1066, brother to Edith Swanneck and the wife of King Harold Godwinson. Earl Edwin revolted against the Normans in 1070 and lost his lands which were given to Ansculf de Picquigny who it is believed built the first wooden motte and bailey castle on the site as a defensive structure to protect the area from the Welsh. After his death, the land was passed on to his son William Fitz-Ansculf who’s name appears in the Domesday book of 1086.
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Eventually, the castle came into possession of the Paganel family who rebuilt the castle in stone. In 1138, King Stephen laid siege to Dudley Castle because Ralph Paganel, 4th Baron of Dudley supported Matilda, Stephen's cousin and real heir to the throne. Stephen failed to breach the castle and in anger and frustration burned the houses and stole the cattle from the surrounding countryside before capturing the castle in Shrewsbury.
By 1150, Ralph Paganel's son, Gervase held the Manor. He became involved in a failed rebellion against King Henry the 2nd in 1173 that resulted in an order to have the castle demolished. It is unknown how much of the castle was destroyed but it was still used as an unfortified manor house until the later end of the 13th century, after it was taken over by Gervase's nephew, Ralph de Somery in 1194. Roger de Someday who started to rebuild the castle in 1262 but it was incomplete in 1272 when he died but the building work was carried on after his death into the 14th century by his heirs. In 1321, the last in line of the Somery's, John Somery passed away and the castle was inherited by his sister Margaret and her husband John de Sutton who’s family members often used Dudley as their surname. In 1325, the castle was seized by a favourite of Edward the 2nd, Hugh Dispenser until the King fell from power and John and Margaret took it back a year later. After the death of John Sutton, his son, John Sutton the 2nd inherited the castle who passed the castle on to his wife Isabel, daughter of John de Cherleton who held it until her death in 1397.
By 1532, the castle was owned by another John Sutton who fell into money problems and so in 1537 the castle was taken over by his relative, John Dudley who later became the Duke of Northumberland. John Dudley was the great grandson of John Sutton, the 1st Baron of Dudley and he rose to prominence during the reign of Henry the 8th. He commissioned new buildings In the castle grounds around 1540 which became known as ‘Sharington Range' named after the Architect William Sharington who designed and built these new additions. John Dudley was executed in 1553 for being involved in helping Lady Jane Grey onto the throne.
The castle was returned to the Sutton family by Queen Mary to Edward Sutton. In August 1575, Queen Elizabeth the 1st visited Dudley Castle castle and considered it as a possible place to imprison Mary Queen of Scots.
Edward Sutton the 3rd was the last male in line to inherit the castle and due to financial struggles passed the castle onto his granddaughter Frances Sutton who married the son of a wealthy merchant, Humble Ward.
During the English Civil War, a Royalist Garrison held the castle who were commanded by Colonel Thomas Leveson, a local Catholic. The castle was seized by Parliamentary forces led by Sir William Brereton in 1644 and was surrendered on 13th of May 1646. The castle was then partly demolished to prevent it being used again but some of the habitable buildings were still used. The Earls of Dudley still visited the site but when they visited in the Midlands, they resided at Himley Hall, 4 miles away.
In 1750, a great fire took out most of the remaining buildings and was left as a ruin until the 19th Century when it was tidied up by the Earls of Dudley to be used as a romantic ruin which had became fashionable at this time. In the 1930s, William Humble Eric Ward, the 3rd Earl of Dudley created a zoo in the grounds of the castle which opened to the public in 1937 and is still open to visitors today along with what’s left of the castle.
The undercroft is believed to be the most haunted part of the castle. There are two stone coffins that are stored in the undercroft, one was found at a local church and a larger one found at Dudley Priory and is believed to be the coffin of John Somery, also known as the Bad Baron. In 1994, a cleaner was on her hands and knees in the undercroft when she heard a laugh. She looked ahead and saw a pair of boots with spurs attached next to the larger of the stone coffins. She looked up to see who was standing there but it was only the boots. Her sister, also a cleaner walked in seconds later and also had a brief glimpse of the boots before they disappeared. Both ladies were in shock so they went to the castle restaurant for a cup of tea and told the catering staff some of who went into the undercroft to investigate but found nothing peculiar.
In 2002, a group of paranormal researchers conducted an EVP experiment in the castle. The undercroft was the 1st place they wanted to start and the 1st experiment was to spread out and stand in various places in the room, in the dark. 5 out of the 12 members of the group said that they experienced being touched by cold hands, they were poked, clothes tugged and all felt the temperature drop. One of the Ladies in the group was so terrified that she ran out. As she ran out she said that she saw a shadowy figure near the doorway. Another paranormal research group photographed a shadowy figure In the undercroft at another time.
During the English Civil War, when Colonel Thomas Leveson held the castle and his 2nd in command was John Beaumont who also brought his wife Mary Beaumont to live in the castle. On the 13th of September 1644, Mary gave birth to a baby named Frances who died just after birth and was buried the same day in St Edmunds church. Mary died 7 months later on 27th of April 1646 during a siege of the castle by Parliamentary forces. Colonel Leveson ordered the destruction of the church as it would have been an advantage point for the Parliamentary army.
The ghost of a grey lady has been seen many times over the years around the keep area which is believed to be the shade of Mary Beaumont. As Mary was buried at the top church, it is believed that, her ghost is searching for her baby who was buried at St Edmunds church, also known as bottom church.
Near the keep and in the pub on the castle grounds, named The Grey Lady Tavern, there have been many unexplained sounds, alarms going off at night and extreme drops in temperature that is often accompanied by a blue mist.
In 1987, 2 entertainers were booked to perform for the summer season and each night they camped in the courtyard. Late one night they saw the dark shape of a woman standing at the top of the castle mound, she disappeared as quick as she appeared.
She has also appeared in the chapel window and in the old aquarium and many members of the public have reporting seeing her on regular occasions.
Near to the castle lye the ruins of the 12th century St James Priory which was given to Benedictine monks from Much Wenlock. Staff and visitors have seen the ghost of a monk wearing a black habit, which is the same and the Benedictine monks, around the keep area and in the castles chapel.
In 1995, a couple were visiting the castle when they noticed a monk looking out of the window of the chapel. They thought that it maybe a visiting monk or a member of staff in costume but when they approached him, he disappeared.
An old woman is believed to have once lived in the keep. A story says that she hung herself from the battlements on Halloween and her black cat was found dead underneath her body. Another story says that a gang of boys were climbing the walls of the battlements and found the old woman with her black cat preparing to fly to the Sabbath. It is said that they tied a rope around her neck and threw her and the cat off the battlements. She was buried just outside the walls of St Edmunds churchyard.
On the site of the original churchyard of St Edmunds stands a 17th stone building that were once the estate offices for the Earl of Dudley. It’s now the offices for the Dudley zoo which is on the castle grounds. There may have been a church on the site from Saxon times but the present church was built in 1724 after the previous church was demolished during the English Civil War. Footsteps have been heard around the offices when it’s empty and many staff members often catch something from the corner of their eye.
In 1992, as he was leaving to go home, the assistant manager said that he suddenly felt freezing cold, the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and he had a tremendous feeling of dread. He was so scared that as he opened the door, he broke the door handle off with his hand.
Many people have heard the sound of a drum playing different rolls echoing through the castle walls. It’s believed to be the ghost of a young drummer boy who was killed by a stray bullet during the siege from the Parliamentarians during the Civil War. It’s believed to be bad luck if you hear the drums or see him due to his unfortunate death.
In 1983, the castle held a medieval evening with a fancy dress competition. The judges noticed an elderly woman who looked like she was wearing very authentic medieval clothes, she was wearing a sackcloth with a grey shawl and rags wrapped around her feet. They awarded her with the 1st prize but she was suddenly nowhere to be seen. The staff working on the gates said that they hadn't seen her go past.
In 1967, the South Staffordshire Meta Physical Society announced that they were going to hold an investigation at the castle and zoo. The group had heard that strange sounds had been heard in the aquarium and they were going to attempt to record them. Once it went into a local newspaper, more stories came to light.
There are stories of the haunted wall where bangs and voices would be heard and incidences of tropical fish disappearing without a trace.
In the 1930s, three friends were visiting the castle when they were stood at the bottom of the keep steps where they saw an elderly couple dressed in 17th or 18th century costume walking arm in arm. The man was wearing a tall hat and had a crooked walking stick. They walked past the three visitors and walked up the steps. One of the group followed them up the single staircase but found that no one was there.
In 2003, three friends went on a paranormal investigation to experience what happens during these events. When they entered the main door and into the corridor, they all felt a strange, bad feeling and they ran down the corridor until they reached the gift shop where they told the organisers of the night.
A few weeks later, one them took his wife and children for a day out to Dudley Castle and zoo. When they entered the main door and into the corridor, their three year old son suddenly started to panic and scream in terror. He started running down the corridor with his dad following him into the gift shop. Staff stopped him from going outside but his dad took him outside for fresh air. He was still terrified and took around 15 minutes to calm down. When he finally calmed down his dad asked what was wrong, he said that a nasty man with a sword was trying to hit him.
A few weeks later, one them took his wife and children for a day out to Dudley Castle and zoo. When they entered the main door and into the corridor, their three year old son suddenly started to panic and scream in terror. He started running down the corridor with his dad following him into the gift shop. Staff stopped him from going outside but his dad took him outside for fresh air. He was still terrified and took around 15 minutes to calm down. When he finally calmed down his dad asked what was wrong, he said that a nasty man with a sword was trying to hit him.