Bodelwyddan house and estate date back before 1440 when it was built by the Humphreys of Anglesey. The Williams (Williams-Wynn) family, so closely associated with the castle, began their association from around 1690.
The castle is believed to be haunted and runs overnight paranormal tours. The tours make use of electromagnetic field (EMF) detectors, digital thermometers, dowsing rods, crystal pendulums and tourists are allowed to bring their own digital cameras.
Visitors have reported the barking and howling of a spirit dog, the cries of ghost children and the ghost of a wife who was terrorised by her husband during her life. People are said to greatly fear the place, can sense the ghost of someone who committed suicide the castle and of haunting resulting from murder.
Other visitors report sensing the presence of a nurse, perhaps the nursemaid of the ghostly children, present in the castle.
In 2008 the BBC published a recording of a ghostly voice taken by a paranormal assistant who works at the castle. Some people think it says; “Hold me close”
The BBC recording is here. Can you hear it?
Rachel told the BBC;
“From the noises I have heard and recorded, to the temperature drops and the strange scents, I am certan it is haunted! Sometimes it’s quiet, sometimes it’s active – the spirits come out when they choose!
We were holding one of our overnight vigils in Bodelwyddan Castle when I recorded the sound. We were waiting for a group to arrive and as my friend and I walked around the castle we began to feel uneasy as if something was waiting to happen. The public arrived at 9pm and, after the tour, we began our vigil. We entered the library and where busy talking when all eight of us heard a loud sigh which appeared to come from the door right next to us.
It was unexplainable. It couldn’t have been any of the group as we were all on the opposite side of the doorway. After we had calmed each other down, I decided to switch on the recording device on my phone in the hope I would record a voice like we had heard earlier. We stayed in the library but nothing else happend so I stopped recording.
However, I sent the recording to an EVP expert and he used his software to pick out a voice saying ‘Hold me close’ which we hadn’t heard at the time. We had a lot of unexplained responses that night as well as the sound of music and faint voices. It has to be one of the scariest nights in the castle for me.”
The castle acted a a ret and recuperation hospital for soldiers during the first world war and the grounds of the estate where used for trench training.
In 1829 Sir John Hay Williams wrote that, during a refurbishment project, human bones where founded near on the chimneys but were built back into the castle wall.
North West Spirit Seekers also have a video of the castle.
In Pure Spirit
Ghost Hunters International and Most Haunted have both visited the castle. Most Haunted returned to Bodelwyddan for Most Haunted Live in 2010.
Have you been to the castle? Have you encountered or seen any of the Bodelwyddan ghosts?
I've never been, but I'd like to!
My recent post Friday Fun: Ghost Quizzes
Here are some more sightings of ghosts at Bodelwyddan Castle: http://twitter.com/bbcwrexham/status/8186192625
Hi Nick. Thanks for sharing! That's a useful collection. Savvy social media from the BBC there! BBC Wrexham leading the way.
I know its been a while since the comments but I had an eery experience whereby I heard a grumpy mans voice over the recorded commentary on the unit you go round with. It scared me so much that I took the headset off and felt very uneasy. I told my husband and we put it down to maybe a PR exercise to add to the fun but maybe it wasnt!