The Chillingham Castle Ghosts – John Sage and More

Nestled in the heart of Northumberland, Chillingham Castle is enthralling. The castle’s beauty lies in its remoteness, the sheer tranquillity encircled in, which is nothing but deceiving. The castle was home to the Earls of Grey for more than 700 years and had the fortune of hosting many monarchs of England. The castle also acted as an excellent defence to England by monitoring and preventing the invasion of the marauding Scots.

What’s more, the castle has a reputation for being haunted and has been featured on numerous TV shows. The Chillingham Castle ghost is not just one demonic entity, but there are many such spirits in the castle. Several paranormal investigations have been carried out in the palace.

The palace authorities have no objections to the thought and provide rooms for visitors to stay and experience the fear themselves. Though a few of the castle ghosts identify themselves as friendly ghosts, there are numerous Chillingham Castle ghost stories with various versions as narrated by the visitors, and we would love to describe a few of them to you.

Chillingham Castle Ghost Stories

The Ghost of John Sage

John Sage worked as King Edward 1’s prime torturer. He had a deep hatred for the Scots and little mercy for which the King gave him this position. John Sage was such a cruel torturer that he is famous for killing around 75000 men, women, and children under his cruelty.

He never bestowed his prisoners with a simple death; instead, he tortured them until they died. Often legs and arms were broken before they were thrown 20ft down into the oubliette. The prisoners died a painful death either by falling down this way or simply being starved in such a condition.

They say you reap what you sow, and it was no different for John Sage. Soon after an era of his gruesomeness and cruelty, he met with his fate when he accidentally killed a tribesman’s daughter, who he was in love with, and was eventually killed by the tribesman.

The young woman’s father exacted his revenge in such a way that parts of John Sage’s body were taken away as souvenirs by people. Visitors claim that they can still hear the screams of the tortured souls in the castle vicinity and have seen John Sage’s silhouette lingering in the castle.

The Tragic End of John “Dragfoot” Sage

Some accounts suggest Mary Charlton, daughter of a powerful reiver chief, stayed at Chillingham Castle. During her stay, she had an affair with John Sage. During their affair, Sage accidentally choked her to death.

When Mary’s father came to know of this, he demanded justice from King Edward. Sage was captured, tortured with his own devices, and publicly hanged with a short rope, ensuring a slow and agonizing death by strangulation.

The Ghost of The Radiant Boy

One of the most commonly recorded incidents is of the Radiant Boy, a childish wraith seen in the castle’s Pink Room. Visitors have heard the child’s heartwrenching cries. They also claim that this child’s pain echoes through the corridors upon the stroke of midnight.

The boy would often appear dressed in blue, standing near the sleeping room. The lights around this young boy would give an impression of radiance as it met with his dress, and therefore he is commonly referred to as the radiant boy by the castle’s visitors.

Some guests have also complained that blue lights flash through the wall of the castle into their rooms at midnight. Some people clarify this incident with electric failure, but Sir Humphrey has quickly pointed out that there is no electric wiring in the particular area where the incident takes place.

The Ghost of Lady Berkeley

Lady Berkeley is the wife of Lord Grey. The Greys have been regarded as the oldest residents of the castle for more than 700 years. There is a saddening tale associated with the family; it is said that Lady Berkeley’s husband ran off with her own sister, Lady Henrietta, and Lady Berkeley was left abandoned at the castle, with only her baby daughter for company.

Lady Berkeley was utterly heartbroken and full of agony. She wanted to avenge her heartbreak but died a lonely death at the castle. It is claimed by the visitors the rustle of Lady Berkeley’s dress is sometimes heard along the passage.

There are cold chilled invisible sweeps along the passage with her long dress as she runs down to look for her husband, leaving a cold chilling aura behind for the visitors to sense.

Witch of the castle

There is another tale which claims of a spooky witch of the castle. This witch does not have a particular place she resides in like the radiant boy or Lady Berkeley; instead, it is believed that this witch of the castle curses anybody who tries to take any belonging to the castle along with them. There have been instances where the ex-visitors of the castle have returned to leave an item they picked from the castle. There is also a table at the castle with all the things people have tried to take with them kept with an attached sorry note for the witch to go easy on them.

The Ghost of the White Lady

This incident hasn’t been recorded many times but is of significance. It was recorded by a servant of the castle that he was approached by a white lady in the dark of the night. The lady asked the servant for a glass of water, but she was gone as soon as the servant turned around to give it to her. The lady was never to be seen again in the castle.

Exploring the Torture Chamber and Courtyard

Sage’s range of torture devices included the Wheel, the Iron Maiden, the Iron Chair, and the notorious Rack. Sage’s sadistic inclinations extended to impaling, boiling, and starving victims.

One of his devices involved a barrel filled with iron nails, rolling the victim to the other side of the Torture Chambers. This resulted in live skinning. Knowing of a place like this gives me a chilling feeling. Imagining the time and torture people would have gone through here makes me cringe with fear. 

The Courtyard of the castle was used to burn the remaining prisoners of the Scottish-English War. The traumatized children were then taken to Chillingham Castle, where they met their end in King Edward’s Room. John Sage, whom the public hated, faced a public hanging. His fingers, toes, nose, lips, and genitals were cut while he still struggled for breath. 

Today, reports suggest the presence of ghosts and ghostly voices roaming the courtyard, including the ghostly presence of John Sage.

Eternal Residents: Ghostly Presences at Chillingham Castle

There are many Chillingham Castle ghost stories, and this isn’t even the beginning of it. Some Chillingham Castle ghosts continue to be nameless, some yet to be discovered. Though not everyone has described a haunted experience in their visit to the castle, a significant number of people have experienced something or the other.

Scientists and people of logic have claimed it to be a psychic disorder, and no such evidence has been found on the visitors’ part to say otherwise. The owner of the castle Sir Humphrey both agrees and disagrees with such incidences and continues to invite visitors to experience the castle’s creepy yet enthralling serenity.

Nevertheless, ears are the most excellent witness, and eyes are their testimony, and the castle continues to be a haunted one, at least for those who are open to such experiences.

Chillingham Castle, known for its complex history, is an example of the darker facets of human experience. The now-public Torture Chamber reminds us of the sadistic creativity that John Sage used. Reported ghosts haunting the castle, create an eerie atmosphere at the castle.

It reminds people of the kind of things that happened here. Among these haunted stories, the spirit of John Sage plays a significant role in Chillingham Castle. Its unsettling past and restless spirits continue to thrill and excite visitors.

If you liked reading about Chillingham Castle Ghost, you might also be interested in Gwrych Castle Ghost and Dover Castle Ghost!