Lumley Castle is a magnificent 14th-century quadrangular castle in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, North East England, near the city of Durham. It is a Grade I listed building and property of the Earl of Scarbrough. The castle is believed to be one of the most haunted places in County Durham.
Historical Background
The castle is named after its original creator, Sir Ralph Lumley, who converted his family's manor house into a castle in 1389 after returning from wars in Scotland. Sir Ralph was a well-known military figure who played a key role in the defence of Berwick-upon-Tweed in 1385 under the command of Henry Percy, 1st Earl of Northumberland, and led the attack at the Battle of Otterburn in 1388. At the Battle of Otterburn in August 1388, he was taken prisoner by the Scots and not freed until October 1389 after payment of a sizeable ransom, toward which both King Richard and the Bishop of Durham contributed. However, Sir Ralph Lumley's fate took a tragic turn. After being implicated in a plot to overthrow King Henry IV, he was imprisoned in the Tower of London and ultimately executed in January 1400, forfeiting his lands to the Earl of Somerset. He was killed in battle at Cirencester on 5 January 1400, and his estates were declared forfeit. In 1421, the ownership of the castle reverted to Sir Ralph Lumley's grandson, Thomas.
Royal Connections
During the time of John Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley, he altered the windows of the castle to let more light in, installed a new fireplace in the great hall along with a lavabo of black and white marble, adorned by a pelican, which is the crest of the Lumley coat of arms. On the accession of James VI and I as King of England in 1603, he journeyed from Edinburgh to London to take his new throne. On 13 April, en route from Newcastle upon Tyne to Durham, he stopped briefly at the castle as a guest of Lord Lumley. The King James Suite hotel room commemorates this connection with the king, though the suite was previously the chapel and the king did not stay at Lumley overnight, instead travelling later that day and staying at Durham Castle.
Modern History
By the nineteenth century, the castle had become the residence of the Bishop of Durham, after Bishop Van Mildert gave his residence of Durham Castle to the newly founded University of Durham. The castle thus became a hall of residence for University College, Durham. Students, known as Castlemen, spent their first year at Lumley Castle and subsequent years in the Castle at Durham. Lumley Castle was sold in the 1960s by University College to fund the building of the 'Moatside' residential halls in central Durham, in order to keep all students on the same site. The role of Lumley Castle in University College's history is still commemorated by students in the biannual 'Lumley Run'. In 1976, management of the castle was handed over to No Ordinary Hotels, which turned the castle into the 73-bedroom hotel it is today, though it is still in the possession of the present Lord Scarbrough. The castle is also a picturesque backdrop for Durham County Cricket Club's Riverside Ground (Emirates Durham International Cricket Ground), which was first used in 1995, and often houses visiting cricket teams.
Lily of Lumley - The Primary Ghost
The castle's most famous ghost is Lily Lumley, a 14th-century lady of the manor. The castle is believed to be haunted by a story about a woman named Lily Lumley who married Ralph Lumley. In reality, Ralph Lumley, 1st Baron Lumley (c. 1360 – January 1400) was married to Eleanor Neville. But in a tale called The Lily of Lumley, he has a previous wife. She was apparently murdered by two Catholic priests after she refused to convert to or follow the Catholic faith. It is believed she was thrown down a well in the castle grounds to drown and die. Some versions say she was tortured before being thrown down the well. In fear of being caught, the priests lied to her husband, Ralph Lumley, by saying she had left the castle to become a nun. Her ghost is said to float up from the well and haunt the castle to this day, wandering the corridors and rooms, spooking guests and staff alike. The well can still be seen today at the castle. This tale was a contemporary romance of medieval times based on a legend of a lady of Lumley who was murdered, though this woman is not identified in family pedigrees.
Famous Cricket Team Hauntings
The castle gained international headlines for its paranormal activity when multiple cricket teams experienced supernatural encounters while staying at the hotel:
West Indies Team (2000)
Lady Lumley spooked the West Indian cricket team in 2000, when the then captain of the team, Jimmy Adams, revealed that three players of the West Indies (including himself) checked out of the hotel early before the night of the match at Chester-le-Street to stay at another hotel at their own expenses because they were so terrified. Jimmy Adams said, "There were a few funny goings-on, but we put them down to Franklyn Rose running around under a bedsheet."
Australian Team (2005)
The castle was in the headlines for its hauntings in 2005 during the Ashes series, when members of the Australian cricket team reported strange activity. All-rounder Shane Watson was so rattled that he felt the presence of someone else in his room and fled to sleep on the floor of teammate Brett Lee's room. Watson later revealed: "I didn't see anything, but it was a very spooky sort of place and it definitely freaked me out - things that probably aren't there but some people believe are there. That night we went out for dinner once we got to Lumley Castle, and there was a couple of blokes starting to wind me up massively about the place being haunted. And then I went back to my room and it was a tiny little room and I had to walk through a dungeon to get there. So I got a bit spooked out. I didn't sleep for four nights." Australia media officer Belinda Dennett said: "Several of the players were uneasy, although a lot of them in the morning said they were fine... but maybe they were just trying to be brave. I saw ghosts. I swear I'm telling the truth. I closed the blinds in my room before I went to bed. But when I was woken at 4 am by my phone, the blind was up again." The incident became perfect sledging fodder, with England bowler Darren Gough teasing Watson about his ghostly encounter during the subsequent ODI match at Chester-le-Street.
Indian Team (2002 & 2011)
Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly also experienced paranormal activity at Lumley Castle. During a series in England, Ganguly was awoken in the middle of the night by a strange sound – that of the bathroom tap flowing. After a while, the tap closed on its own, and Ganguly was so frightened that he moved to Robin Singh's room. In India's 2011 tour to England, before the first ODI match at Chester-le-Street, Rahul Dravid asked the team director: "Are we going to stay at the Castle?" There was relief on his face when the reply came in negative.
Other Ghosts and Paranormal Activity
Black Jack
There is a ghost known as Black Jack, a mischievous spirit that likes to play pranks on guests. Such things as sliding glasses off the table and moving belongings have been reported.
Children's Voices
There have been many reports of children being heard talking, screaming, and laughing originating from the top floor.
The Strange Man
There has been the sighting of a strange man who has been seen sitting in the corner of the bar.
Orbs and Light Anomalies
Orbs are often seen in pictures taken of guests' hotel rooms, with some light anomalies also witnessed. This magnificent castle has stood proud over the County Durham landscape for over 600 years. Situated along the River Wear and in the middle of beautiful parklands, surrounded by a golf course and overlooking the international cricket ground, the hotel is a location full of natural beauty and supernatural intrigue.