Haunted Norfolk http://www.hauntednorfolk.com Ghosts and legends of the English county of Norfolk. Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:49 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 The Mistletoe Bride of Brockdish http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/2009/10/the-mistletoe-bride-of-brockdish/ http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/2009/10/the-mistletoe-bride-of-brockdish/#comments Fri, 16 Oct 2009 08:00:49 +0000 admin http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/?p=5 The story of the Mistletoe Bride is shared by a number of halls throughout the country, including Norfolk’s Brockdish near Harleston. The story is told through a Victorian ballad, written in 1884 by Thomas Haynes, telling of a 17th century incident in which the daughter of the hall was due to wed Lord Lovell. The couple were celebrating their wedding, and decided to play hide and seek. As the bride hid, she planned for her new husband to find her in a chest hidden in the great hall. Unfortunately for the new bride, the chest had a spring which meant it could only be opened from the outside. She was not discovered until 50 years later, when the chest was opened and a corpse wearing a bridal gown was found clasping a twig of mistletoe.

Source: http://www.wymondhamguide.co.uk/pages/legends.html

]]> http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/2009/10/the-mistletoe-bride-of-brockdish/feed/ 1 Queen Isabelle of Castle Rising http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/2008/07/queen-isabelle-of-castle-rising/ http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/2008/07/queen-isabelle-of-castle-rising/#comments Tue, 15 Jul 2008 10:31:35 +0000 admin http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/?p=3 Castle Rising, located close to the town of King’s Lynn, is said to have once been a busy seaport, athough the sea is now situated over four miles from the Castle itself.

Now ruined, the Castle was obviously very grand and handsome. Queen Isabella, who resided at Castle Rising Castle was a French princess married to Edward II. It is believed that he neglected her and eventually she died quite mad due to loneliness and isolation.

In 1327, Edward was deposed in favour of his son (Edward III), and the former King was eventually murdered by a close friend and lover of Isabelle’s, Roger Mortimer. The young king became more uneasy with Mortimers growing power and eventually ordered a raid upon his castle in Nottingham where he and Isabelle were, for him to be arrested. The Queen is said to have screamed and pleaded for her lovers life, but all to no avail as he was later convicted of the King’s murder and hanged at Tyburn in 1330.

Isabella was then sent to Castle Rising where her son demanded she never been seen in public again. He did however, allow her a few knights and ladies to keep her company. Twenty Seven years later Isabelle passed away, after becoming demented some years previous.

It is reported that her shrieks and manic, crazy laughter can still be heard echoing around the castle and its grounds.

Source(s):
http://www.ghostdatabase.co.uk/articles/castle-rising/

]]> http://www.hauntednorfolk.com/2008/07/queen-isabelle-of-castle-rising/feed/ 0