Charles Neville, 6th Earl of Westmorland has been seen in Raby Castle floating
upstairs to the Baron's Hall. In 1569 he sat at the head of a huge table and
planned the Rising of the Northern Earls. His company had decided against it
when Neville's wife stormed into the hall. She called them cowards and knaves
that they would not dare fight for their faith, and angered by her foolish
words, they did fight and lost. Charles Neville fled to Scotland and then on to
Holland. The Neville's lost everything they owned Raby Castle and their titles.
Charles Neville now lies buried in Dutch soil by day, but all night and every
night, he is back at Raby. Henry Vane the Younger is another ghost with a grudge
from the grave. He was imprisoned when the Stuarts returned to Raby Castle under
a trumped up charge of treason, he was found guilty and sentenced to be
executed. They wouldn't let him speak to his people at the execution and the
sheriff ordered the trumpeters to blow loud so that the sound of his voice could
not be heard. He was still speaking when his head rolled off. Now every night
Sir Henry is said to sit writing at his desk in the library of Raby Castle.
There is something strange about him his body ends at the shoulders, while his
head sits on the desk facing him, and the lips move as if dictating a letter or
making a speech. Raby Castle's most often seen ghost is that of the first Lady
Barnard, she was also known as 'Old Hell Cat'. She is said to be a fearsome old
lady who stalks the castle every night with wild glowing eyes and she is seen
knitting with white hot needles, as she thinks and remembers how her son Gilbert
married against her wishes.
