Hauntedland - Hylton Castle Report

Hylton Castle

I've been to Hylton Castle in Sunderland a quite a few times as it's only a couple of miles down the road from me. Sometimes I go by myself and other times with Northern Ghost Investigations and other friends. The place itself is lovely and has quite a good story behind it, but is it haunted?

The castle and chapel are both derelict. The castle is closed off but you can freely enter the chapel. A few orbs have made it onto some photos, but nothing significant. It was while taking photos here one night that I came to believe that orbs are not spirits but simply light reflection. In this case as I was about to take a shot of the castle, a moth flew in front of the camera. The flash went off and as I looked at the snap I expected to see the moth - but instead I had a large, bright orb complete with rings and patterns. Nice as the orb was, there was no sign of a moth and so my interest in orbs died that night.

But back to the castle. It is a shame to know that most of the destruction took place in the last 100 years and photos exist of it still being habitable. When you look up at the structure it is fascinating to even think this was the home of someone and is now reduced to a curiosity for ghost hunters and drunken teenagers.

I've sat quietly by myself and with others outside the castle walls and front entrance hoping for a significant event to happen - whether that be a bang on the metal door and something being hurled at us. Even a scream or scuffle inside would have been great - but sadly no. Every time I've been it has been lifeless and spiritless.

Photos have, as I said earlier, shown the occasional orbs and two of the photos I've taken have shown a mist. I'm sure one of these is my breath as I could reproduce the effect, but the other I'm not sure about. This mist seemed to be held within the branch of a tree that was no where near anyone and there was no mist anywhere else. Was this paranormal? Hmmm.... See the gallery for the photo in question.

I've spent more time sitting in the chapel due to it being accessible. Calling out and taking part in a séance have been without success. Some people believed they heard sounds from inside the castle, like furniture being dragged, but I could not confirm this.

On a visit with Bekki, a fellow ex-NGI team member, I asked if she could tap into anything. It was while we stood at the side of the castle that she began to sense a young boy, water, decapitation, horses and murder. Basically she was describing the pieces of the murder of the stable boy Roger Skelton. Bekki insisted she had no prior knowledge of the story.

The woods are nice to walk through but some of the NGI team were scared and felt there was a presence lurking in the foliage. To me it was just a load of trees! Another attempt was made here to communicate through a seance as well as calling out, but there was no response. I've been by myself a few times in the dark of night but again, I couldn't find any reason to feel scared. I walked deep into the wood hoping to see a spectral light or ghostly voice but only the wind in the trees and rustles of wildlife in the bushes were heard.

All mini-investigations here have left me disappointed. There are a few famous ghost stories linked to this castle, but none of them occurred on any of my visits.

A Brief Haunted History

The Cauld Lad of Hylton is believed to be the ghost of stable boy Roger Skelton. The ghost is normally associated with his murder that took place in 1609. This came about when Lord Robert Hylton had ordered his horse to be made ready for an important journey. One hour passed and it was not ready. Lord Hylton went to the stables and found the stable boy asleep. In his anger, he is said to have drawn his sword and decapitated the stable boy. He tried to hide the body, but it was later discovered and the baron was tried for murder. He was acquitted, and so the spirit of the dead boy came back to haunt him.

Supposedly there was a poltergeist that liked to tidy the castle kitchen if left in a mess, but would make it untidy if it was left clean. The servants grew tired of his pranks and left out clothes for him, which was the way to banish ghosts apparently. On taking them he disappeared from the castle saying "Here's a cloak, and here's a hood. The Cauld Lad o' Hylton will do na' mair good." However, his ghostly voice continued to be heard long afterwards.

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Location: Hylton Castle
Where: Sunderland
Visit: Various dates
Time: Various times

Sir William Hilton, Baron of Hylton built Hylton Caste around 1390 to 1400. Few alterations were made to the castle until the 16th century, when floors and galleries were inserted into the Great Hall. In the 18th century, Baron John Hylton completely redesigned the interior and inserted large Italianate style windows. He also added a north wing. His son later built a south wing and added crenellations (battlements) to both wings and restored the main central entrance. As there was no male heir the Hyltons sold the castle when John died in 1746. When William Briggs bought it in 1863, he knocked down the north and south wings, gutted the interior and added new windows. But the castle soon fell into disrepair.

In 1950, the castle was taken into the care of the State. The castle is now a listed building, and together with the chapel forms a Scheduled Ancient Monument, under the guardianship of English Heritage.

The ruins of St. Catherine’s chapel date from the early 15th century. The building was modified during the period from the late 15th to late 16th century, when a window and transepts were added. The chapel fell into disrepair and it too later became the responsibility of the State.