Bolingbroke Castle.

After coming back from a day trip to the seaside, we saw a sign for Bolingbroke Castle and decided to take a look.

Bolingbroke Castle is located in Old Bolingbroke, Lincolnshire, England.

A brief history.

The Saxons first fortified the area in the 6th and 7th centuries. The 12th century saw the Normans build a motte and bailey castle on a nearby hill. The ruin we see today was founded by Ranulf, Earl of Chester, in 1220. Ranulf passed away in 1232, with no male heir to inherit his fortune, his titles, lands and castles passed to his sisters. After Henry of Grosmont, the 1st Duke of Lancaster died in 1361, the castle passed to John of Gaunt. His wife, Blanche of Lancaster and her sister, Maud, Countess of Leicester, were actually born at the castle. However, the most famous person to be born at Bolingbroke was John and Blanche’s son, Henry (the future Henry IV), in 1367. Before becoming King in 1399, he was known as “Henry Bolingbroke”.

The castle fell into disrepair during the 15th and 16th centuries. Roylist used it as a military garrison during the civil war. However, during the Battle of Winceby, the castle sustained considerable damage.

Finally, to prevent the castle from ever being inhabited again, the towers and walls were all torn down and thrown in the moat in 1652

Our visit to Bolingbroke castle and the Shapeshifting Witch.

It was slowly beginning to get dark as we took a look around this fascinating place. It did seem very atmospheric especially when the last visitors left and we had the place to ourselves. Naturally, as with every location we visit, we had to find out if it was haunted!

The castle had seen many sieges so you would think there might be the odd Royalist soldier walking around maybe even a king! But no, the castle is haunted by a shape-shifting witch.

I could not find out much about the Witch. However, she found herself imprisoned here at some point in the castle’s history.

Anyway, the story goes that she returns as a hare. She likes to leap over people (!) or run between their legs. Dogs who are sent after the hare, run back to their owners whimpering!

I wonder if she escaped by turning into something. Unfortunately, we do not have that part of the story!

We did not see any hares while we explored, but, as the sunset and we shut the gate behind us, we could not help but feel we were being watched.

Read Haunted Witley Court next.

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