Halloween Castle Abseil Could Prove Ghost ‘Agnes’ Has Been Laid to Rest

Ahead of Halloween, a Northumberland hotel is renewing its appeal for historical information relating to an ‘apparition’ noted by some visitors.

Langley Castle, in Langley-on-Tyne, is also wondering whether this ghostly figure will put in an appearance for hundreds of charity abseilers, scaling its walls over the Halloween weekend.

The hotel last year dismissed the notion a female ‘ghost’, seen sobbing before jumping out of a window, could possibly be Maud de Lucy, as people claimed.  Despite that having been the legend, a dive into genealogy found this impossible.  

The tale suggested the woman was grieving the loss of her husband in battle.  In fact, Maud de Lucy married twice and passed away before her second husband, the Henry Percy, First Earl of Northumberland, having united the castles of Langley and Alnwick under one family ownership.  She never jumped out of a window!

The genealogical ‘dive’ did, however, uncover the fact that Thomas de Lucy, father of Maud, married twice.  A complete mystery shrouded his second wife, Agnes de Beaumont, a cousin of King Edward III, who requested Thomas, one of his favourite knights, marry Agnes.

With no knowledge on record of where, how or when she died, Langley concluded that the ghostly figure could be Agnes, particularly as the castle was uninhabited after 1405, when its roof did not survive being set alight by Henry IV, as an act of retribution against the Percys.

Despite articles about this ghostly mix-up, including some in the Sunday Times and BBC publication ‘Who do You Think You Are?’ there has been no further information about Agnes and, weirdly, no more sightings either, since the notion of her being ‘Maud’ were put to bed.

With Langley set to be a hive of activity on October 31 and November 1 when Halloween- costumed abseilers, aged 10 and upwards, will take part in a Wild About Adventure event, to raise funds for the charity of their choice, or for the adventure company’s supported charity, Maggie’s Cancer Charity in Newcastle.  This will be a day/night event, with the castle floodlit after sun fall, so Langley wonders whether its ghostly lady could appear, on this most apt of occasions. Or could it be she is now laid to rest, having finally being identified?

“We will have hundreds of abseilers scaling our walls on Halloween and the battlements, from which they will descend on a 90-foot (27.4 metres) drop, have been a location at which ‘Agnes’ has reportedly been seen in the past.  This will be an ideal opportunity to discover if there are any more sightings or strange sensations felt by the many charity fundraisers arriving here for the weekend,” says Langley Castle manager, Margaret Livingstone-Evans.  

“We do have a gut-feel that Agnes may now finally be highly delighted that lockdown gave us the opportunity to explore history and discover that our ghostly lady could not possibly be Maud.  After all, we all appreciate a little recognition!  Now, however, we need to know Agnes’s full story. We hope our renewed appeal for help from keen genealogists will lead us to discover what happened to Agnes de Beaumont.”

Langley has brought its history to life this year in a brilliant children’s history booklet, ‘Hairy History’, which can be downloaded from the Langley Castle website.  Linked to various Key Stage history topics, it is intended to help children catch up on time lost in the classroom during the pandemic, whilst having fun getting to know more about the past.

Head to www.langleycastle.co.uk to download or register for the abseil charity fundraiser by emailing info@wildaboutadventure.co.uk Registration, which will give you the opportunity to enjoy this unique abseil, costs £36.  If you have any details about Agnes de Beaumont, please email margaret@langleycastle.com                                                                        

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Editors notes

Langley Castle, built in 1350, is located in Langley-on-Tyne, Northumberland and is one of the few authentic, fortified medieval castles in England. It has a rich history, with strong links to Jacobite rebellions, is located just a stone's throw from the World Heritage Site of Hadrian's Wall and boasts features including battlements, seven-feet-thick walls, window seats set into the walls and the best example of medieval garderobes in Europe. It is one of the most exquisite wedding venues in the north and also offers a wide range of options when it comes to exclusive use, with the castle being available for weddings, family celebrations, Bar Mitzvahs and Bat Mitzvahs, D&D-style events and a wide variety of corporate functions.