Located in the gorgeous rolling green fields of England's Sussex Downs, Amberly is candy for the eyes. It is a traditional hotel marked by two large turrets, and built from warm yellow stone.

Upon arrival I was quickly, and amicably checked into my room, the Horsteux Suite. A brass bed was the centerpiece of the comfortable room, decorated in blue chintz, which accentuated a stone wall. Most mysterious of all was an arched doorway bolted shut.

Looking curiously at the door, the bellhop explained that this was the original entrance to the room. When the bellhop left I opened the door, a stone spiral staircase lay before me. I took several steps down, and noticed that the castle courtyard was spread out below.

Returning to my door I looked up and saw nothing but darkness. Hesitantly I ascended the staircase. Several turns up the stairs I could see the doorway to another room. I could make out wooden spikes, and that was enough for me, I returned to the comfort of my room.

Later that night I was visited by the manager of the hotel. He asked me if I wanted to be told the ghost story of the castle where it actually happened. "Yes." I answered. With that I was led back through the doorway, and into the spiral staircase. In his hand he held a candle to shine the way.

It flickered ominously on the centuries old stone as we wound our way to the top of the castle. Here we could see without any help, as the moon and stars lit up the night sky. Not having proper light for note taking, I laid down my tape recorder and we started talking.

"This is where it happened." He said. "She killed herself right here."

"Why?" I asked.

"She was a servant here, and she fell in love with the bishop. When she found out she was pregnant she went to him and asked what to do. He denied he had anything to do with it, and turned her out. After she had the child she returned to the castle with the baby, hoping that would change the bishop’s mind. Again he denied having anything to do with her pregnancy or child. Distraught, she walked up here and jumped."

"With the baby?" I asked?

"Yes with the baby" He replied. "They both died. Now it is said that she walks this rooftop, and sometimes your room looking for her child and crying."

"Do you believe in the ghost?" I asked.

"I don’t know, I’m an agnostic, so I don’t really know." He answered. "But, I’ve only been here a short time, and from what I have heard there is definitely a ghost. Many people have seen her."

We descended from the turret and returned to my room. The manager left, promising to introduce me to some others who had seen the ghost in the morning.  I decided to check my tape recorder. I rewound randomly and listened.

"Do you believe in the ghost?"

"YES" a woman’s voice whispered.

I was stunned, this wasn’t the managers answer. I could hear his voice speaking on over the whisper. I rewound. Again I heard it, a distinct whisper of a woman’s voice answering Yes when I asked the question of whether or not the manager believed in the ghost.

So here it was, my first experience with a ghost. I always expected to see a ghost before I heard one. I spent a long while rewinding and replaying the tape until I believed it myself. After that I can tell you it was one long night!

Amberly Castle – is part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World group and you can find information and rates and some great pictures at this site.

Stay in other British Castles – This site is part of a great site on Wales and things Welsh including this section on accommodations in castles in all of  Britain.