Castle Rising, Norfolk, E. England

The magnificent keep at Castle Rising was built in c1140 by William d’Albini II to celebrate his marriage to the widow of Henry I and his acquisition of the Earldom of Sussex. It was modeled on the keep at Norwich, built by Henry I. At its building it was the largest in the country and was later particularly noted for its highly decorated forebuilding and its staircase approach. 

I took the ghost story from a book called The Diary of a Ghosthunter by Simon Marsden (ISBN 1-84056-012-6) The insane screams of Queen Isabella known as the She Wolf of France are said to haunt this massive Norman fortress. With her lover she plotted the murder of King Edward II whom she had married when she was only 12. 

Edward was gay and not interested in her so she wanted to kill him. Her lover was Roger Mortimer and they fought against the king’s army defeated it. Edward was imprisoned at another castle and was tortured and eventually killed. Isabella’s own son, Edward III turned against her and had her imprisoned at Castle Rising in Norfolk. She went mad and died 27 years after being locked away in 1358. 

Even after all this time her maniacal laughter and insane wailings echo over the surrounding countryside at dead of night….