Denmark’s Dragsholm Castle was constructed during the twelfth century by the Bishop of Roskilde. Following the Dano-Sweden war in the mid-seventeenth century, the castle became a royal home. The castle was the property of the Adeler family from 1694 to 1932. The Bottger family purchased the castle in 1937 and still owns the castle today. Now a world famous hotel, Dragsholm Castle welcomes tourists, business conferences, weddings and parties.
Ghosts of the Dragsholm Castle
While Dragsholm Castle allegedly has over 100 ghosts within the walls, there are three spirits who seem to gather the most attention.
- The Grey Lady: A worker in the castle at one time, she haunts the rooms at night. During her life, as the story goes, she suffered from a major toothache that was cured by someone in the castle. As a thank you, she returns to check on visitors.
- The White Lady: Daughter of a former owner, this child-like spirit haunts the hallways at night. When alive, she fell in love with a commoner who happened to work in the castle. While the lovers were able to keep their affair secret for a while, the girl’s father eventually discovered them. In a rage, he ordered his daughter to be imprisoned in a room in the castle. During the early twentieth century, workers were pulling down walls for a renovation and came across a small skeleton clothed in a white gown.
- The Earl of Bothwell: James Hepburn died after years of imprisonment in the cellars of the Dragsholm Castle. His ghost is said to haunt the cobbled courtyard with carriage and horses.Visitors most often report the sound of horses.
The Earl of Bothwell Haunts Dragsholm Castle
While it seems that mostly female entities haunt Dragsholm Castle, one of the most famous ghosts turns out to be a man. The Earl of Bothwell, James Hepburn, a famous consort of Mary, Queen of Scots, spent the last remaining years of his life imprisoned for murder in the cellars of Dragsholm Castle.
The pillar where Hepburn was chained still stands in Dragsholm Castle. During his imprisonment, Hepburn went mad and died at the castle in 1578.
Hepburn’s body now rests in a crypt at Farevejle Church. The crypt is open to the public. A museum containing Bothwell artifacts and a small-scale sixteenth century version of Dragsholm Castle can be found across the street.
Sources:
Ghosts of Dragsholm Castle. Guide to Castles of Europe.
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