As we drove
through the imposing gates into the expansive estate, passing a glassy lake, I
could not help thinking that it was a perfect setting for staging murder
mysteries or exploring the paranormal. In the hands of the Leslie family (who
can trace their lineage to Attila the Hun) since the 1600s, Castle Leslie in
Glaslough village, in Northern Ireland, sprawls over a thousand acres.
When we
entered the castle we were handed an antique key to our rooms, and led through
the hallways. The decor was quirky and filled with tapestries, paintings and a
lot of family history.
We got the
grand tour that night from Sir John Leslie, the 93 year old eccentric owner of
the castle who has lived here since 1994. Sammy Leslie, Sir John’s niece is the
person responsible for turning the castle into a viable proposition.
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| Sir John Leslie |
The family
has famous connections. Sir John talked casually about the Duke of Wellington who
was a first cousin and Sir Winston Churchill who was a close friend of the
family. He played a Chopin piece effortlessly on the piano for us.
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| Sir Winston Churchill's christening gown |
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| Desmond's Room |
Each of the
rooms was named after a member of the Leslie family and decorated in an
eclectic pastiche of styles. My room was called Desmond’s room named after
Desmond, Sammy’s father, a dashing pilot, who wrote several books.
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| The Blue Room- a living room |
Castle
Leslie like many other castles has a plethora of ghost stories. Bells ring on
their own, a monk shuffles past guests and shadowy figures disappear around the
corner...Norman’s Room was named after Norman, a member of the family who was
destined to inherit the castle but was killed prematurely in the war.
Apparently his ghost (reputed to be a friendly one like Casper) still inhabits
his room and is known to levitate the bed.
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| The Royal throne? |
The Red Room was Sir John’s mother’s room- there is an ornate four poster bed, but it’s the bathroom which had us stunned: a unique wood panelled throne toilet with even the coat of arms and the first plumbing bath to be installed in Ireland. That must be why we say ‘sitting on the throne’! We hear that a ghost who shuffles paper is often been sighted here!
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| Memorabilia on display |
War medals,
a quill pen used by a former Pope, a bullet extracted from the thigh of Tom
Leslie who was injured in the Battle of the Light Brigade, Sir Winston
Churchill’s christening dress and old letters were on display in the living
room.
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| The family coat of arms |
In the
hallway is the coat of arms bearing the family motto “Gripp fast” indicating
the clan’s never-say-die attitude perhaps? The Scottish member of the clan,
Bartholomew Leslie was rescuing Queen Margaret of Scotland and fording a
river. He was riding the horse sitting
behind her and when the horse almost sank in the river he shouted,” Grip fast,
my buckle”. She held on to his buckle and was saved. And that became their
motto.
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| The dining room |
We walked
through the haunted gallery where people have seen a lady in a long dress walk
even in broad daylight... Come evening, the members of our group were anxious
to sleep in their friend’s rooms and imagined footsteps in the corridor.. It
was a night which we would remember for a long time! I slept with the lights
on, just in case some ghosts decided to make their appearance...
