Can I survive the night in Britain's most haunted castle?

As spooky season arrives, John Ellis braves a stay at chilling Chillingham Castle, where many a guest has fled in terror

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As I switched off the light and climbed into bed, I trembled with fear. I was spending the night with the ghosts and ghouls in Chillingham Castle in Northumberland, said to be Britain's most haunted pile.

I've loved all things spine-chilling for as long as I can remember. Horror films, ghost tours - I can't get enough. That said, lying in the dark where people regularly report experiencing the paranormal, I did begin to wonder what I'd got myself into.

Would there be a bump in the night? Only time would tell. But with Halloween just around the corner and spooky season in full swing, there was never a better time to find out.

Chillingham Castle, just north of Alnwick, dates back to the 13th century, although there's been evidence of occupation on the site for 4,000 years. It used to be a stronghold that protected England from Scotland and has seen its fair share of violence. That grim and grisly past seems to have clung to its walls.

TURBULENT

"Chillingham has had many turbulent times and a fair amount of Scottish prisoners met their end here," Richard Craig, Chillingam's ghost hunt guide, tells me.

"Then, when the castle moved into domestic matters and became more of a gentleman's manor, there were a lot of staff coming in and out, along with all the aggravations of the time.

"They have embedded themselves in the walls of the place too. Along with nearby burial sites, there seem to be lines of energy at Chillingham which make it a meeting place for the moved on."

Richard sees spooks all the time.