I’m closing out my ghostly Mythical Monday posts for the month of October with the tale of an unfortunate boy who met his demise in Gilsland Castle, a forbidding stronghold located in northern England. What the poor lad did to deserve punishment has long been forgotten, but as a lesson for some misdeed, he was locked away in an empty upstairs room. Perhaps the austere atmosphere of the fortress itself was to blame, as you have to wonder about the type of parent or disciplinarian who would forget a child.
Sadly, the boy was kept in that frigid place too long, and froze to death.
For centuries afterward people have told of seeing a small nightgowned figure who roams the hallways, stopping at each chamber and seeking entrance. Still freezing, his teeth chattering and body trembling, the boy endlessly searches for an open door. When he finds one, he has been known to hover at the bedside of the occupant, whimpering softly as they sleep.
Should the person be ill, he is quick to end their suffering. Placing a small cold hand upon their flesh, he whispers “Cold, cold, forever cold. You shall be cold forever more.” With these words, and the ghostly touch of the child, the sufferer peacefully surrenders, eased from pain by the Ghost of Gilsland Castle.
Perhaps he worries they have been forgotten and neglected too…
From the Pen of Mae Clair 
Mae – I visited this castle during my higher education period at Nottingham University. I remember the old time exploring such places like Gilsland Castle, Longest stretch of Hadrian’s Wall and extensive remains of the Roman fort including a complete circuit of Walls and gates, granaries and parade block, and, at over two metres high, the longest continuous stretch of the Wall
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That’s awesome you got to see all of those sites, and actually went roaming around Gilsland Castle. I bet you have great memories of those places!
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Awww…I feel so bad for him! I don’t blame him for haunting! Even though he seems more like one of the good kind if he’s helping others 🙂
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I felt badly for him too, poor kid. Hopefully, one of these days he’ll decide he’s roamed the hallways long enough and find peace!
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What a horrible fate for the poor boy! No wonder he haunts the place. A pity he couldn’t find his peace and a bit of warmth in his afterlife, though. His punishment seems eternal.
Carmen
http://shadowspastmystery.blogspot.ro/
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It does, doesn’t it? The parents who left him sealed in that upstairs room are the ones who should be wondering the corridors. Hopefully, he’ll find rest soon!
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Poor little tyke.. I’m glad he’s able to alleviate his suffering momentarily by cooling the temperatures of fevered living people. It’s sad to picture him roaming around so cold all the time.
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I agree, such a sad ghostly story. I guess he’s still lingering in this world because he can’t find the warmth he wants. Terrible, terrible parents 😦
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I think stories of ghost children are by far the saddest and this one especially so…Can you imagine what it felt like to be so cold and forgotten?
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I know. What wretched parents to forget their CHILD!!! Seriously, who could do that? It’s almost better to think something dire happened to them, preventing them from reaching him, then to think they just abandoned him.
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That is so sad. Poor kid. I can’t believe parents could forget a child, but it happens still today where they leave kids in an overheated car. Maybe those parents should be sent to Gilsland Castle. Lovely post to end October with, Mae.
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From one extreme to the other with the heated car. So true, Gemma, and I like your solution….packing the parents off to Gilsland Castle! Thanks for dropping by! 🙂
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Super creepy story to end October. I hate being cold, so I feel for the poor ghost, cold all the time. Another good story, Mae.
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Hi, Mary. I hate being cold too. DH compares me to a tropical fish when it comes to temperature, LOL. Glad you enjoyed my “spooky” post!
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That poor boy, though I couldn’t help but think freezing to death might be a better way to go than rotting away in a room without food or water for weeks.. Morbid isn’t it?
The image of him still roaming the halls, his teeth chattering, is heartbreaking.
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It is heartbreaking. I feel so badly for him and so angry at the parents. You’re probably right about freezing vs. dying of thirst though. What a dreadful choice to have to make!
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