Kent

Rochester Castle was one of the castles built in the first few years after the defeat of the Saxon King Harold by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Two hundred years later, the hegemony of the Normans still held sway and, in 1264, Rochester Castle was the subject of a dispute between the Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort, and the occupiers, Ralph de Capo and his fiancee Lady Blanche de Warenne. The occupiers seemed to be winning and the attackers in retreat, so de Capo lowered the drawbridge to pursue them. He was some distance from the castle when he chanced to look back only to be horrified at what he saw; he could make out a figure on the battlements that appeared to be his betrothed and she was being assaulted buy a man.

Ralph immediately gave up the chase and headed back to the castle. As he got nearer he could see the two figures more clearly; the woman was indeed his fiancee and the man was an old rival for her hand in marriage, Sir Gilbert Clare, an ally of Simon de Montfort's. Their struggle was obviously violent and Ralph was concerned that she would be killed before he could reach them, so he took his bow and fired at Sir Gilbert. Unfortunately, the arrow struck Lady Blanche through her heart and she subsequently died. On the anniversary of her death it is reported that her ghost, still with an arrow stuck in its chest, frequents the battlements. Others have heard her ghostly footsteps in the same area.

was one of the castles built in the first few years after the defeat of the Saxon King Harold by William the Conqueror at the Battle of Hastings in 1066. Two hundred years later, the hegemony of the Normans still held sway and, in 1264, Rochester Castle was the subject of a dispute between the Earl of Leicester, Simon de Montfort, and the occupiers, Ralph de Capo and his fiancee Lady Blanche de Warenne. The occupiers seemed to be winning and the attackers in retreat, so de Capo lowered the drawbridge to pursue them. He was some distance from the castle when he chanced to look back only to be horrified at what he saw; he could make out a figure on the battlements that appeared to be his betrothed and she was being assaulted buy a man. Ralph immediately gave up the chase and headed back to the castle.

As he got nearer he could see the two figures more clearly; the woman was indeed his fiancee and the man was an old rival for her hand in marriage, Sir Gilbert Clare, an ally of Simon de Montfort's. Their struggle was obviously violent and Ralph was concerned that she would be killed before he could reach them, so he took his bow and fired at Sir Gilbert. Unfortunately, the arrow struck Lady Blanche through her heart and she subsequently died.

On the anniversary of her death it is reported that her ghost, still with an arrow stuck in its chest, frequents the battlements. Others have heard her ghostly footsteps in the same area.

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