AS part of our countdown to Halloween, RACHEL FLYNN looks into the haunting past of our area’s most historic castle

PART TWO:   Are spooky south Cumbria sightings proof of ghosts?

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TALES of an evil ghost have remained a part of a castle’s history for hundreds of years.

Tom Fool, also known as Thomas Skelton, is Muncaster Castle’s most famous ghost.

He was the court jester at the castle and reputedly the last in England.

There are many stories surrounding Tom Fool but he was said to be a dark character responsible for a number of deaths.

He died around 1600 and his portrait still hangs in the castle today.

One story which has circulated for many years describes how Tom would often be found under the chestnut tree, just outside the castle doors.

The castle’s marketing manager, Andy Chafe, said: “Like everybody at that time he had to compete massively for popularity and it is ironic that he would sit by the tree and if he liked someone who asked for directions he would give them the right route, if he didn’t, he would send them down the wrong route. Probably to their death or other major discomfort. He might have thought it was funny but generally other people wouldn’t.”

Tom Fool has been an integral part of Muncaster and is thought to be where the saying “stop fooling around” comes from.

Throughout the year people can spend a night inside the castle, looking out for any of the mysterious ghouls which are said to lurk there.

Mr Chafe added: “There is an amazing array of alleged ghosts and every year we pick a storyline for our Halloween ghost tours. Whenever our computers are playing up we always blame Tom Fool, we basically blame anything that goes wrong here on Tom Fool.”

Another story which often comes up during the castle’s ghost tours describes how a man who was admiring the picture of Tom Fool heard footsteps on a stone floor come up behind him. When he turned around, there was nobody there – and the floor hadn’t been stone for a number of years.