Charles Fort

Charles Fort, a former British military station near Kinsale, which was erected in 1667 by the Duke of Ormonde was said to be haunted by the ghost of the 'White Lady'. The story behind this is as follows:

Shortly after the fort was built Colonel Warrender, a strict disciplinarian, was appointed its governor. He had a daughter named 'Wilful' who fell in love with and married Sir Trevor Ashurst. On the evening of their wedding day, as the happy couple were walking along the battlements of the fort, the bride saw some flowers growing on the rocks beneath. She expressed a wish for them, and a sentry posted close by volunteered to climb down to get them if Sir Trevor took his place during his absence.

Sir Trevor agreed, and took the soldier's greatcoat and musket while the latter went in search of a rope, and began his descent. Meantime, Sir Trevor, overcome by he excitement of the day, fell asleep. Along came the governor, making his customary rounds of the sentries and challenged the sleeping man. Receiving no answer, and realising the sentry was asleep on duty, the angry governor drew his pistol and shot him through the heart!

It was only on inspecting the body that he realised his mistake. When the young bride learned what had happened she rushed distractedly from the house and flung herself over the battlements. In despair at the double tragedy her father shot himself during the night.

The 'White Lady' is the ghost of the young bride. Major Black who was attached to the Fort, and served in the Peninsular War reported seeing the wraith in the early years of the nineteenth century. He used see the figure passing up and down the stairs. In 1880 Captain Marvell Hull and Lieut. Hartland were going from room to room in the fort when on a landing they were confronted by a woman in a white dress. She turned and looked towards them showing a beautiful, but colourless face, and then passed on through a locked door.

On one occasion in the same fort some officers found themselves flung down the stairs by an invisible force.