The Headless Prisoner Who Never Left Scarborough Castle

High above the North Sea in Yorkshire, England, Scarborough Castle has a ghost with a frightening reputation. A headless man wanders the ruins, searching for people who stray too close to the castle’s edges. His name is Piers Gaveston, a powerful nobleman who was executed more than 700 years ago.

The castle stands on a rocky plateau, with steep cliffs dropping toward the ocean below. Gaveston’s ghost tries to lure visitors toward those dangerous drops. He has even been known to lunge at people near the old walls, trying to send them falling over the edge.

The Man Behind the Ghost

Piers Gaveston was one of King Edward II’s closest companions in the early 1300s. The king gave him wealth, power, and privileges that made other noblemen furious. Their hatred grew so intense that Gaveston was repeatedly forced out of England, only to return when Edward brought him back.

By 1312, several powerful earls had decided they were finished putting up with him. Gaveston fled north with the king as their enemies gathered forces against them. The two eventually separated, and Gaveston took refuge inside Scarborough Castle while Edward travelled to York.

Scarborough was a formidable fortress, but Gaveston was not prepared for a long siege. His enemies surrounded the castle and cut off his chance of escape. With supplies running low and little hope of rescue, he agreed to surrender on May 19, 1312.

The Earl of Pembroke promised to protect Gaveston and bring him south to face his political enemies. For a short time, it seemed the agreement might save his life. But while Pembroke was away, the Earl of Warwick’s men seized Gaveston and took him to Warwick Castle.

On June 19, 1312, Gaveston was taken to Blacklow Hill, where he was executed by beheading. His death came just a month after he had surrendered at Scarborough. His headless ghost returned to the fortress where he had made his final attempt to escape his enemies.

Strange Encounters Around the Castle

Visitors have experienced more than sightings of the headless man. People have heard unexplained laughter around the ruins and felt themselves being pushed when nobody was standing behind them. Another ghost wandering the grounds is a Roman soldier, whose presence takes the castle’s haunted history back hundreds of years before Gaveston arrived.

Castle employees have also experienced strange sensations near the Master Gunner’s House. The building dates from the early 1700s and stands within the old castle grounds. Staff have felt something strange around it, even when nobody was around.

There is also the Grey Lady, a woman who died of starvation while imprisoned. Her ghost wanders near the ancient walls, searching for the person she loved. She is another resident of Scarborough Castle who has never found peace.

Someone Was Walking Through the Fog

One evening around six o’clock, two castle employees were checking the grounds before closing. Only one family was still expected to be on the property. As one employee walked away from King John’s Hall, he noticed what looked like a pair of legs moving through the thick fog toward the sea.

He contacted the gift shop by radio to find out whether the family was still outside. They had already returned inside. He continued walking toward the person, but they remained just beyond his reach. The figure moved in the direction of the Sally Port gate, with the employee following behind. As he approached the brow of the hill, it suddenly disappeared. He reached the spot seconds later and found the path completely empty.

His colleague had been walking another route through the castle grounds. Nobody had passed that employee either, and there was nowhere nearby for the person to hide. The perimeter fence was visible, leaving the man staring at the empty ground where he had just watched someone walking.

Years later, he told a former castle custodian what had happened that night. The custodian recognized the encounter immediately and told him it was Piers Gaveston. The headless prisoner had been trying to lead him off the cliff in the fog.