The Lane Leading To Mackworth Castle

Nobody is quite sure whether the gatehouse is the sole surviving part of a grand castle or evidence that construction of a castle was begun and then abandoned, leaving only an impressive hint of what it might have been.

The Castle That Never Was?

In the farmyard which lies behind the gatehouse, excavations have revealed the foundations of a large castle keep...

The Enigmatic Ruin - Folly Or Tantalising Historical Clue?

...though it is unclear if the keep itself was ever actually built. Mackworth Castle - sometimes referred to as 'The Castle That Never Was' - is a small mystery which awaits a solution.

At least two ghosts and a couple of repeated supernatural events are linked with this enigmatic structure. One of the apparitions is a woman, bent over and very old, dressed in old-fashioned clothing and a white apron. She is a friendly ghost who merely smiles and fades away. The other shade is a man dressed in green; he is seen loitering or passing the gatehouse.

On some days a strange and inexplicable mist moves through the entrance of the building and local people also describe regularly hearing the sound of a single horse being ridden in a 'fast and furious' fashion in the lane.