Ghost Hunters International Season 1, Episode 5: Fortress of Fear

1

Chillingham

The team investigates England's Chillingham Castle.

2

Evil Unearthed

The Abbey at Lucedio, Italy and the Nanteos Mansion in Wales are investigated.

3

Whispers From Beyond

The GHI team arrives at the Ragged School, formerly an orphanage and currently abandoned. The structure shares a basement connection with a shop called Camera Obscura, whose employees no longer venture into the basement because of all their experiences.

4

Haunted Village

The team arrives in Pluckley Village, listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as "Europe's most haunted village." Their first stop is at the Black Horse Inn where owner Kevin Savidge gives them a tour, pointing out where people saw ghosts, including those of Will the Bailiff and a 7-year-old girl who was murdered. Next destination is Elvey Farm in England. The farm manager Simon Peek gives the team a tour of the farm, which was built in 1406, and its surroundings, including the famed Screaming Woods.

5

Fortress of Fear

The GHI team arrives in the Transylvania section of Romania, ready to investigate Citadel Rasnov, high in the mountains. The snow makes it difficult to drive, and they wind up walking up the last section of road with their equipment.

6

Headless Haunting

The GHI team arrives in Slovakia to become the first to investigate Orava Castle, where the classic silent film Nosferatu was shot. Upon arrival, they meet with Peter Palka, a local historian, who guides them through the structure. The team's next stop is Germany's Reichenstein Castle which was built in the 11th century. Caretaker Sandor Schmitz gives the team a tour while telling them the legend of Dietrich, lord of the castle, whose head was cut off. His decaptitated ghost is said to still haunt the structure, searching for its head.

7

Frankenstein's Castle

The GHI team is thrilled to be joined by Destination Truth host Josh Gates for their visit to the Castle Frankenstein in Germany. En route, Donna explains the castle was constructed 12 centuries earlier and fell into disuse in the 19th century. Mary Shelley's famous horror novel, Frankenstein, was based on the actual exploits of Konrad Dipple Von Frankenstein, an alchemist who performed experiments on dead bodies that he exhumed.

8

Larnach Castle

The team makes its way to what many believe is the most haunted site in New Zealand, Larnach Castle. With a long history of death, tragedy, scandal and suicide, Larnach Castle is believed to be haunted by all members of the Larnach family, who each occupied a portion of the estate. The patriarch supposedly keeps watch over the lower floor, while his daughter and wife make their presence known upstairs. The Ghost Hunters International team brave the wrath of the Larnach family and figure out who really is the keeper of the castle.

9

Devil Dog

It's so embarrassing when a fading entertainer refuses to leave the stage, but sometimes it can be down right frightening. The GHI gang spend a night in Wellington, New Zealand's St. James Theatre and Opera House to see if they can flush out some of the ghosts that supposedly occupy the site. Then, the team travels to the Woodchester Mansion in Woodchester Park, England. The mansion is still under construction, but the ghosts that occupy the deserted space are fully realized. Allegedly haunted by a host of paranormal personas ranging from a Victorian gentleman, an American soldier and a young woman, the mansion is teeming with supernatural activity.

10

Castle of the Damned

It's off to Ireland to explore the mysteries of infamous Charleville Castle. Built on the graves of people who were buried alive, and situated on an underground labyrinth, Charleville Castle was once rumored to be the scene of devil worshipping and ritual human sacrifice.

11

Shattered Spirit

The Ghost Hunters International team visits Bodelwyddan Castle in Rhyl, England. Shrouded in mystery and housing unidentified bones in its walls, the only thing certain about this castle is the presence of unexplained shadows and drifting figures through its long corridors.

12

Hauntings of South Africa

The team explores South Africa, and finds out about a prostitute named Charlotte who never properly checked out of the Nottingham Road Hotel in KwaZulu-Natal. Charlotte threw herself from a window, and has been a hotel guest for over 200 years. The team moves on to Nightmare Cave, the gravesite of an African civil war soldier. It's covered in graphic murals, and houses visible human remains and a ghost, quite possibly that of the deceased occupant's spirit. Nightmare Cave evokes anger and resentment in anyone who crosses through its stone expanses.

13

Tortured Souls

The team's the first ever to investigate the Predjama Castle, an ominous Slovenian national monument. Once a refuge site for the Luegg family, the castle is now home to a museum. Employees lock up long before dusk to avoid encountering the spirit of Robin Hood-like Erasmus, who is still trying to keep the castle stocked with food and supplies. Nobody has spent the night at Predjama for over 20 years, but that won't stop the team from confronting the keeper of this castle. The team then travels to another castle with a far more gruesome pedigree. The Bathory Ruins at Cachtice Castle in Slovenia, are home to the final resting place of prolific and infamous serial killer Elizabeth Bathory. Known as the Bloody Countess, Bathory terrorized, tortured and killed over 600 young women, using her royal connections to escape persecution. Bathory passed away in the castle in 1614, but visitors, particularly women, still feel her presence today.

14

Dracula's Castle

It's off to Romania's Banffy Castle, known as the Versailles of Transylvania. In it's prime, the castle was home to the Banffy family. Even with a war raging all around the castle, Miklos Banffy, refused to abandon his beloved home, and still makes his presence known today. Then the team travels to Poienari Castle to visit the residence of Vlad the Impaler, better known as the legendary Dracula. Seeking refuge from the Turks, Vlad surrounded himself by a forest of snakes and other obstacles to keep his attackers (and anyone else) at bay. The Impaler's wife threw herself out of a window. Details of his own death remain sketchy enough to propagate legions of rumors. His spirit remains a constant presence, watching over his castle.

15

Real Felipe Fortress

The team's the first ever to investigate the Predjama Castle, an ominous Slovenian national monument. Once a refuge site for the Luegg family, the castle is now home to a museum. The team then travels to another castle with a far more gruesome pedigree. The Bathory Ruins at Cachtice Castle in Slovenia, are home to the final resting place of prolific and infamous serial killer Elizabeth Bathory. Known as the Bloody Countess, Bathory terrorized, tortured and killed over 600 young women, using her royal connections to escape persecution. Bathory passed away in the castle in 1614, but visitors, particularly women, still feel her presence today.

16

City of the Doomed

While in Brazil, TAPS first investigated the Grande Hotel in Cambuquira, Brazil. Legend has it that a local priest cursed the town that the hotel resides in. The Grande Hotel is open for business, but guests tend to shy away from the location due to the frightening stories that surround the building. Apparitions of the restless souls are seen roaming the empty corridors and strange voices are regularly heard in the kitchen. After completing their work at the Grande Hotel, the team headed to Apa street's Little Castle. Fearful members of the surrounding community adamantly avoid the castle and claim to have seen apparitions of young Alvaro, the son of the aristocratic Reis family. Alvaro is said to have murdered his entire family within the estate. Visitors of the castle have claimed that they've heard the chilling voices of the Reis family echoing in the supposedly abandoned hallways.

17

A Call For Help

The international ghost hunters answered the call of a local Denmark investigative team, who needed help deciphering whether or not the historic Trekroner Fort in Copenhagen is haunted. The battles of Copenhagen in 1801 and 1807 were fought at this fort, and during each war; many soldiers died on the grounds. Presently the spirits are still suspected to lurk around in search of the unknown. While in Peru, the team sought answers as to whether or not Casa Garland, a family house, was haunted.

18

Restless Souls of Sweden

Investigator Joe Chin joins the team as they set out to examine one of the most notoriously haunted Inns of Sweden. The location was formerly a vicarage in 1876 and is allegedly haunted by the ghost of a chaplain's wife who was buried on the grounds of the property. Visitors of the inn have reported hearing strange noises, seeing objects move and glimpsing frightening apparitions of women walking along the grounds. After investigating the vicarage turned-inn, the team headed over to Varberg, Sweden, where they investigated the paranormal events surrounding the 800-year-old fortress of Varberg. The fortress was originally built in 1618 and was then used as a prison, and now currently serves as a museum. Many prisoners were condemned for life and buried on the grounds of the fortress and their spirits are said to still roam the space.

19

Buried Alive

The Ghost Hunters International team traveled to Denmark to uncover the truth behind paranormal activities at the Dragholm Castle. Various legends surround the location, including one story that entails the princess being buried alive in the walls by her father - who was enraged that she had fallen in love and gotten pregnant by a local peasant. In more recent times, the apparition (presumed to be the broken hearted princess) of a woman has been seen roaming the halls of the castle. In Rio de Janeiro the team investigated the Jose Bonifacio Cultural Center, which was constructed in 1877 and built on a slave burial ground. Many witnesses from the community have reported hearing the voices of the disturbed souls and the footsteps of people that are nowhere to be found. The center is allegedly haunted by a disgraced former Admiral for the Brazilian Navy because of the center's emphasis on African related history.

20

Unknown Soldiers

The team journeyed the distance to the Philippines to investigate the haunted Clark Hospital. Once occupied during WWII by the Imperial Japanese army and then seized in 1945 by the Americans, numerous soldiers have died in the hospital and their souls have yet to leave the grounds. To date, security guards of the buidling affirm that they've seen a full-bodied man with a skull for a face walking through the halls. Others attest to hearing voices, footsteps and sounds similar to crying heard in and around the pediatric ward of the building. For their second case, the investigators went to the Diplomat Hotel, which was first used as a monastery, then a sanitarium and a refugee torture camp for the Japanese. Workers and tourists claim to have seen the dark figure of a man who is completely black — with no visible face. Allegedly this man roams the grounds so often that many have grown accustomed to seeing him. Visitors of the hotel also claim to have seen the full-bodied apparition of various women in the Garden Chapel.

21

Spanish Scares

The team set out to investigate the Castillo Coracera in Madrid, Spain, which was constructed in the 14th century and is allegedly cursed. A Spanish admiral bought the castle in the 1920s and when his two brothers died in a plane crash he was said to have buried them in the walls. Since that time, people on the premises have made reports that they heard loud screams coming from that same area of the castle. Another eerie legend is based on the 1980s death of the last owner who was a member of the Occult. To date, it is still unknown as to whether or not he killed himself or was murdered. The team's next investigation took place at the Castel D'escales, which is a Medieval Castle that scholars believe was once used as a hideout for refugees who fled during the genocide of the Knights Templar. It currently operates in the summer as a bed and breakfast and no person who has stayed there has ever left without a story of an eerie encounter.

22

Ghosts In The City Of Lights

For their first investigation, the team researched the Chateau Lagorce, which was once home to many wealthy noblemen throughout the 19th century and was later seized by the Germans during World War II. The owner recalls seeing a shadow move across the wall and other guests have reported hearing voices throughout the building. Next, the investigators headed to the Paris Underground, which is reportedly known for its paranormal activity. According to Christopher Spence, the Underground researcher, the area was once used as a monk's monastery known as the Capucins Quarries. It was widely reported that they would see a green mist and then hours later someone from the group would die.

23

Karosta Prison

The team heads to Liepaja, Latvia's Karosta Cietums, a former military prison where they will try to unlock the tortured souls of the paranormal which are still caged inside.