Haunted Victoria Canada Castles and Museums
Ghosts at Hatley Castle,Craigdarroch Castle and Maritime Museum
Apr 27, 2007
Old Town Victoria
In the heart of Victoria there is an area named Old Town and it is believed to be the most haunted section of the city.
Helmcken Alley and Bastion Square Victoria
Helmcken Alley is a series of brick arches leading to Bastion Square. The old jail was located beside the alley and convicted criminals were hung at the gallows in the adjoining courtyard. Sometimes rattling chains and the sound of footsteps can be heard. There have been sightings of a man dressed in prison clothes following people down the alley. It is believed that this prisoner was beaten to death by a prison guard who was escorting the man to the gallows. The jail was torn down in 1885.
Maritime Museum of Canada
The Maritime Museum of Canada, once the Provincial Court building, is built on the site of the original gallows. The bodies of the hanged men were buried beneath this building. Sightings of Sir Matthew Baillie Begbie, nicknamed the “Hanging Judge”, have been reported. His ghost is also seen at Ross Bay Cemetery where he is buried.
Helmcken House Victoria
Helmcken House is located next to the Royal BC Museum in the downtown core and is one of the oldest homes in Victoria. It was originally owned by Dr. Sebastian Helmcken, a surgeon who eventually became a statesman. When he contracted an incurable disease, his daughter known as Aunt Dolly, entertained him by playing the piano. The house is now a museum and visitors have heard piano music though nobody is playing it. On occasion, the ghosts of Dr. Helmcken and Aunt Dolly have been seen at the piano.
Point Ellice House Victoria
Point Ellice House is an elegant Victorian house once owned by Gold Rush Magistrate Peter O’Reilly and remained a family home for 125 years. The family was part of Victoria’s high society and hosted many gatherings. The house is now a museum and several ghosts have been sighted. One is named the “lady in the blue dress” and it is believed to be Kathleen O’Reilly, the unmarried daughter who lived at the house until she died at 87 years old.
Hatley Castle Victoria
Hatley Castle was built in 1908 for James Dunsmuir who was the Premier and Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia and his wife Laura. In 1930, it was sold and the new owners began to see the ghosts. The spirit of James Jr who was killed in World War I is seen dressed in his military uniform and rising from the lake near the Japanese Gardens. When Hatley Castle was turned into a military academy, the ghost of Laura Dunsmuir started to appear. It is alleged that she would pull the cadets out of bed and there were sightings of tiny old woman. The ghost of Annabelle, a servant who jumped from a window after a love affair, can be seen near the window where she leapt to her death.
Craigdarroch Castle Victoria
Craigdarroch Castle was built in the 1890s for wealthy coal baron, Robert Dunsmuir and his wife Joan. Piano music in the ballroom and the smell of candles have been detected. The ghost of Joan Dunsmuir has been sighted in her bedroom. For some reason, only in winter, the apparition of a woman dressed in white has been seen in the ballroom window.
If you plan to visit Victoria, be sure to check out the Ghostly Walking Tours. It is one thing you cannot miss!
Related Articles on Haunted Places in British Columbia:
Victoria: Haunted Graveyards and Golf Courses
Victoria: Haunted Hotels and Shops
Victoria: Haunted Restaurants, Theaters, and Parks
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