"The old mansion hidden in the trees was said to be haunted. Amongst the eerie claims were stories of lighted candles being seen in a mode of unexplained suspended animation along the mansion's top corridors. Furthermore, many people had claimed that they had been overwhelmed with a spine chilling experience when entering the Blue Room, on the first floor of the eastern wing of the big house.
Earlier in it's history, Aberglasney's Blue Room was a place where a great tragedy had occurred. It had been claimed that six maid servants had been found dead in their beds. The reason given for their deaths was asphyxiation and this could be attributed to the fumes emitting from the lime plaster mortar that had been used during a major reconstruction of the mansion at that particular time in 1630. Other reasons for the deaths have been speculated, one being that of arsenic poisoning from the wallpaper in the room, and another suggesting a blocked chimney, causing death by carbon monoxide inhalation.
Another ghostly incident concerning Aberglasney occurred in the thirties when the house was unoccupied. At the time ladders were used to reach the growth of ivy which had encroached on to the first floor windows of 'The Blue Room'. With my father holding the ladder at ground level, his assistant Albert Hallett climbed the ladder and attempted to remove the wall clinging growths around the windowsills. To his surprise Llewellyn Davies found that 'Bert' was sliding down the ladder in a state of fright, as he claimed he had seen Victorian dressed ladies peering out at him from inside the 'Blue Room'.
In November 1939, I experienced a strange vibratory sound inside the gardener's cottage. There was no rational explanation to this, and again the unexplained unnerving noise was regarded as one of the many mysteries associated with Aberglasney.
At this time I would be called upon by Mrs Williams to help close the upstairs sash windows of the mansion. This was a customary practice as it enabled the fully furnished mansion to be aired. As a seven year old boy, this was no mean task as it involved climbing the creaking stairways to the second floor. In her persuasive voice Mrs Williams would add; 'Hurry along, your legs are younger than mine', full knowing that I was nervous of going along the upper corridor, where others had claimed to have seen lighted candles sailing through the air. In the twilight gloom I would call upon my dog chum to accompany me, but this he would always desist, and with raised hackles, he would stand snarling at the landing near the stained glass window and would not budge from the place where he stood."
Idris Davies
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your comments
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Mr Rowland, suffolk.
Back in the 90's, a group of us used to go to Aberglasney when it was derelict. We explored the house and gardens, I've never felt as scared in my life, we never saw anything but the strange fear was overwhelming, we always went at night, the abandoned machinery lay in the grounds from workmen who fled in terror many years ago. Seeing the house now, it looks benign, I'll remember it how it was back then always! Terrifying!
Mon Jun 15 16:03:17 2009
Bethany Davies from Llanelli
I went here and I felt tempted to just turn around at the gate as I felt a presence.
Tue Apr 7 10:21:43 2009
Jan Fry, Llandybie
Twenty years ago, I and a friend camped overnight in the grounds at Aberglasney and entered the house at dawn. The ghosts of the maids appeared on the back stairs. They said they'd been shut into the room the night they died and their deaths had been murder. When we asked who did it they pointed to the figure of a man in black standing very close to us on the stairs. We screamed and I nearly broke my leg falling over things as we couldn't get out of there fast enough.
I've seen many things at Aberglasney, too many to mention. In the back right hand corner of the big hall was a place where if you stood cold came up your legs 'till you were almost paralysed. We used to go there from the art college and play a game of who could stand there longest till someone went into convulsions!
I should have said that I thought there was evil at Aberglasney but that it has changed since the gardens were done up, though the Yew tunnel should never have been touched.
Tue Mar 24 17:04:29 2009
Rhian of Llandybie
I went on a trip to the woods in Tregib with school and saw the remains of the mansion. Didn`t find it that scary until I read these stories tho.
Tue Oct 16 14:46:18 2007
Conor Davies from Gorslas
Right, I was absolutely 100% scared when I went there it was just after 6 o clock but I felt a bit ill but I could have sworn there was some faint lights coming from the room with a ladder to get in!
Fri May 11 10:03:39 2007
Don, Llandeio
I tended the grounds there before the restoration and the trust took over. I spent almost 8-10wks cutting back the undergrowth and thinning the ash saplings. During that time I saw Aberglasney in many moods, the thunder-storm over the valley was awesome, a muli-cell storm that 'lifted' the spirits.
Many times throughout my work there, I felt as though I was being watched, even thought I heard someone call my name. One of the greatest horrors, for me, is the 'Destruction' of the old, arched Yew Tunnel (apparently, one of the oldest in Britain). What a dam shame it was hacked, that was one of the best features of the main house. I have been back there since it has been opened to the public, although it is still eerie, it was better when nature had it.
Tue May 8 09:52:47 2007
Connor Davies from Carmarthen
I've only been there once but I could have sworn that somebody breathed on my shoulder just after they put the lights on in the house
Tue Apr 10 10:57:17 2007
Ms Jones Carmarthen
Oooo, having been in the gardens at Aberglasney on many occasions...No-one could convince me that there are not spirits of some sort there..Strange breathing sounds,candle light passing by windows and shadows in the trees at the back of the main building.All very odd. You do need nerves of steel to be there at dusk.
Thu Mar 8 09:52:27 2007
Kristian Richens from Drefach
I used to attend Tregib School, I visited the woods surrounding Aberglasney House many times, its a very scarey place even during the day.
From the woods looking at the house, try looking at the top floor middle window and you will occaisonally see a ghostly figure looking back at you and also you might see candles burning in through the window.
Mon Feb 12 09:44:10 2007
Tony from Carmarthen
My friends and I spent a couple of nights there a few years before the renovation. There is definitely something there. We all had some sort of eerie experience happen to each of us. I've been there since the renovation, and it is lovely, but I preferred the atmosphere before. The food is better now though.
Wed Oct 18 14:14:52 2006
Roger, Llandybie
When in 6th Form at Tre-Gib School, we used to hang out there every day or so. We even tried to spend the night! This was obviously before the renovations, and I can definately confirm, that Aberglasney is a fascinating place that seems to be haunted. Not many people have the guts to spend the night, too much happening to be untrue - we even climbed to the blue room, didnt last long, every one started feeling sick and wanted to leave.
Fri Sep 1 13:44:57 2006
Mary Sharpe from Surrey
There certainly is something about Aberglasney ... ghosts or not, it is one of my most favourite places in the world, and I can't wait to go again.
Wed Jun 14 09:17:34 2006
Alec, Carmarthen
I have been to Aberglasney quite recently i parked up in the car at night looked over the grounds and i have seen a shadow of a man just standing there...i believe it is the scariest places around south west wales....
Wed Mar 15 19:01:44 2006
Mary Alice Davies, Houston, Texas
I visited the Aberglasney House for the first time in 2004. I was fascinated with the stories of the house but when I arrived I had this feeling that a presence was all around and someone was looking at you from the windows. I did not go into the house and stayed in the gardens which left me breathless. My husband is from Wales so I think he was use to all the stories that were told. Although we have a few ghostly tales here in the US it is nothing compared to the feeling I had at Aberglasney House.
Wed Dec 28 17:53:26 2005
Janine Evans llanelli
My husband used to visit the house before any restoration took place. He told me some very scary stories for example there is a tree tunnel in the grounds that ledend says if you walk through it backwards you would die. He also told me that they also saw lights in windows and shadows moving around the house. I have recently visited the gardens myself but was unable to go inside the house due to continuing restoration but have to say the building is very spookey and I look forward to future visits.
Sun Nov 13 15:15:22 2005
Anj from Perth, W Australia
I visited that place once. In the early 70s . . .nothing on this earth would persuade me to ever go back. I was never so scared in all my life. It was totally derelict then. I kind of wish it had been left that way. It should have been.
Wed Sep 14 12:25:29 2005
Hollie, Swansea
All my friends were talking about Aberglasney and how the house has been on most haunted on Living Tv. We were all interested in finding out more so took a trip down there. The scariest time ever. No joke. After our visit I am sure to say we will not be returning there anytime soon.
Sat Aug 27 19:32:31 2005
Marie, Llandybie
Next summer I'm having my wedding photos taken in the gardens. I hope the photographer will catch summat unexplainable in the background.
Thu Aug 11 23:04:25 2005
Haz from Carmarthen
I grew up not far from Aberglasney and my friends used to live in a small cottage at the edge of the estate. I spent most of my childhood over there exploring the local area and going round the mansion and gardens before they were renovated. The house itself was scary and possibly haunted, but it was nowhere near as scary as the outhouses around it. They had a very strange "presence" about them, and one of the most frightening memories from my childhood was exploring those buildings and the gardens late at night. Although now the whole area has a much nicer athmosphere thanks to constant human presence, before it definitely felt of somewhere which had been neglected.
Wed Jul 20 20:50:38 2005
Roger Evans, North Yorkshire
I spent my early childhood at Aberglasney. No doubt there was a spirit presence there as I used to talk as a child to a spirit who lived in the ruined part of the house.
Thu Apr 28 11:52:57 2005
Adelle Slattery Middleton, manchester
I think that these ghost stories are true, though I would like to see it with my own eyes. This is a really interesting story and I enjoyed reading this.
Mon Apr 25 10:24:02 2005
Nicola from Penygroes
I went to Aberglasney on a trip and felt that something was following me, absolutely fascinating.
Thu Dec 2 11:40:31 2004
Aston Griffiths (Up The Road From Aberglasney)
There are ghosts roaming around my house. They must be from the gardens...Can't sleep!
Wed Dec 1 02:05:49 2004
Helen, Llandeilo
My late Great Aunt was a caretaker at the house in the 30's and 40's, and she believed the house to be haunted. Once, when cleaning the bathroom she said that someone whispered in her ear and stroked her hair, and when I was younger she would often take me to house and we would walk around the gardens. She would have loved to see the house being restored.
Thu Sep 23 01:10:53 2004
Miss Robinson , Halifax, West Yorkshire
The first time I heard about Aberglasney House, was on Most Haunted and having watched the series and bought the dvd on it I am an absolute believer in ghosts and I do think that there is something at Aberglasney House.
Sat Aug 28 13:09:00 2004
What do you think about these ghost stories? Share your verdict here.
Idris Davies of Swansea writes about the ghosts stories of Aberglasney House. With his father a gardener on the estate Idris spent much of his childhood there:
