The Ghost at Cape Town Castle

The Lady in Grey is one of the most often seen ghosts in the Castle. She is often seen with her hands covering her face, as though she is weeping. Sightings of her have also been made at Government House and some people say that there was once a passage linking the Castle and Government House. Recently the skeleton of a woman was found during excavations - perhaps those of the Lady in Grey - as she hasn't been seen since those bones were found! The ghost of Governor Noodt is also thought to haunt the Castle. He was a very strict governor of the Cape and disciplined his soldiers harshly for any wrong-doing. Four soldiers who were caught trying to escape were tried and sentenced to a beating and the deportation to Batavia. Without warning, this sentence was changed to the death sentence by Governor Noodt. Everyone thought that this punishment was far too harsh and very cruel, but van Noodt would not be moved. Just before their execution, their minister visited the four men and they prayed together. The following morning, the governor did not attend the execution, rather keeping to his own rooms. As the last man was being led forward to be hanged, he cursed Governor van Noodt and challenged him to appear before God and answer for what he had done. Then he too was hanged. When the officers went to tell Governor van Noodt that his sentences had been carried out, they found him dead - apparently of a heart attack - in his chair, an expression of fear on his face. It is said that his ghost still prowls the Castle at night.