IS SMEDLEY’S GOTHIC FOLLY HAUNTED – Riber Castle, Matlock, Derbyshire

Just because it looks spooky doesn’t mean it’s haunted!

Architectural style: Gothic

Built 1882 
Said Waifs: A blue lady and a military figure 

Dead Man’s Shoes – A disaffected soldier (Considine) returns to his hometown to get even with the thugs who brutalized his mentally-challenged brother (Kebbell) years ago. It is a psychological thriller that was filmed at Riber Castle. 

Riber castle in Derbyshire is a 19th century grade II listed Gothic style folly, built by John Smedley. It’s creepiness is more impressive now that it’s in a ruined state. You could be led to believe that the place is haunted, riddled with ghosts in-fact, stereotypically haunted by ‘The blue lady’ and the ghost of ‘A military figure’, witnessed by who? There are a couple of photos going around the internet of ‘ghosts in the window’ taken by some local ghost hunters. If you can be bothered to trawl Google images looking for them, I wouldn’t bother, they aren’t very impressive. Pareidolia is the only thing rearing its ugly head through its darkened windows (seeing human faces in shapes and patterns)also called matrixing in the US. It’s a great place to visit though, very photogenic in the right light.