Guy the Seeker and Dunstanburgh Castle, Near Embleton, Northumberland

Dunstanburgh castle sits high on a lift top over looking the sea. The castle was originally built in 1316 by Thomas Earl of Lancaster and enlarged by John of Gaunt. This castle was once a proud stronghold; however, by the 16^th Century it had fallen into decay.

Sir Guy the Seeker was a gallant Knight who one day was riding the Northumberland coast and got caught in a storm. He was desperate for shelter and he saw in the distance the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle. He led his horse up to the ruins and took refuge underneath the ruined turrets of the gatehouse. As the storm got worse the wind howled through the nooks and crannies of the castle walls.

A hideous figure appeared before him and asked him to follow him to a sight of ‘beauty bright’. Sir Guy led his horse up a winding staircase into a room that was filled with sleeping knights and their horses. In the centre of the room was a crystal casket and inside it was a sleeping maiden. On either side of her were two serpents, one of them was had a horn and the other had a sword. The spectre told him that to wake the lady he would have to choose whether to blow the horn or use the sword, Sir Guy thought about it and decided to blow the horn. Suddenly all of the sleeping knights came to life and rushed at him, he then fainted. As he fell into unconsciousness he heard a voice in his head saying ‘shame on the coward who sounded a horn and the knight who sheathed a sword.’

When he awoke he was lying beneath the ruins of the gatehouse. From that day he was determined to find the sleeping maid again, so he searched the castle high and low and never again found that room. He died a broken and lonely man.

On windswept and stormy days his ghost is said to wonder the castle looking for the ‘beauty bright’