There’s way more going on at Hatley Castle, the landmark at Royal Roads University, than academic study and scholarly endeavors, a report by occult specialists suggests.

Some staff at the castle wondered if the building was haunted and a report on an overnight visit by occult investigators last fall seems to confirm those suspicions.

“When we first arrived inside the castle, I saw a grayish mist...on the staircase in the main foyer area — it appeared to have a long skirt,” said one of five investigator in the report.

“In the basement, I heard the sound of drums. I felt the spirit down there was male and connected to the military.”

The finding was part of a report by B.C. SPIRITS, a Vancouver non-profit organization that investigates ghostly encounters, which RRU released to the Times Colonist.
Hatley Castle was built by coal baron James Dunsmuir in 1908 and later became part of a military college. The six investigators turned up signs of various male and female spirits, areas of strong energy in some rooms and the sounds of knocking from other areas. They were accompanied by technicians and RRU staff on Sept. 30, 2006, between 10:10 p.m. and 3:30 a.m.

Data were collected with still and video cameras, and recorders for sound and temperature. They checked that there were no other people in the castle prior to the tour. There was “a very strong energy” resonating in the third-floor boardroom, said the report.

Shortly after midnight, an investigator looking at photos heard whispering, which he said didn’t come from anyone in his group. When one of the group called out, “If there is anyone present, would you please give us a sign?” there was the sound of “distinct knocks” that seemed to respond whenever the question was repeated.

One of the investigators began to feel very warm to the point where she felt feverish. As minutes passed, she returned to normal.

On the fourth floor, an investigator felt “a male presence watching us.”

Up in the billiard room, one investigator spotted a little girl in the corner wearing a hat with a ribbon on it. Another felt a male’s presence there she said was named Robert.
Outside the castle, an investigator heard the sound of horses while another heard the clanging of a bell.

RRU spokeswoman Stephanie Slater, who accompanied the investigators, said she’s not surprised at the contents of the report because it reflects what she heard and saw that night.
“It certainly doesn’t surprise me,” she said. “They want to come back and do another investigation next fall so we’ll certainly accommodate them.”

There have been many people working and living in the castle over the years and there is talk of suicides and untimely deaths. Slater suggests it would be a “fun project” for someone to try to connect the reports findings’ with actual occurrences and names.

“We haven’t looked into the history. The names of the servants wouldn’t be something that we would know. “We try to support research of all kinds and these folks are very dedicated to trying to research this phenomenon.”

The article above was found on Google and was published originally on Canada.com