I recently went on a literary pilgrimage (trips/holidays taken by writers to places connected with their books) to The Manor House in Castle Combe as I based the building on my school in LAKEGRAVE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN.
Castle Combe in Wiltshire by Lauren Carter
It wasn’t until after the trip that I learned of the hauntings related to the village The Manor House sits in.
Although I was aware of how much of a ghost town Castle Combe is (besides the tourists, like myself), it was still surprising to see how empty it actually was – with no new buildings since the 17th century. Most of the houses seemed more for show rather than living, a photo opportunity for those visiting.
Since I could not stop thinking about it, I researched into it after the fact.
Most report of voices being heard throughout Castle Combe, sometimes even screaming at night. While I was there, it was hard to hear anything else but the clicks of cameras and the joyous buzz from the pub.
It is said also that the Romans lived there back in the 15th century, which doesn’t surprise me considering Castle Combe’s most famous ghost is a Roman centurion. Not much is known about him, except he is seen guarding the bridge. While the most well-known, there are a few other ghost sightings too. The miller being the second most mentioned ghost, who is sporadically seen running over the bridge and back to where the miller’s home is. In the graveyard, a young women wanders the grounds – and she is always described more pale than ghostly.
And it’s not just the town, but also the woods. Parsonage Wood sits above Castle Combe and has been a film location for movies such as The Wolfman and War Horse. It’s often commented on as a strange place. While no ghosts have been sighted in the forest, voices described as disembodied have been heard and all have been a variety of emotions. Some are more chatty, as if several people are having a conversation. Some are moaning, as if someone is in agony. And then there’s the screaming, most the time it being a single scream and then silence.
While the area is rich with the paranormal, it’s interesting that there is no sightings at The Manor House. The original Manor House was built in the 14th century, where a castle once stood (and was abandoned). It was then rebuilt between 1826 and 1830. With such a rich history, it’s a mystery as to why there is little to no information about potential ghosts, sightings, and noises. Maybe there is and it is simply overshadowed by the town and the surrounding woods. In my book, LAKEGRAVE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN, it’s a completely different story. Ghosts are everywhere in the halls.
Although the town and the woods itself isn’t present in LAKEGRAVE SCHOOL FOR YOUNG WOMEN, it’s certainly in the back of my mind for another book…
With all this new information about Castle Combe, I think I’ll have to return with ear plugs and night visits to the village, the bridge and woods in particular.
Sources:
Lakegrave School for Young Women Lauren Carter
Genre: Horror, Dark Academia, Historical Fiction
Date of Publication: 9th September 2025
ISBN: 9781739376444
ASIN: B0F74BRMC3
Number of pages: 237
Word Count: 54k words
Cover Artist: Grim Poppy Designs
Tagline: Lakegrave is unlike any other school
Book Description:
Here, we do not care where you are from or who you are. We care that you are women. And we care about your minds.
Lakegrave is unlike any other school. Hidden in the mountains of Scotland, it only accepts one bright woman per specialist subject. With no teachers and no curriculum, the self-taught establishment offers its students the tools to expand their skillsets to then go onto being masters in their fields.
When Raven and her cousin Rowan are accepted, they are excited to refine their crafts and converse with fellow classmates.
That is until students go missing.
Some come back but they are not as they once were. Something is off about them.
Something is misplaced.
So when fellow student Esme wants to investigate and invites Raven to join, they uncover that there’s much more to the school than they thought with chilling secrets kept tucked away in its history. But with ghosts stirring and the cohort decreasing, will any of them make it to graduation?
Excerpt:
There
isn’t much known about Lakegrave School for Young Women due to its remote
location and it being a new school, but it is the only school in the world
known for its unique education style—it’s completely self-taught. There are no
teachers, just one headmistress. The school only invites the best and brightest
women from across the globe to study there for one year before being scouted to
go on to their dream careers. This didn’t mean smart in absolutely everything
but a genius in our own field.
That
is the other unique thing—it also only invites one person per specialist
subject.
That’s
why Rowan and I were lucky enough to be accepted. Rowan is only just old enough
to attend at one and twenty years of age; I, on the other hand, have two years
on her. Luck was also on our side when we were encouraged to pursue different
hobbies instead of the same, otherwise we wouldn’t have been accepted
concurrently.
Leading
up to the school, I can only make out the tops of the building as the hedge has
overgrown so much. It’s as if the place has been neglected over the summer, if
not over the years. Such an odd notion for a new educational establishment but,
then again, it was something else before.
I
reach the main gate and see a crest at the top. In the middle, there is a sprig
of lavender and on each side of the shield are bees facing inward. This looks
like it’s been cleaned recently.
Couldn’t
say the same for the rest of the gate.
It
looks like it once was black, but it is brown now due to the rust. I don’t want
to touch it, so I nudge it open with my elbow and shut it again once I’m in.
It’s
called a school, but it would be better off compared to a castle, just like
every other boarding school that exists. The windows stretch tall and look like
they are modelled after a church. Although it is a fairly new build, its
appearance is like it has been designed as old-fashioned on purpose, fitting in
with something from the 1600s rather than the 1800s. And it almost looks like
it’s falling apart, the brickwork cracked and turning the walls into a darker
colour rather than its usual sand. It is preposterously big for a school that
doesn’t admit too many students. There is definitely some sort of beauty to the
building but for some reason, even in the daytime, it appears a little
ominous—as if the place is lifeless. It seems as though the garden has
overtaken everything as greenery and moss is growing alongside the building. To
the west of the school there are some greenhouses and to the east of the school
is a church.
The
ground crunches as I walk up to the building. There is a huge fountain which is
bordered by the driveway on either side but appears not to work, and a huge
statue coming out from the middle of it. I’m not that knowledgeable about Greek
gods but I know it’s Aphrodite.
It
seems fitting to have her standing guard over us.
I
pause by the front door, already hearing voices coming from within, so I grip
my violin case tighter and push the double doors inwards—letting them shut me
away for the next year.
About the Author: 
Lauren (she/they) is a library assistant by day and writer by night. She is the author of WHEN THE DEMONS TAKE HOLD and YOUR DARLING DEATH. She has published several short stories including: ALIVE, JUST with The Horror Tree, THE CHILDREN OF OWL WILDS with Haunted Words Press, and THE SACRIFICES WE MAKE with Rooster Republic Press.
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