Mont Orgueil is an 800-year-old castle facing France on Jersey’s east coast. It has a host of legends and ghostly encounters attached to it – this is common with many such ancient buildings. However, the origins of these stories have been lost with time and have often been embellished over the years. Mont Orgueil has had its share of ghost hunters down the years and they have pinpointed hot spots in the castle which us guides can point out to our visitors.

But there are modern day, first-hand accounts too including several from the summer season just finished. Just a couple for your delectation:

• The castle Gardien, locking up the rooms in the Keep at the end of the day, clearly heard several footsteps on the nearby staircase. He called out that the castle was closing. The footsteps stopped and no one was in sight when he checked. On closing the outer door the remaining member of staff confirmed that no one had left recently.

• There lives in the castle a soldier called Sid, young though 400 years old, who is unhappy with his lot and who doesn’t want to be a soldier anymore. This related by a lady who chats to him, having a gift for this sort of thing.

There are others. But if you want ghosts, head to Kilmainham Gaol in Dublin, Ireland. Kilmainham is now a visitor attraction but it has a sorrowful history. Prisoners were routinely hanged in public view above the gaol entrance – there were about 180 in all. Fourteen of the ringleaders of the 1914 Easter Rising were shot there. No wonder the building is riddled with ghosts. The caretaker keeps in their good books by announcing, ‘Good morning lads’ on opening up and wishing them goodnight at the day’s end.