Brecon Beacons, Powys
Craig-y-Nos carries the weight of two distinct eras of occupation, and its paranormal activity reflects this dual heritage. The most frequently reported presence is that of Adelina Patti herself. Staff and visitors have encountered a white or grey female figure in and around her beloved theatre, the very space where she once commanded audiences with her legendary voice. The figure has been seen gliding through corridors and standing at the foot of beds, a silent observer from another age. The opera star's attachment to Craig-y-Nos ran deep - she spent over forty years here, and her body was embalmed in the castle's cellar before its final journey to Paris. That cellar, with its stone embalming slab, remains one of the castle's most active paranormal locations. Visitors report overwhelming feelings of presence and temperature drops that cut through clothing. The sanatorium era left an equally powerful imprint. Between 1922 and 1986, hundreds of patients - many of them children - lived and died within these walls. The Top Children's Ward, designated Ward 2, generates the most consistent reports. Investigators and visitors describe hearing children's laughter echoing through empty corridors, the unmistakable sound of a ball bouncing against floors and walls, and persistent coughing - the characteristic symptom of the tuberculosis that claimed so many young lives here. Full apparitions of children have been witnessed, small figures seen briefly before vanishing. Former patients who survived their time at Craig-y-Nos have contributed their own memories. Ann Shaw, who was treated at the sanatorium in the 1940s-1950s, documented childhood experiences of unexplained figures in ward areas and the pervasive sense of fear that settled over patients after dark. A plaster storage room off the ward took on sinister dimensions in young imaginations, its shadows forming shapes that terrified bedridden children. CCTV footage from Ward 2 has captured what some claim to be an unexplained figure moving through the frame. Spectral nurses have been seen walking their rounds decades after the hospital closed, while footsteps echo through corridors where no living person walks.
Adelina Patti (the 'White Lady' or 'Patti ghost'), Ernesto Nicolini, spectral nurses, phantom children from the TB sanatorium era, hostile spirit in kitchen/cellar areas
The kitchen and pantry areas of Craig-y-Nos have produced some of the castle's most dramatic paranormal incidents. During a filming session at the property, a pan reportedly flew off the cooker with considerable force - not sliding or falling, but actively launching across the kitchen. This area, located in the lower levels of the castle near the cellars, has developed a reputation for harbouring a hostile presence. Investigators describe feelings of aggression and resistance that differ markedly from the melancholy atmosphere elsewhere in the building. The Adelina Patti Theatre generates frequent witness accounts. The space retains its Victorian grandeur - painted ceilings, gilded decorations, intimate seating arranged to focus attention on the stage where Patti once performed. Visitors have reported seeing a female figure in white near the stage area and in the wings, standing motionless as if waiting to perform or watching an invisible audience. Staff members have encountered unexplained temperature drops that seem to follow movement through the auditorium. Ward 2 remains the epicentre of paranormal reports. Former patients recall the terror of nights spent in beds surrounded by the sound of other children coughing, knowing some would not survive. The ward's current investigators have documented children's laughter that rises and falls unpredictably, ball-bouncing sounds that travel along corridors, and small figures seen at the periphery of vision. One investigator described watching what appeared to be a child-sized shadow move between beds before dissolving into nothing. The cellar area where Patti was embalmed affects visitors physically. Reports describe sudden breathing difficulties, chest tightness, and an overwhelming sense of being observed. The stone slab where her body was prepared remains in place, a tangible connection to the documented historical event. Mediums and sensitives brought to this location frequently report contact with a female presence who expresses strong attachment to the property. Corridor sightings of phantom nurses continue to be reported. These figures appear in the uniform styles of different decades, suggesting multiple spirits from the sanatorium's 64-year operational period. They walk their rounds with purpose, checking rooms that no longer hold patients, maintaining routines that death did not interrupt. The main staircase serves as another hotspot, with footsteps ascending and descending when no visible person is present.
World-famous opera singer Adelina Patti made Craig-y-Nos her beloved home for over forty years. Her spirit remains tied to the castle, appearing as a luminous white figure near the theatre she built and the cellar where her body was embalmed after death.
Built c.1840s - 19th century Victorian country house
Private residence, later expanded as the personal home of opera star Adelina Patti
Craig-y-Nos Castle stands as one of Wales's most historically layered properties, with a story that spans Victorian grandeur, medical innovation, and profound human tragedy. The original structure was built in the 1840s as a modest country house, but its transformation began in 1878 when the world-renowned soprano Adelina Patti purchased the estate. Patti was no ordinary owner. Born in Madrid in 1843 to Italian opera singers, she became the most celebrated soprano of her era, commanding astronomical fees and performing before royalty across Europe and America. She invested heavily in Craig-y-Nos, expanding the castle significantly and adding a private opera theatre - a miniature replica of Drury Lane's Theatre Royal - completed in 1891. This 150-seat theatre allowed Patti to perform for intimate audiences of friends and dignitaries without leaving her Welsh retreat. The castle became a hub of high society, hosting luminaries and aristocrats who travelled to this remote corner of Powys to witness private performances by the greatest voice of the age. Patti lived at Craig-y-Nos with her third husband, the Swedish-born tenor Ernesto Nicolini, whom she married in 1886. The couple entertained lavishly until Nicolini's death in 1898. Patti herself died at the castle on 27 September 1919, aged 76. Her body was embalmed in the castle's cellars before being transported for burial at Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. In 1922, just three years after Patti's death, the castle was converted into the Adelina Patti Hospital, a tuberculosis sanatorium. For over six decades, the castle served as a place of treatment - and all too often, death - for TB patients, including many children. The sanatorium closed in 1986, and the property underwent restoration before reopening as a hotel and events venue.
Victorian Gothic Revival with significant later additions, including the ornate Adelina Patti Theatre featuring a painted ceiling, gilded decorations, and intimate auditorium seating. The castle retains period features from both its grand private residence era and its institutional hospital period.
Full-bodied apparitions of Adelina Patti, children, and nurses. Children's laughter and voices. Bouncing ball sounds. Coughing sounds. Unexplained footsteps throughout corridors and staircases. Objects moving or being thrown, including kitchen equipment. Cold spots with sudden temperature drops. Feelings of presence and being watched. Breathing difficulties in cellar area. Tables and chairs moving position. High-pitched unexplained noises. Strong electromagnetic and ITC readings during investigations. CCTV footage anomalies.
Top Children's Ward (Ward 2) - the former tuberculosis ward for children generates the most consistent paranormal reports, including children's voices, laughter, bouncing ball sounds, and full apparitions. Adelina Patti Theatre - the private opera theatre built in 1891, where the ghost of Patti herself is most frequently seen. Cellar/Slab Room - the location where Patti's body was embalmed, known for oppressive atmosphere and breathing difficulties. Kitchen and Pantry Areas - lower level rooms where aggressive activity has been documented, including objects being thrown. Hospital Corridors - former ward corridors where phantom nurses are seen and footsteps are heard. Main Staircase - regular reports of unexplained footsteps and movement.
Former patient Ann Shaw documented her experiences from the 1940s-1950s, describing the fear that permeated nights on the children's ward and the tricks light and shadow played in spaces like the plaster storage room. Her blog records generations of patient memories and ghost stories passed down through families connected to the sanatorium. Paranormal investigation teams have documented their findings extensively. The Rugeley Supernatural Society recorded multiple incidents during their investigation, including the kitchen pan incident during filming and consistent activity in Ward 2. Investigators reported breathing difficulties in the cellar area and documented unexplained readings on electronic equipment. Ghost hunting groups who hold regular events at the castle consistently report similar phenomena - children's voices in the ward areas, a female presence in the theatre, and hostile energy in the lower kitchen and pantry spaces.
Craig-y-Nos hosts regular ghost hunting events and organised paranormal investigation nights. The Rugeley Supernatural Society conducted a documented investigation that recorded multiple incidents, including the kitchen pan event during filming. The castle's reputation has attracted numerous paranormal research groups who have documented EMF readings, EVP sessions, and visual anomalies. Countryfile featured the castle and its ghost tours, bringing wider attention to its haunted reputation. The property actively promotes its paranormal history through organised ghost hunt experiences that allow visitors access to the most active locations, including the theatre, Ward 2, and cellar areas.
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📅 Sample dates:2026-01-27 to 2026-01-29 • 2 adults
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Paranormal Tip: Book rooms near top children's ward (ward 2) - the former tuberculosis ward for children generates the most consistent paranormal reports for the best chance of supernatural encounters!
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Wales Fforest Fawr
Status: Operating
Regular ghost hunting events and organised paranormal investigation nights. Ghost tours exploring the theatre, Ward 2, and cellar areas. The castle can be booked for private paranormal investigations and group events.
The castle is set within the Brecon Beacons National Park. Historic building with multiple levels - accessibility may be limited in certain areas due to the building's age and hospital-era layout.
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Craig-y-Nos Castle stands at the heart of one of Wales's most haunted regions. This guide covers the castle's TB sanatorium ghosts, nearby supernatural sites in the Brecon Beacons, and practical information for paranormal visitors.
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Craig-y-Nos Castle transformed from a Victorian country house into the extravagant home of the world's most celebrated opera singer, before becoming a tuberculosis hospital where hundreds of children spent years in isolation. This layered history of glamour, tragedy and death has left an indelible mark on the Welsh castle.
Read HistoryBook your stay and experience Adelina Patti - The White Lady and other supernatural activity firsthand. Many guests report paranormal encounters during their visits.