Ghosts at the Craigdarroch/Dunsmuir Castle In Victoria, BC

Craigdarroch Castle, a single most expensive residence built in western Canada completed in 1890, was built for a Scottish coal baron and a railway tycoon Robert Dunsmuir [1825-1889] and his wife Joan Dunsmuir [1828-1908] . The Dunsmuirs had 10 children, which was quite common in those days.

Sadly, Mr. Dunsmuir passed away a year before the castle was ready to be moved in. After his passing, Joan , with her 2 daughters, left for Europe and left the matters of completing the castle to her 2 sons James and Alex.

Joan, with her 3 daughters and 2 grandchildren, who were orphaned after Joan's daughter Agnes and her husband passed away, moved in the castle in 1890.

Robert Dunsmuir left everything to his wife in his will, which angered his 2 sons.

To add fuel to the fire, Alex passed away in 1900 and left everything to his brother James, which caused his mother to file a lawsuit against James and the family drifted apart.

Joan Dunsmuir passed away in 1908 without a reconciliation with her son James. She left most everything to her living daughters in her will.

Businessman Solomon Cameron won the castle in a lottery and got the title to it in 1910, but he didn't want to live there. Even with a caretaker, the house was neglected, deserted and started to decay.

The bank foreclosed it in 1919, after which it was used as a military hospital for soldiers, A Victoria College, a music conservatory and offices for the school board staff.

Since 1979 the castle has been operated solely as a museum.

As beautiful and amazing as the castle is today, it is no wonder, that there is quite a lot of residual energy left over from all the people and places that once occupied it.

Psychic Medium Jennifer Von Behren feels that there is more residual energy there than paranormal activity., however she could see several ghosts still remaining in the castle.

She saw a military man standing by the main stair case and she picked up a female energy in the Living room/sitting room area.

She also picked up a female school teacher's spirit in the castle.

Jennifer heard a female spirit say that "mom" is here, so it could be that Mrs. Dunsmuir and one of her daughters is still around, especially on the 2nd floor ,where Mrs. Dunsmuir's suite was.

Jennifer can see a train bringing in soldiers and she also keeps seeing bunks, like hospital beds, which were from the 2nd to 4th floor.

In Robert Dunsmuir's room Jen could feel that he was sick and he is still present in his old room.

Jennifer feels that someone passed away in the garden.

The staff side of the house feels heavy and has a feeling of exhaustion.

The over all energy of the house feels heavy and not great to Jennifer. It almost feels " hollow" to her. She heard a female spirit say ,that the castle was more fun when it was empty. That is when it was more active and the ghosts hung out there more.

Walking thru' this beautiful castle there were definitely areas , where the energy felt heavy, especially on the 3rd and 4th floor of the servant side, but also in some of the rooms on the main side.

I was able to get several male and female responses on the voice recorder in the music room/sitting room, dining room, bedrooms, bath room by the bedroom, bedroom with a kitchen, large room on the 4th floor, tower, another bathroom and the servants room.

The Castle Society has done an amazing job restoring this beautiful and historic building.

Craigdarroch Castle was added to the National Historic Site in 1992.

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