Type of ghost found in British castles and old houses. They are often the spirits of noblewomen who were murdered or died in tragic circumstances.
They are also widely known in France, where they are said to be very beautiful and found in the vicinity of bridges. The reason offered for this is that it was once the custom to offer young women as human sacrifices to the spirits of rivers so the spirit would allow people to cross in safety. As in Britain the white ladies have also been reported in castles, where they wander the passages and pathways, sometimes with a cup of poison in their hands.
The White Lady of the Hohenzollerns is a well-known German ghost who is often reported at a number of former royal residences in Germany, including castles at Berlin, Bechin, Neuhaus, Tretzen and Raumleau. The lady is said to be dressed in white, and to wear a widow’s band around her head. It is rumoured that she may be the ghost of Princess Bertha, who was cruelly treated by her husband, Baron Steyermark. She died in 1451 but her unhappy spirit cannot bring itself to leave.