People

Thomas Skelton was the 'Fool' or Jester of Muncaster Castle and spent many hours of his time sitting under this tree. When a traveller passed by he would speak with them and decide whether or not he liked them.

If he didn't he would send them on their way in the direction of the nearby marshlands and quicksands where they would meet their peril.

Thomas's ghost haunts the castle to this day

Tom may have been a jester, but the local carpenter certainly wasn't laughing.

Under the orders of Sir Ferdinand Pennington, Tom chopped the carpenter's head off as a punishment for falling in love with Helwise, Sir Pennington's daughter.

Tom Fool died around 1600.

Most of the ghostly goings on in the castle are attributed to this fiendish fool!