2349

Anne Boleyn. When she was found guilty of witchcraft and adultery, she was sent to the Tower to be beheaded. 5 - ? Among the other famous ghostly inhabitants of the Tower are : Guy Fawkes; Sir Walter Raleigh; Lady Jane Grey; Thomas Becket; and the young princes Richard and Edward who were confined in the tower before disappearing - they are believed to have been murdered on the orders of their uncle, the sinister Richard III.

There are quite a few companies offering tours of London’s spookier side. Among those to look out for is the one fronted by Richard Jones, Britain’s ghost guru. 6 - ? He is credited with an encyclopaedic knowledge of supernatural Britain and is said to be well able to convey the flavour of a classic ghostly yarn.

Conclusion

Lovers of the paranormal have a veritable feast awaiting them with a visit to Britain’s capital city. When night falls, modernity is banished and the past can seem to seep into the present as the ghosts come out to play.

http://www.spookystuff.co.uk

3.Read the article again and fill in the sentences (A-G) which best fit each paragraph (1-6). There is one extra sentence which you do not need to use.

A. A bemused clerk told her the whole story and the shock seems to have unhinged her mind.

B. A phantom monk has also been known to make appearances here.

C. Her ghost has often been seen here – sometimes with a head and

sometimes without.

D. Many Scottish castles were built between the 13th and 17 centuries. E. Jones is well-known for his many television appearances.

F. Security guards had been puzzled because doors were being found open in parts of the building where no one was present.

G. The ghost seen most often is that of a woman known as the Black Nun.

4.For questions (1 – 4), choose the correct answer (A, B or C).

1.The ghost of a finely-dressed woman regularly visits a) 10 Downing Street;

b) the Bank of England; c) Windsor Castle.

2.The Black Nun visits the Bank of England because

13

a)she worked as a clerk in the bank;

b)to enquire about her brother;

c)to take a large sum of money.

3.Hampton Court Palace is haunted because a) Edward VII committed suicide there;

b) it used to be Henry VIII’s residence;

c) people with cameras wait for ghosts there.

4.Ann Boleyn was sent to the Tower of London by a) Richard III;

b) Richard Jones; c) Henry VIII.

5.Explain the words in bold, then give synonyms for the highlighted words in Ex.2.

6.Look at the pictures. What do these places have in common? Where do you think they are? In what context might you find these words in the texts in Ex.7?

Invade; palace; defeat; kingdom; conquer; prison; protect; fortress; execution; tower; ghost; to be lived in.

7. Look at the title of the text. What do you think the text is about? What amazing facts of Russian buildings do you know? Read the text and make a list of things that make these castles amazing.

Amazing facts

The first castle in Britain was built by William the Conqueror. In 1066, William invaded England and defeated King Harold at the Battle of

14

Hastings. He then became King William I of England and later in history he got the name of William the Conqueror. However, William did more than just conquer the country. Under his rule, the country was built in a different way. New laws were made and castles were built. William needed to show his power and protect his new kingdom.

One of the most famous castles started by William the Conqueror is the Tower of London. The Tower has been many things during its long history: a fortress, a palace, a prison, a place of execution, and even a zoo. Today, it’s a historical museum.

About 1,200 castles were built in Britain in the 11th and 12th centuries. The grandest of them were built during Edward I’s reign (1272-1307) in Wales.

Many Scottish castles were built between the 13th and 17 centuries. They were tower houses, square buildings five or six floors high with tower on top. One of the most famous Scottish castles is Glamis. It is said to have more dark secrets and ghosts than any other castle in Scotland.

Leeds Castle is one of Britain’s most picturesque castles. It sits on two small islands in a beautiful lake. It’s almost 1,000 years old.

Of course, we all know that Harry Potter’s school, Hogwarts, doesn’t really exist. But the first two films took place in a real castle! Alnwick Castle is situated about 80 miles south of Edinburgh. Some parts of the castle were built as early as 1096. The castle is still lived in!

8.Read the text and match the headings (1-9) with the correct paragraph (A-J). There is no heading for one of the paragraphs. Entitle it yourself.

1.Fire

2.Ghosts

3.Great Kitchen

4.History

5.King Henry VIII Gate

6.Norman Tower and Moat Garden

7.Quadrangle

8.Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House

9.Round Tower

Windsor Castle

Windsor Castle is one of the oldest and biggest lived-in castles in the whole world. And it’s one of the official residences of Queen Elizabeth II.

15

In fact, the Queen likes Windsor Castle more than Buckingham Palace and often spends weekends and holidays there.

Pic. 15

A.

Windsor Castle is English history in a nutshell, and what a majestic nutshell it is! The site has been the official residence of kings and queens from William the Conqueror to the present day. Royals have been born, married and buried in the castle.

B.

Windsor Castle began its life as a wooden fort built by William the Conqueror in the 11th century, and later kings and queens had a hand in its evolution. Henry II pulled down the wooden buildings and rebuilt it in stone.

C.

In 1992, over 110 rooms in the palace were damaged or destroyed in a fire. The royal family, their servants and five fire brigades tried to save the treasures. They put out the fire after 15 hours using seven million litres of water! Over 4,000 people worked to restore the room. It took them five years.

D.

The Round Tower was built in 1170 replacing the Norman wooden building.

16

When the Queen is in residence you can see the Royal Standard flying over it. When the Queen is not in residence, the Union Jack flag flies in its place.

E.

Three kings were once imprisoned in the Norman Tower: David of Scotland, John of France and James I of Scotland.

The Moat Garden near the tower was the scene of a historic romance. King James I of Scotland (who was a prisoner in the tower for 11 years, from 1413 to 1424) once saw Lady Jane Beaufort in the garden. He fell in love with her at first sight and later married her.

F.

The Changing of the Guard and other important ceremonies take place here when the queen is in residence. As Windsor Castle is a working palace, when Queen Elizabeth is in residence, the apartments are closed to visitors.

G.

Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House is enough to make Barbie envious. Everything in this house really works! Can you imagine what fun the children had when they sent the baby up on the lift for its evening bath, dried it with small towels and then put it to bed? You can find in everything in the house, from tiny crown jewels in their own locked room to a garage with a small Rolls Royce. The paintings in the doll’s house were created by famous artists and the tiny books were specially written by Rudyard Kipling and Conan Doyle! The doll’s house was made for Queen Mary (Queen Elizabeth I’s grandmother) in the 1920s.

H.

The King Henry VIII Gate, built in 1511, is the castle’s main gate. It’s decorated with Henry VIII’s symbols – the Tudor rose and the pomegranate emblem of Henry’s first wife, Catherine of Aragon.

I.

The Great Kitchen at Windsor is the oldest kitchen in Britain. And it’s still working! Here you can learn lost of interesting things about Henry VIII’s enormous appetite and Queen Victoria’s fast eating, which often left her guests feeling hungry.

J.

One of the many homes of Queen of England is said to have several ghosts. Some people say that they have seen the ghost of Henry VIII or heard his footsteps on the stairs. Others have seen the ghost of Elizabeth I

17

in the library. She always wears a black dress and a black shawl over her shoulders.

9. What do this figures stand for?

10. Read the text again to find out:

1.Who spends weekends and holidays in Windsor Castle?

2.Who spent time in Windsor Castle?

3.What is Windsor Castle made of?

4.What was Windsor Castle made of?

5.Who met his love in Windsor Castle while being imprisoned there?

6.How can you understand that Queen of England is in residence?

7.Why did Queen Victoria’s guests often feel hungry?

8.Who are the spooks of Windsor Castle?

9.Where can you find tiny crown jewels?

11.What British castles do you know? What do they have in common?

12.What is haunted house?

1)visited by ghosts;

2)visited by hunters;

3)visited by wild animals.

13.Have you ever heard any stories about ghosts? If yes, what are they?

14.Look at the title of the text in Ex.15. What do you think the text is about? Would you like to visit the castle on the picture? Why? Why not?

15.Read the text and complete the table (Page 22).

Britain's Top Ten Haunted Castles

Haunted castles dot the British landscape. Some are just ruins; some are now run as tourist attractions; and some are still lived in. Many are worth a visit. Read about Britain’s top ten spooky castles below.

18

Muncaster Castle

Pic. 16

Muncaster Castle in Cumbria is haunted by the ghost of a mysterious White Lady as well as by Tom Fool a jester who worked in the castle 400 years ago and now likes to play tricks on visitors. Parties of 6-8 people can arrange for an all-night ghost sit in the Tapestry Room, said to be the castle’s most haunted spot. Scientists and paranormal researchers also conduct field experiments here and you can arrange to participate in one of these yourself with an all-night vigil.

Glamis Castle

Pic. 17

As well as being a delight to look at, the castle made famous by Shakespeare’s Macbeth has a panoply of ghosts to frighten visitors and fascinate students of the paranormal. Overnight stays are, alas, not an option here but the castle is open from 10am to 6pm each day.

19

Chillingham Castle

Pic. 18

This appropriately named castle has a wealth of spooky stories to entertain visitors and its very own ghost-walker to tell them. Ghost tours cost £20 per person and run in the evenings all year round. The castle also occasionally has ghost-themed special events such as dinner evenings where a ghost hunter visits and relates some of his experiences in the field.

Warwick Castle

Pic. 19

Now owned by the Tussauds group, Warwick castle plays host to many spectacular shows and events throughout the year. Waxwork figures and costumed actors help bring the past to life. The castle’s famous Ghost Tower is said to be haunted by the spirit of Fulke Greville, an Elizabethan poet and courtier who was murdered by an aggrieved servant. A monthly Ghost – Alive show recreates this gruesome event.

20

Tutbury Castle

Pic. 20

Tutbury Castle in Staffordshire is more of a ruin than a functioning building, having been largely destroyed on the orders of Oliver Cromwell for harbouring the King, Charles I, during the English civil war. Despite this, the building has a rich haunted history which no doubt owes much to its tumultuous past. Mary Queen of Scots spent much of her imprisonment here and her ghost has been spotted on the grounds on several occasions.

Tutbury is only open to the general public from Easter until September but special arrangements can be made for large parties at other times. The castle also runs ghost hunts which can involve overnight stays in the Great Hall or King’s bedroom.

Windsor Castle

Pic. 21

The official residence of Her Majesty the Queen plays host to a number of illustrious ghosts including Henry VIII, his sometime wife Anne Boleyn, Charles I, and George III. Only certain parts of the castle are open to

21

visitors, and only during the day, so you may not get to see any of the famous ghosts even if they make an appearance, but you never know!

Bodelwyddan Castle

Pic. 22

Many mystery ghosts have been spotted at Bodelwyddan Castle in north Wales. The castle offers ghost walks; evening ghost vigils in which you use the latest equipment to try and detect ghosts; and, for the stout of heart, all-night vigils too. The castle is also an outstation for the National Portrait Gallery so, even if you don’t get to see a ghost; you should be able to absorb a little culture.

Berre Pomeroy Castle

Pic. 23

Berre Pomeroy Castle in Devon is now no more than a picturesque ruin but it is said to be one of the most haunted spots in Britain. Both White and Blue Lady ghosts have been seen in the grounds. The first is believed to be the spirit of Margaret Pomeroy, imprisoned in the castle dungeon and left to starve to death by a jealous sister; the identity of the other is unknown.

22