Original subtitles

Built upon the blood money it took to make it,

this evening's ghostly tale sits Hilltop for all to see.

From accidental deaths, to alleged intentional slayings.

Tonight, we will dive into the past of one

of the oldest still-standing estates in Canada.

[both] Craigdarroch Castle.

[theme music]

[Luke] What are you running from?

[Matthew] Don't stop! Luke, it's a ghost!

[Luke] What do you mean?

Born in 1825, to a working-class family in Scotland,

Robert Dunsmuir would go on to become

one of the wealthiest men of his generation,

leaving behind a castle that would be coined

the most haunted place in Canada.

In 1851, at the age of 26,

Robert relocated to Canada with his wife, Joan,

after receiving a job offer

for the Hudson Bay Company's coal mine on Vancouver Island.

Which I did not know had coal mines,

because I thought that that was a retail store.

But I knew because it's the Hudson's Bay Trading Company--

-Yeah. -So, I knew it was something.

It was, like, trading a lot of things.

But I didn't know they had coal mines.

I'm gonna be honest. Neither did I.

But then the coal mine to retail store pipeline.

What does that look like?

We should ask Robert Dunsmuir.

-Well, he's dead. -Oof.

Striking coal, Robert discovered the Wellington Seam,

the richest coal deposit in Nanaimo at the time.

The working conditions in the mines were horrific.

All the negligence would lead to several explosions

in the Wellington Mine, killing 60 miners at once.

Despite the death, Robert would finally be able

to build the home of his dreams,

a castle on the highest hill,

which overlooked all of Victoria.

At the time of construction,

Robert was a prominent politician and businessman,

and regardless of his infamy, he was very successful.

The haunting of Robert Dunsmuir

is one of the most famous ghost stories

in Canadian history.

The blood money used to build this majestic home

seemed to have come with an ungodly price.

As we head into our investigation tonight,

we'll look for the ghosts of a maid,

Joan, and Robert Dunsmuir, all said to be bound

to this affluent home, Craigdarroch Castle, in...

[both] Victoria, British Columbia.

[upbeat music]

My name is Amanda Quill, and I am the founder

and lead investigator of Coldspotters Paranormal.

I really do look at more than just the haunting,

more than just what's scaring you.

Craigdarroch has a very strong and vibrant history.

When Coldspotters investigated here,

the feeling changed immediately.

Craigdarroch Castle is 100% haunted.

When I was there, I could feel,

like, a presence lurking around.

If I went there at night, I would be afraid.

There was a harshness watching me.

I was not alone, you can still hear them in the walls.

You can still hear them walking up and down the stairs.

The spirits here are very adamant

that they're going to tell their story.

It's like the perfect storm of ghosts.

?

Wow. There's a 10% chance it's already raining.

Hmm. A haunted castle.

Now, what do we know who has experience with one of these?

You rang?

[maniacal laughter]

[chuckles]

Hi, I'm Percy Hynes White,

and you might know me from Wednesday.

[camera shutter clicking]

[laughs excitedly] I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Um...

I don't know what to expect, except to be spooked.

I don't know about scared, though, I really don't think

when I'm goofing around with Luke and Matthew

that I'm scared of things.

It's just too funny.

I haven't had an experience with a ghost.

I don't know how I would genuinely act

if I was genuinely afraid for my life.

I have mismatched reactions to things, like, I don't know.

I think it depends on the moment.

Should I be scared?

[eerie music]

[door creaking]

[Luke] Oh, my God.

It's a rhinoceros.

-[Matthew] No. What is this? -[Luke] What is that?

-[Matthew] That's a goat. -It's a massive castle.

Weird vibes.

This, actually, believe it or not,

is known as the most haunted castle in Canada.

And it might actually be the most haunted place

in the entire country, period.

What was the difference between those two things?

[both] Well, one's a castle, one's a haunted place.

[Matthew] So, it's for sure the most haunted castle.

Yeah, so if the ghosts don't show up tonight,

it's because they just don't like us.

It's not because they're not here.

It was built by the wealthiest family in Canada

at the time, the Dunsmuirs.

Where there's money and there's family,

there is also drama.

-Holy shit. -Yeah.

Do you want to call out to the ghosts to let them know

-you're here and coming in? -Yes.

Spirits, be you good or evil,

I would like to announce my-- my presence in your home.

I am merely a boy from-- from the East Coast.

So be not afraid of me.

[Matthew snapping] Wow. That was that was deep.

[Luke] Our first hot spot for investigation

is the main staircase.

-[Percy] Whoa. -[Matthew] Wow.

I'm, like, scared.

There is like, four floors to the staircase.

[Luke] I know. I want to go up them.

The most foreboding, ominous vibe.

[eerie music]

[Matthew] Whoa.

Can you imagine, like, back then, this used to be

like, a new house, and they didn't even know

they were in a haunted house

-in the making? -That's so true.

Does that mean that every house is a haunted house

-in the making? -Potentially.

That was so, like, if you-- meta.

In 1890, the construction

of Craigdarroch Castle would be completed.

The castle contained over 35 rooms,

and took up over 25,000 square feet.

There's a rumour, this is completely alleged,

but we think it may be true.

And that's what we want to get to the bottom of here,

but not to the bottom of the staircase,

like one of the maids did.

-Damn. -I know.

Local lore states that a maid

was tirelessly running up and down the stairs,

and on her final trip, she slipped,

and fell off the steps to her death.

However, another theory is that

Joan Dunsmuir, Robert's wife,

pushed the maid off the stairs, killing her,

in order to prevent her from exploiting

the family secrets Joan believed she overheard.

If you got pushed

-right here... -[Matthew] Yeah.

...you would just hit the other one.

That actually gives me a little bit of vertigo

-looking over that. -I think if you go off that--

[Matthew] No, there's no way you're surviving that.

You fall this, there's no way you're surviving that.

[Luke] You could survive that.

I think you're underestimating gravity.

-Let's test it. -I'm--

If they were from Scotland, why is there British flags?

I mean, don't you have, like, American flags?

No.

-You don't? -Why would I have that?

-Well, you-- you love America. -Who said that?

Why is there an evil throne up here?

[Matthew] Wow, that is a big chair.

[Luke] What do we think they did here?

[Percy] This is where they would sit and make everyone grovel.

-What's a grovel? -Give me an example.

Grovelling is like, I would say,

that they would line up on their knees, and then,

like, it's like when you, like, kiss the shoes.

[Matthew] Have you grovelled,

-or been grovelled to before? -God, no.

Guests of the castle have reported seeing

the apparition of a woman, said to be the maid,

walking up and down these stairs forever looking for a way out.

-We do have a tool. -A tool.

We have a tool.

An SLS Cam is a tool

used to catch the apparition of a ghost on camera.

What it will do is it will show a ghost--

It'll show a ghost?

Maybe they're just waiting for somebody

to come and grovel at their feet.

You know?

-[Percy chuckling] -What do I do now?

You're in grovelling position.

-What do I do? -[Matthew] Like, beg.

I'm in a position all right.

You're such a great person.

You give back to the community.

You donated on my GoFundMe, and I really appreciate it.

This is more like complimenting, not even grovelling.

Groveling is more, like, pathetic.

Yeah, like, lower yourself.

I-- I am disgusting.

-[spooky music] -[Percy] Whoa! Yo!

-[Matthew gasps] -We got some activity there.

Luke.

-Yeah, keep grovelling. -[Luke] I am irrelevant.

-Yep. -I am embarrassing.

[Matthew] Oh, my God.

[Percy] Man, there's some shit in that chair.

There's, like, a hand on here.

It's like somebody is there. Oh, my God.

[Percy] Look ma'am, I'm really sorry about

what happened to you, and I'm just hoping

we can get a little bit more insight into your story.

Do you want me to fall off the stairs?

-[Percy laughing] -Thou shall not...

cry, me-- um, it--

[Percy laughing] Take this tool.

[Matthew] Our second hotspot for investigation

is the dressing room on the second floor.

[creepy music]

-[Matthew] Oh, my gosh. -[Luke] Okay, what is this?

[Percy] I don't know.

-I think it's hair. -[Matthew] No, that's a thing,

they used to make portraits out of people's hair.

?

Strange, strange energy.

Feeling a little weird.

There's a lot of strange objects I don't recognize.

I'm in a strange place. I feel afraid.

[Matthew] Are those maracas?

[Percy] I think they're baby rattles, dude.

[Matthew] Oh, baby rattles. That's what it is.

I literally thought that was two different-sized douches.

-No, that's me and you. -Yeah. [Matthew laughs]

[Luke] Joan Dunsmuir was born in 1828,

in Ayrshire, Scotland.

When Robert passed away,

Joan became the sole inheritor of his estate.

This made Joan one of the richest women

in the country,

and she did whatever it would take

in order to maintain the Dunsmuir family name.

[Matthew] In 1908, Joan passed away in the castle,

and it's said her spirit never left.

This was Joan's dressing room.

Joan lived to be 80 years old,

which for the time, that is, like,

far exceeding life expectancy.

So she was really gripping onto her wealth,

onto her family, her status,

until the very day that she died.

Visitors have reported the spirit

of Joan Dunsmuir to be in this very room.

With accounts of banging, and objects moving,

as if trying to reclaim their personal space

by keeping people out.

She doesn't like people around.

She will let you know.

She will make you feel uncomfortable

in any way she can tell you what she thinks.

[Matthew] An EMF detector is a tool

used to measure the presence of a ghost.

Okay. Anything?

[Percy] Nothing yet.

No. Ooh!

-Oh, that was a little tap. -[Matthew] A little tap.

Okay, yeah, it does pick up on that.

Hey, does that baby have any energy?

-No, man. -No?

Should we try something else?

The Ovilus 5 let's spirits communicate

using phonetic sounds and words.

-What the fuck? -So, I'm gonna put it on,

and it will work pretty fast, right away.

[electronic voice] R-S-08.

-Maybe move this. -Okay.

Is there anyone in here who wishes to speak with us?

[spooky music]

[Percy] Any spirits in the room right now?

Joan, do you miss your kids?

[electronic voice]

-"Are." -Are-- Are-- Are what?

-[electronic voice] -"Are you..."

-Are we what? -[electronic voice]

-"Eh." -"Gay. Are you gay?"

It literally just said, "Are you gay?"

Yeah, Joan. Do you care?

Do you have a problem with homosexuals?

[Matthew] That just spiked.

Joan... [laughs]

Homophobia is not cool,

like, this is not the way to do things.

Joan...

I'm the least gay out of the three of us,

so maybe if--

[Matthew and Percy chucking]

Is that why you killed that maid?

-She was a lesbian. -That's what I'm wondering.

Oh, my God.

Did you have an affair with the maid,

and needed to kill her to get rid of the evidence?

Joan, do you want to come out to us?

Just hit me baby, one more time.

I mean, "Pink Pony Club" has been in my head

-this whole time. -Is this on?

[Matthew] What do you mean, is it on? It's on.

-Yeah, she just spoke to us. -But is it, is it--

She said-- [imitating machine] "Are you gay?"

[Matthew laughing]

[laughs] And then she went zip.

Okay. Joan.

Are you a lesbian?

[Percy] Just, let's ask her less aggressively.

We can't force someone out of the casket.

[Percy] This room used to belong to a woman named Joan.

Is that you?

Why is it that when we said we were gay she stopped talking?

That's literally what I'm mad at her about.

[Luke] Our third hotspot for investigation

is the drawing room on the main floor.

[Luke] Ooh, la, la.

[Matthew] Oh, wow.

[Percy] Reminds me of my grandmother's home.

[Matthew] Oh, my God.

Headless children.

[Matthew] Oh, that's creepy.

Why do they have those?

They don't have eyes, but they're staring

directly at me.

Construction for the castle began in 1887,

and would not be completed until 1890.

However, Robert Dunsmuir would sadly pass away

before completion, and never lived to see

the physical manifestation of his wealth.

Robert Dunsmuir was the dad.

He was the guy who owned the coal mines.

He was like, "Yo, I am so rich."

-He said that? -Yep. Direct quote.

And I quote, "I'm so rich." End quote.

Actually, he said, quote,

"I'm so rich. We ball." -"We ball."

His son, James.

He was like, "James, I need you to hang out at the mines.

Like, watch the mines.

I gotta go, like, the rich and ball."

But how old was James at the time?

-He was a teenager. -A teenager.

Like, he could not handle this responsibility.

So, his teenage son was in charge of these dangerous mines.

The mine explodes. Hundreds of people die.

-Fuck. -All of that money...

built this house.

It's believed that since Robert

never lived in this house,

he wanders the property, looking for a way in.

People say that they hear

a phantom piano play throughout the house.

Like that piano there!

[Matthew] Like this piano, right here.

With experiences of hauntings dating as far back

as to when the Dunsmuirs occupied the home,

paranormal investigators and visitors report

seeing the apparition of Robert Dunsmuir

standing outside the castle,

through the windows of the drawing room.

So, Robert is often seen on the front lawn.

Standing there, trying to find his way in.

But you can't see him when you're outside.

[Luke] Only from the inside.

So we're going to split up, and Matthew

has another weird, little toy.

[Matthew] A REM Pod is a tool

that will detect the presence of a ghost.

-[phone rings] -Hello?

So, right now, can you see a man?

Yeah, no, I can't. I can't see a man.

Robert, come out, come out wherever you are.

Beckon him to come into his home.

Look, Robert, I know that the afterlife is scary.

I just want to let you down gently, man,

and just let you know that...

no matter how hard you try,

you will never get into this house.

Does that make you feel sad, or-- or do you--

[REM Pod beeping different tones]

[Matthew] I think that makes him feel really sad.

Hey, Robert. Do you feel, like, remorse?

Do you ever feel like you might be, like,

responsible for all those people's deaths,

for putting your son in charge of the mine?

[Matthew] Great question.

[Luke] He's like, "I don't feel bad

for a fuckin second, bitch."

Do you wish that you made a little bit

more money in your lifetime?

-[REM Pod beeping] -[Matthew gasping]

[Luke] There is no way this is working.

Robert man, honestly, all that stuff I said--

Percy, Percy.

Are you standing next to Luke and Matthew?

[rapid beeping]

-[Luke laughs] -Percy's face.

[REM Pod beeping]

Are you next to Luke?

I'm Luke.

-[REM Pod beeping] -[Percy laughing]

-[Luke groans] -Yeah, do the move.

Eh!

[Percy] Robert, does he smell good?

[rapid beeping]

He likes what you're wearing.

It's Dove deodorant.

Out of curiosity, can you just play, like,

touch the piano, like, hit a few keys?

And I wanna see if this goes off.

[Matthew] We should be able to hear it from out here.

[Percy] Let me know if you like this. Okay?

Beep if you like this.

[playing chords]

[rapid beeping]

It's going crazy. Keep going. Keep going.

[machine playing different tones]

-[Percy playing piano] -[rapid beeping]

-[playing chords] -[machine beeping tones]

Wait Percy, stop playing.

-[chords ring out] -[machine beeping]

[music and beeping stops]

It legitimately stopped right when you stopped playing.

[spooky music]

That concludes our investigation

into Craigdarroch Castle.

And now it's time to decide

if this location is truly haunted.

Or not.

[Matthew] In Hotspot One, the staircase,

the apparition of a maid is reported by visitors

to wander up and down the stairs looking for a way out.

-There was no maid. -Okay.

We did not see a woman walking up and down the stairs.

You know what, I will agree with you

in the fact that with our own eyes,

we may not have seen a maid walking up and down the stairs.

But with our SLS camera, we clearly caught an apparition.

I am disgusting.

We saw the lines of the lines as I was on the floor.

Do I invoke an emotional reaction

-from other forces? -Yes.

That doesn't help my case. So let's redact, let's redact.

-The report is... -Yeah.

...there's a woman that goes up and down the stairs.

-Mm-hmm. -That did not happen, Diva.

In Hotspot Two, the dressing room,

the spirit of Joan Dunsmuir is reported

by paranormal experts to bang on the walls,

and move objects around the room,

as if trying to keep people out of her personal space.

What I'm going to say is I think there was a force

very plausibly, Joan,

trying to keep us out of that room.

I did not hear banging, nor did objects fly around.

-Yeah. -I did feel victimized.

Do you have a problem with homosexuals?

[Matthew] That just spiked.

So, for the sake of the lore,

and the comedy, and the livelihood,

and the playfulness of this moment,

I could entertain for a second of the fact

that there was a homophobic entity.

I think we did prove that Joan was there,

and we were, in fact, speaking with her.

She had a few off-colour remarks,

and she was clearly trying to get us out of her space.

Who says things like "off-colour remarks?"

Me. I'm a 45-year-old Southern housewife.

In Hotspot Three, the drawing room,

the spirit of Robert Dunsmuir is said to be outside,

looking into his home through the window,

forever trying to find a way inside.

The timing of things was fun,

but we did not catch his apparition,

the apparition of Robert Dunsmuir,

standing outside, through the window, trying to get in.

That did not happen. It didn't.

I'll say this,

Robert Dunsmuir's spirit is said to show up

when music is playing.

-Which we did. -Percy was playing the music.

We had our REM Pod, and Luke held his arm out

and said, "Robert, which side of me are you on?"

And when he held his arm out, the REM Pod went instantly...

-[Luke groans] -[rapid beeping]

...proving that though you may not be able to see Robert,

his spirit was absolutely standing beside you,

looking right into the drawing room,

where he's always claimed to be.

Percy playing the piano, and then,

the thing stopping at the same time was interesting.

-Stop playing. -[rapid beeping]

[beeping stops]

But based on the ghost story

of Robert Dunsmuir being outside,

he was not there.

We were outside shaking ass,

but there was no man there.

[director] The million dollar question

is do you think Craigdarroch Castle is haunted?

The Ghosting verdict...

...of our paranormal investigation...

...into Craigdarroch Castle...

...is...

Um.

-...not haunted. -...haunted!

Of course it's haunted, Luke, it's literally

the most haunted place in the country.

I think that Castle Craigdarroch is...

haunted.

We had footage on the SLS camera.

We heard Joan through the Ovilus,

and then we had a conversation with Robert

using the REM pod outside.

To me, that's a triple check across the board,

to make Castle Craigdarroch

one of the most haunted places in Canada.

It's definitely the most haunted place

that I've been to in Canada.

That's for dang sure.

I wish someone would push me down a flight of stairs.

Oh, can I volunteer?

Oh, and just like that, another crime uncovered.

See you next time, Ghosties.

[theme music]

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