In medieval times, the castle was involved in many a family feud and encounters with Scottish reivers.
The slaying of Sir Albany Featherstonehaugh in 1530 by a party of Ridleys, a result, it is believed, of a prevailing deadly feud. The location of this incident is still named as Deadman's Haugh, about a mile from the castle, across the river.
The old tower is over seven hundred years old and now forms part of the building which was extended to make a home after the Border peace in the 17th century.
Like any self respecting castle Featherstone
has a ghost,
or rather a whole lot
of them.
A lady had been forced into a marriage against her will, a familiar story.
After the ceremony, the guests and the bride set out on a hunt
in the nearby
woods with the intention of returning in time for the banquet
which had been
arranged for later that evening.
However, they were ambushed by the lady’s lover and his
friends, and the
whole party was killed. In the confusion of the fight the
bride, too, was slain.
Overcome by grief at the death of his sweetheart, the lover killed himself.
Meanwhile, the feast had been prepared and the baron awaited
the return of
the party.
It was not until midnight when the doors opened and in came
the bridegroom
and his guests, bloodstained and disheveled, and they took their seats
in
absolute silence.
Then suddenly, to his horror, the baron realised that these
were not actual
people.
He felt a cold blast sweep across the hall, and the group faded away.
It is said that every year at the same time of day the ghostly
bridal party may
be seen riding in the castle woods.