What roams deep within the mighty walls of Fort St. Angelo - or Castrum Maris, as it was referred in Medieval times?
Folklore whispers that is haunted by one of Malta’s most legendary spirits - the infamous Grey Lady!
Long before the Knights of St John graced Malta’s shores, the Spanish crown of Aragon ruled over the Islands. In July 1469, the Aragonese lord di Nava assumed control of Fort St Angelo (known as the Castellano del Castello di Malta). He inherited this title and role from a family member who was the castle lord before him.
Back then, the castle bore little resemblance to the imposing fortress erected by the Knights, which still dominates the landscape today. Instead, it was a notably smaller structure perched atop the promontory.
Di Nava married one of the noble ladies of Malta. However, it wasn’t long before he had a lover. She demanded the same status as his wife and to be treated as her equal, with tragic consequences.
Rumours speak of sealed dungeons harbouring secrets of three bodies, two men and one woman, discovered when the authorities were restoring the dungeons but unregistered in of cial records.
Some sources claim the mistress’ affections were unwelcome. This implies that either di Nava grew weary of her or his wife exerted pressure on him. Unwilling to tolerate the situation, di Nava feared the scandal becoming public, prompting him to command his guards to dispose of his mistress.
The guards killed her and sealed her body in the castle dungeons. Di Nava was enraged because he only intended them to send her away. In his anger, he had the guards killed, too.
And so, a spectre emerged from the shadows—a ghostly figure forever bound to the fortress, haunting its corridors with a tale of love and betrayal. At first, the stories described di Nava’s Mistress as being vulgar and aggressive. Yet, children who saw her always described her as ‘the nice lady’.
Upon the initiative of a Maltese lady married to a British captain, priests held an exorcism in the Fort, and the hauntings stopped.
Legends like these often blur the line between reality and imagination. Yet, what remains undeniable is the cloak of intrigue and mystery that envelops Fort St Angelo, elevating its iconic status.
Fast forward to World War II, where Fort St Angelo played a crucial role for the British military. Various spaces inside the fort served as a refuge for injured soldiers. These soldiers primarily suffered from minor ailments like pneumonia or appendicitis. Those with more severe injuries were transferred to the nearby Royal Naval Hospital Bighi.
One fateful day, a group of men reported their quarters suddenly turned inexplicably cold as a spectral lady floated into their midst, gesturing for them to follow her out of the room. They followed her; and as they left, a German bomb struck the very room they had vacated moments before.
The apparition vanished into thin air, leaving the soldiers to recount the extraordinary tale of the Grey Lady of Fort St Angelo, whose intervention had spared them from certain death.
1968 when a fellow duty man saw the Grey Lady at the end of his bed in the Upper Fort. From that day on when ever he was duty he slept in the Lower Fort. He absolutely refused to sleep in the Upper Fort. His fear of the Grey Lady did NOT stop him from having a drink in the Junior Rates Bar though!”
1968 when a fellow duty man saw the Grey Lady at the end of his bed in the Upper Fort . From that day on, whenever he was on duty, he slept in the Lower Fort. He absolutely refused to sleep in the Upper Fort. His fear of the Grey Lady did NOT stop him from having a drink in the Junior Rates Bar, though!”
