The Legend of Gimghoul Castle

Gimghoul Castle is located just east of UNC Chapel Hill's campus at the end of Gimghoul Road.

Built in the 1920's, the castle would eventually inhabit the Order of Gimghoul, a secret society founded in 1889 and comprised of notable students, faculty members, and alumni.

Legend has it that in 1833 Peter Dromgoole, a college student from Virginia, was murdered and buried in the area surrounding the castle.

More intrigued by women and alcohol than his studies, Peter spent most of his time courting Miss Fanny, a young woman from Chapel Hill.  They often met at Piney Prospect, the site where the castle would be built some 93 years later.

However, Miss Fanny had another suitor: one of Peter's friends.

Peter's friend is said to have become insanely jealous of the couple's frequent excursions, causing a feud between the men.

Although they risked expulsion, the two men agreed to engage in a duel to win the love of Miss Fanny.

The two men met at Piney Prospect and prepared for battle.

Peter Dromgoole, a notably poor marksman, was shot and killed by his own friend.  In an attempt to cover up the murder, the killer and remaining men placed Peter's body in a shallow grave covered by the large rock he supposedly died upon.

 

That very rock remains at Gimghoul Castle to this day, stained with the blood of Peter Dromgoole for all eternity.   

Intentions:

I first heard the story of Peter Dromgoole from my boyfriend who was born and raised in Chapel Hill.  His account is the one I described above as I quickly realized, like most folklore, there are various takes on this ancient tale.  While what truly happened to Peter still remains a mystery, the Order of Gimghoul is very much real.  This secret society is debatably still functioning today, as it is incredibly difficult to obtain any information regarding the Order unless you are in it.  Members are selected specifically by the Order and rosters have since become unavailable to outsiders.  It is said that the society was originally named the Order of Dromgoole in honor of the student who mysteriously disappeared, and was later changed to the Order of Gimghoul.

Many believe that the ghost of Peter Dromgoole haunts the land surrounding Gimghoul Castle.  Another tale implies that Miss Fanny also haunts the area, as she died not long after Peter of a broken heart.  Each account I've read about has been slightly different than the last, making it difficult to find accurate evidence supporting the hauntings.  Regardless, Gimghoul Castle is definitely an eerie site and an intriguing location for Chapel Hill residents and visitors alike.

I chose to use my boyfriend's account of the story since he went there as a young boy and was actually allowed in the castle (likely by the caretaker at the time).  He recalled climbing up the tower and, of course, the rock stained with Peter's blood.  When we went back to photograph the location, we were unable to get onto the property to see the infamous rock.  As bummed as I was, there was a creepy enough rock at the foot of the driveway that I felt could easily symbolize Peter's "tombstone."  Since I chose to document a location as opposed to creating a visual narrative, I used lots of low angle shots to help convey the eerie atmosphere.  I also went on a rainy day, which I feel enhanced the overall mood of the photographs.