What on Earth is Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein doing in Dudley Castle?

James Whale – Director Of “Frankenstien” - 1931

James Whale was born in Kates Hill, Dudley in 1896.

As a boy, he spent many happy hours in the ruins of Dudley Castle making sketches and watercolour paintings.

There is no doubt that many years later, as the Director of “Frankenstein”, for Universal studios in 1931, the memory of those illustrations he had done as a boy influenced the set design of what was described as “The old abandoned watchtower”, the castle-like structure in which Baron Frankenstein created his creature.

It is a pleasure and a privilege to pay homage to Mr Whale, and tell his story on the actual ground where the seed of “Castle Frankenstein” was planted.

To this day, relatives of James Whale still live in Dudley and have attended “The Original Dudley Ghost Tour” on three different occasions!