Rare Scottish Stories #7 A List Of All Haunted Castles In Scotland & Their Stories
ABERGELDIE CASTLE - Located almost 2 miles from Balmoral Castle, Abergeldie Castle's earliest parts date back to the 16th century. The famous ghost that haunts this castle is Kitty Rankin who was a French woman employed to work at the castle some hundreds of years ago. Kitty had a sad life before finding employment at the castle: her father had died when she was young and her mother went insane shortly after. Before her mother's ilness, she had taught Kitty about nature and healing naturally using plants. Kitty's mother had the gift of Second Sight and she had passed this onto Kitty genetically. The laird of the castle was often away overseas and one day the lady of the castle came to Kitty, aware of her gift, wanting to know what her husband was up to abroad. Kitty had great respect for the lady and so she filled a basin of water and looked in. Kitty seen the laird with another woman. On telling the lady this, she told Kity to raise a great storm at sea to sink the ship of her husband. Kitty refused and so the lady accused her of practicing witchcraft and she was imprisoned in the castle. On being found "guilty" she was taken to a neighbouring hill and burnt alive at the stake. The hill on which she died is particularly windy and it is said that you can still hear her screaming when the wind is high. Her angry ghost is said to haunt the castle.
ABERGELDIE CASTLE
BRAEMAR CASTLE - Built in the first half of the 17th century, Braemar Castle's ghost is particularly tragic and is that of a young woman who took her own life after a simple misunderstanding. The story goes that around 45 years ago a young couple chose the castle to spend their wedding night. Back then, a wedding night was a big deal for a woman and it brought with it much anxiety and ignorance in these lesser liberal and educated times. The young bride woke up the morning after her wedding night to an empty bed. Thinking that she had not been a "good enough" wife and overcome with shame and confusion, she threw herself out of the window of her bridal room. The poor woman had been mistaken - her husband had merely went out hunting before she had woken up. On returning from his hunting trip, he was greeted with the terrible news that his bride had passed away. The ghost of the new bride haunts the bridal room when newlyweds come to stay. Who is she trying to warn? Husbands to never leave their new brides or brides not to jump to conclusions? Whatever the reason, the feeling of sadness and guilt can be felt strongly in the room.
BRAEMAR CASTLE
THE CASTLE OF MEY - This castle stands in the very North of Scotland, near John O' Groats and is also haunted by a tragic female ghost. This ghost is a green lady belonging ot the Sinclair family and she haunts the room in the old tower of the castle. She had fallen in love with a local farm boy and on hearing of this, her enraged father imprisoned his daughter in the tower until she seen sense. She never did and on leaning out of the tower window to catch sight of her love, she lost her balance and tumbled from the tower.
CORTACHY CASTLE - Located in Kirriemuir, Angus, Cortachy Castle is the family seat of the Ogilvy clan. To the present day, it is said that the castle is haunted by a drummer and that when the drumbeat is heard, a member of the Ogilvy clan is about to die. The story goes that one day the drummer failed to give warning that the castle was about to be attacked and as punishment, the drummer was taken to the top of the castle and flung off it along with his drum. It is said that the family hear the drumming on ominous occasions wherever they are in the world at the time and it is always accurate. Is this the drummer boys remorse still acting in his afterlife?
DRUMLANRIG CASTLE - Located in Dumfriesshire and constructed in the 17th century, this castle has two very unusual ghosts. The first ghost is that of Lady Anne Douglas who is a sad spectre carrying her own head. No one knows how she was beheaded as there is no record of this but it is suspected this was done in malice after her death. The second ghost is even more unusual and it is that of a huge yellow monkey that haunts one particular room. In very early castle records, the room was called "Yellow Monkey" and "Haunted Rom". The creature is said to be extremely large and unattractive and no record of such an animal ever being a pet or visitor exists in records. This ghost is a common sighting at the castle. Perhaps the most terrifying ghost of all time?!
DUNTULM CASTLE - This castle, now in ruins, stands on the Isle of Skye and its ruinous state is partly due to how uninhabitable it is due to the hauntings it suffers. The last time it was inhabited was the early 18th century and the ghost that haunts it is that of Hugh Uisdean Gillespie Chlerich, cousin of Donald Gorm Mor Chief of the MacDonalds of Sleat. Donald had his fair share of enemies and was known for being particularly brutal. Hugh was the most hated of these enemies and the most dangerous as he had plotted Donald's death. Donald got wind of his cousins treachery and wanted revenge. He sieged Hugh's castle, hoping to starve him out but he escaped, dressed as a woman. He was then caught by Donald Gorm Mor's men and taken to Duntulm where he was locked in a dungeon and fed only salted fish and salted meat. No water was given to him and he died an agonising death of dehydration. His screams were said to have been so disturbing that they lingered in the castle permanently and began to be heard more often than not, making the castle uninhabitable even after his death.
DUNTULM CASTLE
DUNVEGAN CASTLE - Located on the Isle of Skye, this is not a typical ghost or haunting but more of a supernatural phenomenon. Dunvegan Castle is the location of the famous and extremely precious Fairy Flag. The item does not resemble much of a flag at all and is more of an old discoloured and worn piece of fabric but it is said to hold remarkable powers. Dunvegan is the seat of the MacLeod Clan and it is said that the flag, if unfurled, will protect the clan from harm. The flag however can only be used three times and on the forth time, the flag and the holder will disappear. The Fairy Flag's protective properties have been proven twice in history when it was used. How the flag came into the possession of the clan is a matter of debate however the story told is that one night during a party at the castle, a nursemaid was tending the baby of the family. During the night, the baby kicked off its blankets and in its place was the Fairy Flag, silken and new. Voices of fairies were heard by the nursemaid and family telling them how to use the Fairy Flag. Ultimately, the proof of battle's won against unsurmountable odds twice are proof fo the magic of the flag. There is still one use left, should the clan need it. Fairies are known afterall to enjoy a good party.
DUNVEGAN CASTLE
ETHIE CASTLE - Based in Arbroath and constructed in the early 15th century, Ethie Castle was once home to the ghost of a child. At night the sound of a child crying could be heard throughout the castle but could not be located. This was very disturbing to the owners who set out to investigate. The sound of squeaking wheels would also be heard at times during the crying. The owners were relentless in their investigation and eventually a small skeleton was found alongside a toy wooden cart. The skeleton was removed, as with the cart, and given a good Christian burial. The haunting then stopped at the castle and has not been heard or seen since.
FYVIE CASTLE - Located in Aberdeenshire, Fyvie castle is another location where a ghost was finally laid to rest. In 1920, a large fungal mass began to grow on the wall of one of the castle's rooms. Lord Leith, the owner, brought in builders to investigate what was behind the wall and the skeleton of a woman was found. The skeleton was then removed from the castle and that is when the hauntings of a green lady began. It greatly disturbed Lord Leith and he insisted that after fixing the wall and removing the fungus, that the skeleton should go back behind the wall as it was. After this, the hauntings stopped for good.
GLAMIS CASTLE - Glamis is one of the most mysterious locations in Scotland which is surprising as the outside of the castle is quite pleasant. Tales of murder, the Devil. secret rooms, monsters and deceit haunt this castle and it is true that there is still more to uncover at this castle, likely as the higher echelons of society have used this location for their horrific deeds and there are tales left untold and questions unanswered. The first tale of hauntings from this castle comes from the Ogilvy family when the castle was fairly new. The Ogilvies were in bitter dispute with the Lindsay family and asked Lord Glamis for refuge in his castle. Lord Glamis was more than obliging and led them to a secret chamber within the walls of the castle. The relief that the Ogilvies must have felt was short lived and Lord Glamis then bricked up the room and never returned. It turns out that Lord Glamis was on neither side and dispised both the Ovilgies and Lindsays equally. The poor Ogilvy family was left ot starve and rot together in their secret location. It wasn't until centuries later when the Earl of Strathmore came across the hidden room and uncovered the sorry remains that the secret was revealed. It is said that he fainted from disgust at how these poor people had been treated.
The greatest story to come out of Glamis is said to be that of the son of the Earl of Strathmore, born in 1821. It is said that this son was a "monster" and was sadly born enormously deformed. His existence was hidden away from sight in a hidden room in the castle that was 4 metres thick and only three living men at any one time was allowed to know of his existence. He was never shown to any woman. Locked in the dark for his whole life, he is said to have reached the age of 100. This hidden room has never been found and little si known except for a walkway on the roof of the castle called Mad Earls' Walk where the man was taken for exercise during the night. It is said that during the night, you can see him on the roof or walking around the castle. There has been some progress made in recent years to finally find out this poor man truly did exist but it is likely that he did and was hidden away as not not to "bring shame" on the royal family. There is a long list of horrific hauntings at Glamis which tug on the heart strings (many far too disturbing) and there are dozens of crimes left unaccounted for. Maybe then will the poor ghosts finally be laid to rest.
MEGGERNIE CASTLE - This castle is home to a very flirty ghost and is located in Perthshire. The room in which the ghost of a lady haunts has been named the "Haunted Room" and men who sleep there are often woken up by the feeling of being kissed on the cheek. This strange ghost is said to be the wife of one of the Menzies Clan. Her husband was jealous of the attention his beautiful wife attracted from other men that he was continuously accusing her of being unfaithful. In a rage one night he murdered her and now she kisses men softly on the cheek while they are sleeping.
NEWTON CASTLE - Located in Blairgowrie and built in 1550, this castle is haunted by Lady Jean Drummond. In life, she had fallen in love with a local laird and he had spent some time indulging her affections before going off with another woman. Determined to win him back, she decided to upgrade her appearance and wore the finest silks and braided her hair with pearls and gemstones. This was not enough for the laird though so Lady Jean spent her days singing mournful love songs in her room in the castle's tower. As time went on, she became more desperate and sought the advice of a local witch. The witch told her that her fine clothes were no good and that she had to dress in the witchin' claith o' green' (witching cloth of green). To do this, she must cut some grass from the churchyard and take a rowan branch from the gallows-knowe and plait them together. Then as night was falling, take the plait to the Corbie Stone and wait. Lady Jean did just this and soon she began to fall asleep. She woke up to the sound of laughter and little hands pulling at her clothes. She was then suddenly wearing a strange green dress. This new dress caught the attention of the Laird and she wore the dress on her wedding day. On going to take her hand at the wedding ceremony, the laird felt that it was deathly cold. Suddenly Lady Jean let out a scream and died there on the spot. It is said that on Halloween, her grave turns around three times and you can still hear her sad singing from the tower in the castle.
TIORAM CASTLE - This castle, located in the Highlands of Scotland, has now been uninhabited for more than 20 years. It is the location of one of the strangest hauntings - that of a black frog. John was the 12th chief of Clanranald and throughout his life until his very last days, no matter where he went, a black frog followed him. John never grew to accept his unwelcome companion and it drove him half mad. It seemed to defy age and would not die. It was even there on his death bed.
TIORAM CASTLE