SCOTTISH GHOST STORIESSCOTTISH GHOST STORIESWITCHES, MURDER AND FOLKLORE

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WITCHES, MURDER AND FOLKLOREWITCHES, MURDER AND FOLKLORE‘If there’s one thing I can’t stand, it’s ghost dinosaurs’ (Scooby Doo! Legend of the Phantosaur)

In fact, ghost dinosaurs are the only thing we’re missing … at the moment!

Reinvigorate your tour programmes with spine-chilling tales of witchcraft and the supernatural, ghosts and ghouls, torture and murder most foul. With over 20 haunted castles, palaces and historic houses across Scotland, the National Trust for Scotland has a story for everyone!

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Linton

Glasgow

Edinburgh

Rum

Eigg

Fort William

Kyle ofLochalsh

Skye

Craignur

obermory

Oba

Lewis

Harris

Thurso

Ullapool

omarty

Nairn

Kingussie

Poolew Fraserburgh

Huntly

Inverurie

Dundee

Montrose

ForfarGlamis

St Andrews

Pitlochry

Dunkeld

Perth

Kirkcaldy

Crianlarich

East

Berwick

St Abbs

MelrInnerleithen Kelso

Mof

Dumfrie

EcclefechanCastle DouglasStranraer

Kirkcudbright

Mull

NorthUist

South Uist

Barra

Benbecula

MayboleKirkoswald

Stirling

Ardrossan

Ayr Tarbolton

Helensburgh

Inverness

Aberdeen

Peebles

Balmacara Estate & Woodland Walks

Kintail &Morvich

CrathesCastle

CraigievarCastle

PitmeddenGarden

Haddo House

FyvieCastle

Castle Fraser

Leith Hall

Mar LodgeEstate Drum

Castle

Killiecrankie

GlenfinnanMonument

Canna

MingulayBerneray

Pabbay

Glencoe &Dalness

St Abb’s Head

PriorwoodGarden

HarmonyGarden

Newhailes InvereskLodgeGarden

Preston Mill &Phantassie Doocot

Robert Smail’sPrinting Works

Grey Mare’s Tail

ThomasCarlyle’s

Birthplace

Broughton House

Rockcliffe

Souter Johnnie'sCottage

Culzean Castle

Brodick Castle

GoatfellBachelors’ Club

Torridon

InvereweGarden

CorrieshallochGorge

Iona

Staffa Burg

Ben Lawers

Culloden

Brodie Castle

Hugh Miller’s Birthplace Cottage

& Museum

Kellie Castle

TheHermitage

Hill of TarvitFalkland

Palace

Barry Mill

Houseof Dun

J M Barrie'sBirthplace

Branklyn Garden

The Battle ofBannockburn

MallenyGarden

Alloa Tower

Culross Palace

Arduaine Garden

DavidLivingstone

Centre

Weaver’sCottage

Geilston Garden

The Hill House

CraraeGarden

Ben Lomond

Robert BurnsBirthplace Museum

ThreaveGarden

Strome Castle

House of the Binns

Battlefield

KILLIECRANKIE

BRODICK CASTLE

CULZEAN CASTLE

THE HILL HOUSE

GREENBANK GARDEN CULROSS PALACE ALLOA TOWER GLADSTONE’S LAND KELLIE CASTLE FALKLAND PALACE HOUSE OF DUN

POLLOK HOUSE

CASTLE FRASER CRATHES CASTLEFYVIE CASTLE HADDO HOUSE CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE DRUM CASTLELEITH HALL

BRODIE CASTLE

HUGH MILLER’S

Glasgow

TenementHouse

Pollok House

Holmwood

Greenbank Garden

Gladstone’sLand

The Georgian HouseEdinburgh

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The Georgian House

Gladstone’s Land

Glasgow

TenementHouse

Pollok House

Holmwood

Greenbank Garden

Gladstone’sLand

The Georgian HouseEdinburgh

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The Georgian House

Gladstone’s Land

CULZEAN CASTLEMaybole KA19 8LEPerched high on the Ayrshire cliffs, this Robert Adam masterpiece is shrouded in tales of terrible deeds and evil spirits. Learn about the 4th Earl of Cassillis, who in 1570 captured the abbot of Crossraguel Abbey and roasted him alive until he agreed to sign over his lands, and Sir Archibald the Wicked of Culzean, a man so evil that the devil himself attended his funeral. Hear stories of a ghostly knight dressed in armour who appears to household staff and of the phantom piper who plays on stormy nights as the waves pound the cliff-face below.

BRODICK CASTLEIsle of Arran KA27 8HYBeneath the towering peak of Goatfell, discover 800 years of ghosts and paranormal activities. Listen to witness accounts of the Grey Lady and White Stag, to tales of murder and the supernatural. Walk in the footsteps of clairvoyants and paranormal investigators and stand on the very spot that castle pets refuse to cross. Visit the hanging tree and the portcullis where plague victims were entombed.

POLLOK HOUSEPollok Country Park, Glasgow G43 1ATListen to the bloodcurdling tale of the ‘bewitched baronet’ and the ‘witches’ of Pollok. In the 1670s, Janet Douglas, a mute serving girl, arrived at the Pollok estate of Sir George Maxwell, who shortly thereafter fell mysteriously ill. Janet regained the power of speech and immediately accused five local people of consorting with the devil. The story of their trial and subsequent burning at the stake has intrigued historians over the centuries, as has the story of Janet herself, who was reputed to have travelled to America and was involved in the infamous Salem witch trials of 1692.

GREENBANK GARDENClarkston, Glasgow G76 8RBWith several resident ghosts, this wonderful garden oasis is both idyllic and mystical. Look out for the Lady in Red (who has been encountered in the dining room of Greenbank House), a phantom large black dog and the spectre of a young girl skipping beside the burn – believed to be the ghost of a local girl tragically killed in the courtyard in the early 20th century. Afterwards, settle your nerves in our café with a spirit-raising scone and cup of tea!

THE HILL HOUSEHelensburgh G84 9AJThis Charles Rennie Mackintosh masterpiece was built in the early 1900s for the Glasgow publisher Walter Blackie, who is said to appear occasionally on the upper landing. Dressed in a long black cape, he emerges from the dressing room before vanishing into the main bedroom. Do not be concerned if you smell the aroma of pipe smoke in or around the library – smoking was one of Walter’s favourite pastimes.

GLADSTONE’S LAND477B Lawnmarket, Edinburgh EH1 2NTHome to the murderous Burke and Hare and scene of many public hangings, the vennels and passageways of Scotland’s historic capital are full of ghostly goings-on. Join paranormal investigators and explore our 17th-century tenement, close to Edinburgh Castle, on a special ghosts, witches and murder tour. Visit the Painted Chamber and the Georgian Wing in search of spirits both good and bad. Not for the faint-hearted!

CULROSS PALACECulross KY12 8JHThis peaceful 17th-century village is a living open-air museum. Listen to tales of the Culross witches who were imprisoned and tortured in the Town House; of petty criminals branded for life with the S-shaped courtroom key (S for sinner); and of miscreants dragged to the Mercat Cross to have their ears nailed to the town stocks. Culross Palace was built by Sir George Bruce around 1600. Visit its remarkable stone-vaulted strongroom and you may interrupt Sir George counting his money. Although he smiles and waves to children, he wards off adults who venture too close to his fortune. You may also encounter a young and elegantly dressed Mary Erskine, holding a bouquet of lavender as she admires the palace garden. Her family purchased the palace in the early 18th century.

ALLOA TOWERAlloa FK10 1PPThis 700-year-old keep, the oldest in Scotland, is home to numerous ghost stories from across the centuries. Learn of the Abbot’s Curse and visit the dungeon where the spectre of a man in chains is helped by a ghostly serving girl who bandages his rat-gnawed foot. In the Great Hall you may encounter a young girl trapped in the stone well; a woman dressed in black watching over a cradle; and a maid pacing nervously up and down close to the family portrait that depicts Alloa Tower with an adjoining mansion – the very mansion which burned to the ground in August 1800 when a maid placed a lit candle too close to bedclothes. On the anniversary of the fire, visitors often report the acrid smell of burning. In the Charter Room you may come across a young boy crying, an armed man with strange eyes or a gaunt clergyman dressed in black. Most frightening of all is the Solar Room, where a man has been seen hanging dead and where you may be overcome by the physical sensation that you too are being strangled.

FALKLAND PALACEFalkland, Cupar KY15 7BUBesieged by Rob Roy and partially destroyed by Cromwell’s troops, the palace has a turbulent history soaked in murder and despair. In 1402 the Duke of Rothesay, heir to the Scottish throne, was imprisoned in Falkland Castle, where he reputedly starved to death. In 1542 James V’s body lay in state in the Chapel Royal for almost a month before being taken to Holyrood Abbey and buried. Over the years the palace has had visits from the ghosts of Mary, Queen of Scots; the White Lady, who roams the Tapestry Gallery awaiting her lost lover; and the Grey Lady, who walks the ruins of the East Range and disappears through a wall where once there was a door. Most chilling of all are the sinister faces that appear at the window of the Queen’s Room.

KELLIE CASTLEPittenweem KY10 2RFOnce home to a daughter of Robert the Bruce, Kellie Castle is brimming to the battlements with spooky stories. Dating from 1360, the oldest tower is said to be haunted by the spirit of Anne Erskine, who died when she ‘fell’ from an upstairs window. Although rarely seen, she makes her presence known by the rhythmic thump of her footsteps on the turnpike staircase. The ghost of Professor James Lorimer, who began the restoration of the castle in 1878, has also been seen seated in quiet contemplation. It is said that Kellie Castle was once exorcised … without success!

HOUSE OF DUNMontrose, Angus DD10 9LQBeware the Headless Horseman who roams the lanes of Dun at night, seeking retribution on unwary travellers. This stunning Georgian mansion and its surrounding estate hold many a dark secret, including that of the harpist murdered at the den of Dun on the very spot where his ghost has been seen playing musical laments. You may also encounter the phantom of the knight who, upon returning from the Crusades, discovered his wife had been tricked into marrying his friend. A sword fight ensued, and the usurper was run through and impaled to an ancient yew tree.

DRUM CASTLE

by Banchory AB31 5EYGifted to the Irvines by Robert the Bruce in 1323, Drum is one of Scotland’s oldest tower houses and a hotspot of supernatural activities – from apparitions of Anna Forbes Irvine (who died in 1900) to the haunting laughter of her son Alexander, who died aged six in 1865. Hear stories of family heirlooms which inexplicably move in the night and ghostly footsteps in the dark. In 2014 one of Drum’s resident ghosts was even captured on camera, which featured extensively in the local and national press.

CRATHES CASTLE

Banchory AB31 5QJVisit the Green Lady’s Room, named after the spirit of a young woman who has often been seen by the fireplace wearing a green dress and cradling an infant in her arms. When the castle was renovated in the 1800s, the bones of a child – presumed murdered – were discovered under the hearthstone of the fireplace. The archives tell of the unearthly appearance of a luminous block of ice that moves like someone walking but is not human in shape – these visions are always accompanied by a sharp drop in room temperature. The tower house is also home to the White Lady, thought to be Alexander Burnett’s young lover, Bertha. Poisoned by Lady Agnes for being unworthy of her son’s hand in marriage, Bertha visits on the anniversary of her murder.

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

LEITH HALLHuntly AB54 4NQHome of the Leith-Hay family for nearly 400 years, Leith Hall is haunted by the ghost of John Leith who was shot in 1763 in a drunken brawl in Aberdeen. He was brought home but died three days later on Christmas Day. Wearing dark green trousers and a shirt, he appears in great pain, lamenting his injuries, with a dirty white bandage wrapped around his head and covering his eyes. Other sightings include apparitions of a family dog and children at play.

CASTLE FRASERSauchen, Inverurie AB51 7LDOne of the grandest Castles of Mar, Castle Fraser is full of quirky features including secret staircases, trapdoors and a spy hole. Over the years there have been numerous sightings of a young woman who was murdered in the Green Room. Her bloodied body, dragged down the round tower, stained the steps to such an extent that they had to be covered in the wooden panelling we see today. Dressed in a long black gown, the ghost of Lady Blanche Drummond, who died in 1874, wanders the castle and its grounds; ghostly whispers, laughter and music have also been heard in the Great Hall.

HADDO HOUSEMethlick, Ellon AB41 7EQThis elegant Georgian mansion was home to the Gordon family for over 400 years. One of its most famous residents was Lord Archibald Gordon, affectionately known as Archie. Unfortunately, he died in 1909, one of the first people in Britain to be killed in a car accident. Dressed in hunting tweeds with a shock of ginger hair, Archie’s ghost is often seen smiling and talking to visitors. Haddo also has a more menacing supernatural side, where locked attic doors shake violently at night and staff have been threatened and chased by spirits through the servants’ corridors and vaulted cellars.

CRAIGIEVAR CASTLE

Alford AB33 8JFThis fairytale Scottish castle, said to have inspired the Walt Disney trademark castle, has been in the Forbes family for over 350 years. Listen to tales of ‘Red’ Sir John, ancient clan feuds and murder most foul. Visit the Blue Room (‘the ghost room’) and hear about the human forms that move in the shadows and doors that open and close on their own. There are also stories of ghostly cocktail parties filled with Scottish music and voices from the past; apparitions of children at play; and sleeves tugged when no one is there.

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

HUGH MILLER’S BIRTHPLACE COTTAGE & MUSEUM

Cromarty IV11 8XAVisit the thatched cottage where Hugh Miller wrote of local legends and spine-chilling ghost stories. Hear of the ‘severed hand’ apparition that reached out to him as a child on the night his father perished in a shipwreck. Learn about the visions of Hugh’s great-grandfather, the buccaneer John Feddes, then visit the ‘little antique room’ where many an inexplicable occurrence has taken place.

KILLIECRANKIEPitlochry PH16 5LGOn 27 July 1689, the peace and tranquillity of this beautiful gorge was shattered when the first shots in the Jacobite cause were fired. One soldier escaped by making a spectacular jump across the River Garry at the spot now known as Soldier’s Leap. On the anniversary of the battle, the Pass of Killiecrankie is said to ring with the sound of footsteps as the government army march to their doom. Other accounts describe terrifying encounters with a gruesome floating head.

FYVIE CASTLE

Fyvie, Turriff AB53 8JSTales of murder and betrayal cast a spine-chilling shadow over this 800-year-old Scottish Baronial fortress. When the room temperature drops suddenly and the air fills with the scent of roses, it is said that you are in the presence of the ghost of Lilias Drummond, ‘The Green Lady’. Legend tells that Lilias was starved to death by her husband, Alexander Seton, for failing to provide a son and heir. On the night of his second marriage, her ghostly laments were heard outside the marital bedchamber – in the morning, and still visible today, her name was found freshly scratched into the castle walls. Listen to tales of phantom soldiers, poltergeists and the curse of the weeping stones, then visit the secret burial chamber of the Grey Lady, whose remains were discovered encased in the castle walls and whose spirit roams the passageways.

BRODIE CASTLEBrodie, Forres IV36 2TEHome to the Brodie family for nearly 450 years, this iconic 16th-century Scottish tower house has experienced a number of ghostly sightings over the centuries. In the Blue Sitting Room a phantom uniformed soldier has been seen sitting in contemplation; the spectre of a small dog has been spotted heading towards the children’s nursery; and occasionally the ghost of Lady Margaret, wife of the 21st Brodie of Brodie, visits the Best Bedchamber, where she died in a fire in 1786.

Part of Scotland’s Castle Trail

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Front cover: Craigievar Castle, Aberdeenshire