Dunphail Castle, a few miles south of Forres, Moray, was a property of the Comyn’s that was besieged in 1330. Five headless ghosts are supposed to have haunted Dunphail Castle near Forres. This was a Cummings Clan Castle and was under seige from the Earl of Moray. Five of the defenders of the castle (Alasdair Comyn […]
The ancient Clan Chattan possess a wooden chanter (finger pipe of the bagpipes) known as ‘The Black Chanter’ or ‘Feadan Dubh’. The chanter is one of the Clan’s most cherished possessions alongside their Green Banner and is kept at Cluny Castle in Badenoch—the Seat of the Chief of Clan Chattan/MacPherson. The prosperity of the House […]
Living in Edinburgh we know the ghost tours well. You can’t go through a walk in the city centre without crossing paths with one, combination of pale faced tourists and giggling people huddled in the the back of the group avidly listening to their tour guide theatrically telling ghoulish tales of what terrible deed happened […]
Scottish Gaelic in the United States truly is a marginalized language and culture, and it has been largely subsumed and reinvented on a very different Anglo-Scottish model. Thus, much of the discussion necessary to set the stage for expanded efforts at Gaelic culture and language recovery and revitalization tends to be a bit dark and more than a little uncomfortable. Such […]
Once upon a time there was a King who was so ill that he believed he was nearing death, a wise woman was called for, she said the only thing that would cure him was to drink from the Waters of Life. Questioning the wise woman the King learned that the Waters of Life could […]
Dalziel or Dalzell, as well as Bluidy Tam and the Muscovite de’il. He was a Scottish Royalist General in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Born in Linlithgowshire; the son of Thomas Dalyell of the House of the Binns, Linlithgowshire; head of a cadet branch of the family of the Earls of Carnwath, and of […]
The use of spiral staircases in medieval castles served as clever defence systems. They were almost always built with the spiral in the same direction (clockwise, when looking up from the bottom) so that the defending swordsman, who would either be coming down the stairs or backing up in reverse, could freely swing his sword. […]
In Torgyle, Glenmoriston there are a set of footprints in the clay, these have been here since the 1820s. No grass grows here and even reappearing after the ground was dug up by vandals in the 1970s. Local legend tells that they belonged to a visiting preacher, Finlay Munro, a strange and charismatic figure born […]
Volunteer archaeologists have been helping to uncover the forgotten past of Crathes Castle, near Banchory. This has been part of a month-long dig, during which the team has uncovered traces of a 17th century courtyard and old buildings under the lawn. Pottery and bits of glass have also been found, as well as a bottle […]
Crathes Castle historic seat of Clan Burnett. Like most Scottish castles Crathes has it’s ghostly tales. The one it’s most known for is the withered spectre of the Green Lady stalks the corridors, putting the frighteners on those she meets. More than that, she is a portent of death. Whether you are a believer or […]
