People have called Elgin home for thousands of years, so it’s no surprise that eerie stories of paranormal activity have emerged over time.
Lynda Dean, also known as the Whyte Witch, is a well-known figure in the town thanks to her business, Elgin Ghost Tours.
When she’s not leading tours, Lynda specialises in spirit work and paranormal investigations, helping people deal with restless spirits in their homes.
The Press and Journal caught up with her to find out about some of the ‘spookiest’ sites in Elgin…
1. The Moray Playhouse
Cinema staff and construction workers have reported multiple paranormal experiences during the installation of the third screen at The Moray Playhouse cinema.
Several workers felt as though they were being watched, and some even discovered that tools they had left down had mysteriously moved.
The Press and Journal visited the cinema in October to join Lynda on a paranormal investigation, accompanied by cinema owner Steven Bieszke.
One chilling experience Steven recalled was finishing work one night, when a shadow emerged from a door, turned the corner, and walked straight through the staff room door.
“Another time, I was in on a Wednesday morning opening up,” Steven added.
“I turned the key, opened the door and as clear as day and right over my shoulder, a voice whispered: ‘are you ready?’”
During the investigation that the P&J accompanied the pair on, Lynda shared her eerie encounters, including witnessing a “people-watching” ghost and spotting a young girl behind the screen in Cinema 2.
2. Thunderton House
A popular spot for locals to unwind, Thunderton House has long been the site of its fair share of spooky happenings.
Legends suggest that the ghost of Bonnie Prince Charlie himself haunts the building, as he once stayed there on his way to Culloden.
Lynda shared some other eerie experiences at the Elgin pub from over the years.
In the late 90s, two bar staff were closing up on a Saturday evening after a Victorian-themed market in Forres, Lynda told the Press and Journal. It seemed normal to them when they saw an elderly lady in costume sitting alone at the bar.
She was the last customer, so one of the men casually said, “Don’t be alarmed, but we’re locking the door while we refill from the cellar. When you’re ready to leave, just call down to us from the bar.”
The woman smiled and nodded. But when the men returned, she had vanished without a trace.
They searched the entire building, including the toilets, but found nothing. All the exterior doors were still locked, and her glass had disappeared as well.
Lynda shared that over the decades, several women have reported hearing someone crying in the toilets when no one is around or seeing a lady in the mirror who isn’t in the room with them.
During an investigation in the early 2000s, Lynda encountered what she described as the old household staff from the 1700s, still going about their duties in the pub. These spirits, Lynda explained, were “pretty much recordings” of past events, unaware of the present. Most visitors wouldn’t even notice their presence.
Other spirits from the 1700s to the 1800s also made appearances during the investigation, but Lynda reassured that there was no cause for concern.
In what was once the manager’s flat in the early 1900s, she reported that his wife still lingers there, quietly ensuring everything is in order, while her husband continues his patrol of the first floor, keeping watch over any noise disturbances.
3. Elgin High Street
Eight years ago, on an Elgin High Street tour, 12 out of 18 guests accompanying Lynda saw a spooky apparition above some buildings.
“I was just finishing up a High Street tour about eight years ago when almost all of the group gasped at this building,” she said.
“I looked and saw a lady in her 30s with long hair, wearing a white dress or nightgown, running from the middle window of Shoe Zone.
“We watched her run through opening and closing doors as she went until she stopped in the first window above H Samuel where she turned to face the window and faded away.”
The Whyte Witch proceeded to ask the group what they saw – with 12 of them saying that they saw the woman run through the buildings.
Lynda noted that this is now impossible, as each building is sealed off from each other.
“I have had customers have their hair played with during a tour, had a man get kicked in the shins, various reports of more gentle physical contact too.
“But because we generally don’t get inside the buildings, I only really have hearsay stories from them.”
Have you ever experienced something ‘paranormal’ in Elgin? Let us know in the comments.
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