It’s that time of year again when ghosts ghouls, demons, devils, witches, warlocks and various pop culture references haunt the streets.
‘Halloween’ comes from a Scottish term for All Hallows’ Eve (the evening before All Hallows’ Day).
In Scots, the word “eve” is even, and is contracted to e’en or een. Over time, (All) Hallow(s) E(v)en evolved into Halloween.
On thing is for sure about the spooky season, people love the allure of the unusual and the haunting call of the macabre.
Here’s a chilling list of some of our areas best horror stories.
1.Aberdeen – The Dee.
In ancient times, people were superstitious to a fault and believed in many Gods. The River Dee had a particularly vicious story attached to it with this ancient rhyme reflecting sacrifices made to the Goddess lurking in it’s depths:
Bloody thirsty Dee,
Each year demands three.
2. Abergeldie Castle.
Abergeldie Castle was built c1550 – A French woman known as ‘Kitty Rankie’ who worked at the castle was arrested and charged for suspicion of being a witch.
After being found guilty she was chained and imprisoned in the castle then burned at the stake on a nearby hill.
After her death her vengeful ghost is said to have roamed the castle, with the sound of clanking chains and the smell of smoke haunting it’s hallways.
3. Arbroath – The Lost Piper.
At Dickmountlaw Farm near Arbroath the skirl of bagpipes is said to be heard underground.
Legend tells of a piper called Tam Tyne who accompanied by his dog sought shelter in a cave, but was never seen again.
Tam got lost inside the cave and is still looking for the way out, perhaps playing the pipes in the hope that someone will hear him and come to the rescue.
4. Ballindalloch Castle, Banffshire.
Ballindalloch Castle in the former county of Banff is known also as the ‘Pearl of the North’ and dates from the 16th century.
It has had several ghost sightings including a bedroom in the pink tower of the castle which is said to be haunted by a beautiful lady wearing a pink crinoline dress.
This ghost who was born around 1750 is said to be a relative of the current castle owner Mrs Clare Russell, the ghost is said to have lost her child when she was only five years old.
The ghost is said to be Mrs Russell’s guardian angel.
The ghost of General James Grant (1720 to 1806) is said to have been seen may times riding a large white horse.
Similar to many other castles Ballindalloch also has a green lady ghost who is said to haunt the castle’s dining room.
5. Banffshire Coast.
In 1896 eight crewmen of a lugger reported sighting a large sea creature or Serpent, which they described as having three large humps and being three hundred feet long.
They also reported that the monster made a lot of noise, as much as a steamship.
6. Burghead Well.
An underground pool in a rock hewn chamber discovered in 1809. It is thought that the pool was used in Pictish times for religious purposes including drowning.
Burghead is referred to by many as the ‘Pictish Capital’ and this may well be a suitable name for Burghead since a great fort almost three hectares in area with massive stone walls, ramparts and ditches once stood here.
7. Castle Fraser.
A woman is said to have been murdered in the green room. A ghost of a woman with no face has been seen in the library, others have reported hearing voices in the castle.
9. Corgarff Castle Murders
Corgarff is a mediaeval tower house built c1550 thought by John Forbes of Towie. The Forbes’ acquired the land from Lord Elphinstone. The mediaeval tower is surrounded by a star-shaped 18th century perimeter wall. The Forbes’ were supporters of the future King James VI and the Gordon’s of nearby Auchindoun were supporters of Mary Queen of Scots. This led to a feud and in November 1571 Adam Gordon of Auchindoun carried out a raid on Corgarff Castle in an attempt to capture it. Lady Margaret Forbes’ husband laird John Forbes and the other men-folk were away at the time. Lady Margaret Forbes the mistress wouldn’t surrender the castle and raised a pistol and shot one of Gordon’s men through the knee. The Gordon’s then took a torch to the castle and burned it to the ground murdering Margaret, her family, and servants, between twenty-four and twenty-seven of in all, who were all trapped inside the burning inferno. The castle is said to have been haunted ever since.
The events are recalled in the traditional ballad of ‘Edom o’ Gordon’ which has the lines:
Gi’ up your house, ye fair lady,
Gi’ up your house to me,
Or I sall burn yourself therein,
Bot and your babies three.
Another version tells that Margaret was allowed to live and she fled to Ireland.
10. Craigievar Castle.
A former un-named member of the Gordon clan is said to haunt the blue room in the tower, he is said to have fallen from the bedroom window to his death there.
The ghost of a fiddler is also said to haunt the castle, the fiddler is said to have fallen down a well and drowned, his ghost is said to only appear to people named Forbes.
11. Crathes Castle.
The tower of this 16th century castle is said to have a ghost who appears as a green lady who moves across the room sometimes alone and sometimes she picks up a small ghostly child, said to be in the fireplace before vanishing. There has been so many sightings of her that the room is now referred to as ‘The Green lady’s Room’. Two skeletons one of a woman and one of a child were uncovered in the castle walls during restoration work. It is thought that the woman had found herself pregnant out of wedlock and was murdered to avoid embarrassment to the family. Although the two skeletons were buried the ghosts still haunt the castle.
12. Cullen House.
Cullen House mansion was originally a ‘L’ plan 16th century castle built on the site of a much earlier monastery (c13th centrury).
In 1975 its contents were auctioned, and the house was converted into luxury flats.
James Ogilvie (1714 to 1770) the 6th Earl of Findlater and 3rd Earl of Seafield had a temper and is said to often fly into uncontrollable rages. Legend tells us that once he got in such a temper that he killed his factor.
After controlling his anger he was guilt-ridden and committed suicide by cutting his own throat.
Ogilvie’s ghost is said to haunt the house, and he has been sighted in the library and the church rooms. Others have heard footsteps coming from rooms with no-one in them.
13.Deer Abbey – Monk Ghost.
The Abbey of Deer was first established by St Drostan at the end of the 6th century. The Book of Deer written in the 10th century has later Gaelic additions which were written here, and is the oldest Gaelic writing in existence. The abbey was founded by William Comyn (1163 to c1233) 1st Earl of Buchan in 1219. It was a Cistercian House.
On the main road (A950) adjacent to the Abbey of Deer a ghost of a monk wearing a dark monks robe with a hood has been sighted. The face of the ghostly monk has never been seen.
14. Dufftown – Balvenie Castle.
Balvenie castle is said to be haunted by a White Lady. Others have heard the sound of a disembodied voice, and also sweet flute music.
15. Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven.
A soldier in uniform has been sighted looking out to sea as if on look-out duty, watching for an invasion.
Others have reported crying and screams of agony coming from the ruins of the castle at night.
16.Forres – Seuno’s Stone – Macbeth and the three witches.
The Three Witches (or Weird Sisters) are characters in Shakespeare’s play Macbeth (c1603-1607). At Forres where Sueno’s Stone stands this is said to be where the three witches prophecise that General Macbeth will rise to be the king of Scotland. Upon committing regicide and then being seated on the throne of Scotland, Macbeth then hears of the witches prophecise ambiguously of Macbeth’s downfall.
17. – Witches Stone.
The sign on the stone reads “From Cluny Hill witches were rolled in stout barrels through which spikes were driven. Where the barrels stopped they were burned with their mangled contents. This stone marks the site of one such burning”. Yuck. Frankly yuck.
18. Fyvie Castle.
The Green Lady – This ghost is said to have been Dame Lilias Drummond the wife of laird Alexander Seton. She is said to drift along the corridor to the bedroom referred to as the ‘Murder Room’. Lilias had borne 5 daughters to the laird in nine years of marriage (1592 to 1601), but this gave no heir, and back in those days it wasn’t satisfactory for the laird not to have a son. Foul play is suspected as the reason for Lilias’ death with the laird as the prime suspect. A mere 6 months after Lilias’ death Seton married Lady Grizel Leslie, and on the night of the wedding they retired to their bed-chamber only to be alarmed by the sounds of a woman sighing outside their window. When they looked out the window the saw D. LILIAS DRUMMOND carved into the windowsill.
It is though that her spirit has been laid to rest, after her skeleton was put back in a wall.
A trumpeter is said to blow a single long note on his trumpet prior to a death in the family. This is said to be the ghost of Andrew Lammie
The Ghostly Drummer.
19. Gight Castle
Inside the castle there is said to be a secret room where two nobleman played cards with the devil himself.
The 2nd Lord of Glamis known as “Earl Beardie” and Alexander Lindsay (d.1453) the 4th Earl of Crawford known as the “Tiger Earl” played cards late one Saturday night, and played past midnight into the Sabbath.
A servant is said to have reminded the Earl of the time five minutes before midnight, but Earl Beardie said he would play with the Devil himself if he had to and ordered the servant out of the room. There was then a knock on the door at the stroke of midnight and a tall stranger dressed in black entered the room requesting to play.
The two earls agreed that the stranger could play and he sat down placing a handful of rubies on the table. A little while later the two earls argued and when the servant looked into the room he saw the two earls engulfed in flames. It is said that the stranger was indeed the Devil himself and the Earl Beardie for playing cards with the Devil on the Sabbath he was condemned to play cards until Dooms Day.
Earl Beardie’s ghost is said to haunt the halls and returns to the room to play cards with the Devil. People have heard sounds of stamping, swearing and dice rattling from the tower where Earl Beardie is said to have cursed God and played with the Devil. So great were these disturbances that the room was later permanently sealed-up, and it is said that the Earl and the Devil are still playing cards in there, and will do for eternity.
20. Loch of Skene.
Legend tells us that Alexander Skene a local wizard, once froze the waters of the Loch of Skene so he could take a short cut home.
A man referred to simply as Alex, who was a known local villain, was drowned by Old Nick as he tried to cross the waters of the Loch of Skene in his horse-drawn carriage. This coach is said to still travel the surrounding countryside, driven by the ghost of its dead master.
A large hairy monster is also said to haunt this area, someone is said to have once photographed it from a distance.
21. New Slains Castle
Soldiers dressed in World War 2 uniforms have been sighted around the grounds of the castle.
A horse and carriage is also said to haunt the castle grounds.
Bram Stoker who visited Cruden Bay and Slains Castle was inspired to write his Dracula novel after seeing the castle.
In the 19th century several mermaids were reported as being seen on the coast near this castle. One is said to have been seen pitching upon the bowsprit of a small Peterhead boat causing to boat to steer off course and smash against the rocks; all of the crew drowned except for one.
32. Tarland – Tomnaverie Stone Circle.
In July 1992 two people who were sleeping in a car parked at a field adjacent to the Tomnaverie stone circle were both awoken suddenly as a cloaked and hooded figure passed by their car window. The dark entity then quickly vanished from sight.
Circle of Stones
I stand on this hill,
Here all alone,
But I sense a presence,
At this ‘Circle of Stones’.
Is it just the wind blowing?
Or the fact that I’m here all on my own,
Or is it something more mysterious,
Coming from this ‘Circle of Stones’.
Many people have passed away here,
And have been cremated on this very hill,
I feel a strange sensation, and a chill the air,
Is there something here still?
Our forefathers built this circle,
Thousands of years ago,
What exactly went on here?
I guess we’ll never truly know!
23. Whitehills – Red Well.
On New Years day 1990 a sixteen year old boy while walking down the Red Well track was approached by the ghost of an old woman dressed in black.
The ghost then passed straight through the lad’s body. As he fled for his life the ghost passed through him again.
The lad ran home and later that night while in bed he awoke choking, and saw a black cloud disappear out of his bedroom window. The ghost is thought to have once been the keeper of the well.
