Magic, Mystery, a little Whisky, and a Cat

Colorful Ghosts–Female Apparitions of Scotland

The Green Lady of Comlongon Castle

Whether she jumped or was pushed, Lady Marion Curruthers died at the foot of the castle tower where legend says no grass has ever grown.  Before his death,

Comlongon Castle
Comlongon Castle

her father arranged a marriage for her with Sir James Douglas. Only problem—she hated every inch of his guts. After her father’s death, she refused to marry Sir James Douglas. Defying a decree some said came from Mary Queen of Scots herself, Lady Marion found herself locked in the tower by her uncle. The story goes that she jumped out the window in despair on the 25th of September, 1570. Another story has the uncle’s minions tossing her out because of her recalcitrance. Either way, she is not a happy apparition and appears as a weeping lady in a long green gown. And who can blame her? Sir James Douglas, by virtue of his legal betrothal to Lady Marion and despite her protests inherited all the wealth and lands. To top it off, no one was ever punished for her murder, if murder it was.

 

The White Lady of Claypotts Castle

Claypotts Castle
Claypotts Castle

A lady in white who waves a handkerchief from the window is supposed to be either Marion Ogilvie, mistress of Cardinal Beaton who was murdered on May 29th 1546 or the ghost of a mistress of John Graham of Claverhouse, Viscount Dundee—aka Bonnie Dundee or bluidy Clavers. Rumor had it that John Graham performed diabolic rituals in the castle, but that may have been propaganda spread by his enemies. However, tales of orgies, screaming, demonic images, and the sounds of cackling laughter and  the stomping of the Horses of Hell kept the populace a healthy distance away from the castle come nightfall. The Lady is said to return to the castle on the 29th of May. John Graham was killed at the battle of Killiecrankie in 1689 and is also reported to return on the 29thof May.

The Grey Lady of Glamis Castle

Lady Jane Douglas was burned for witchcraft in 1540. King James V, who never liked the

Glamis Castle:http://de.academic.ru/dic.nsf/dewiki/526083
Glamis Castle:http://de.academic.ru/dic.nsf/dewiki/526083

plaguey Douglas clan anyhow, appropriated the lavish castle after the scandal. She is often seen in the clock tower surrounded by flames. She might be the grey lady who frequents the chapel, a solid figure who disappears into thin air. Glamis Castle is a busy place, supernaturally speaking, housing no fewer than a dozen ghosts. You can’t swing a dead cat without stirring up one spirit or another.

 

 

The Pink Lady of Stirling Castle

Stirling CastleSix years after Edward I defeated William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298, Stirling Castle was the last stronghold of Scotland. Edward and his twelve siege engines at last had the Scots treed. He besieged the castle in 1304. For four long months, The English bombarded Stirling with Greek fire, rocks, and whatever else they could lay their hands on. Though the garrison of 30 surrendered, many died of starvation during the siege. The Pink Lady is thought to be a noblewoman who pined away  for her lover who died a slow death in the Castle. People say the faint scent of rose lingers just before she appears. She wanders between the Kirk Tower and the Castle, waiting for the Day of Judgement when she will find her brave Scottish knight again.

 

The Green Lady of Dunstaffnage Castle

She walks the ramparts when important events for Clan Campbell are in the offing. If she smiles,

the Campbells can expect good luck. If she weeps––Not so much.

Dunstaffnage Castle: By Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=447359
Dunstaffnage Castle: By Anne Burgess, CC BY-SA 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=447359

 

Scotland is chocked full of ghosts—pink ladies, green ladies, blue ladies, grey ladies, white ladies––not to mention ghostly pipers, headless apparitions, purple fingered demons, and flesh-eating, blood-sucking goblins. Read about many of them, as well as creepy critters from other cultures,  during April when I explore Things that Go Bump in the Night for the fabulous A-Z Blog Challenge.

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