Edinburgh Castle part 2


The ghosts of Edinburgh Castle



Edinburgh Castle is said to be home to many ghosts, they make themselves known in a variety of ways, perhaps by the sound of drumming or bagpipes, perhaps by a chill in the air or a whisper in your ear, perhaps they will tug on your shirt sleeve or maybe even appear in front of you when you least expect to see them.

The headless drummer boy made his first appearance at Edinburgh Castle in 1650 the same year that Oliver Cromwell marched into Edinburgh, executed Charles I, and sieged the castle. It is said that a phantom headless drummer boy was seen wandering around the castle grounds playing his drum, warning of an attack. Legend says this boy makes his appearance when the castle is going to be attacked; perhaps this is true since it has been many years since the boy has been seen or heard.

There are labyrinths of tunnels that lie beneath Edinburgh Castle and lead all the way down the Royal Mile to Holyroodhouse house. It is said that when the tunnels were rediscovered hundreds of years ago a boy was selected and sent down to explore the tunnels in order to determine where they lead, he was told to play his bagpipes so his movements could be tracked from above. All was going well until the music stopped, a search party was sent to look for the boy, but no trace of him was found. Reports of the piper wandering the tunnels continue today with the sounds of his bagpipes being heard within the castle walls and on the streets above.

Vaults

Tunnels


Like any good medieval castle, Edinburgh castle has an impressive dungeon that was used to hold many prisoners over the years. There are reports of prisoners being tortured within these dungeon walls and many prisoners would have died here. There is a story of a prisoner so desperate to escape that he hid in a wheelbarrow filled with human waste in the hopes that he would be wheeled right out of captivity, sadly his attempt ended in his being dumped over the edge of the rocky slopes over the castle. 
During the Jacobite uprising political prisoners were held here, during the Seven year War prisoners from France, Spain, Italy and even as far away as America were held here. The cells held prisoners during the American Revolution and the French Napoleonic wars. Visitors have reported the strong smell of human waste and feelings of being pushed while visiting the dungeons. Others have reported seeing colored orbs or shadowy figures.

Multiple women were held here after being accused of witchcraft. Perhaps the most famous being Janet Douglas, or Lady Glamis as she was known.  Janet was the sister of Archibald Douglas, the 6th Earl of Angus and also King James V’s stepfather.  After King James mother Margaret Tudor divorced Archibald he kidnapped James and held him prisoner for two years until James was able to escape. James hated his former step-father and his family, to include Janet.  Lady Janet had married Lord Glamis and had a son John, her husband died and she remarried this time to Archibald Campbell.

King James V accused Lady Janet of making potions first to poison her first husband, The king also accused her of using witchcraft against himself.  These accusations allowed King James to confiscate Glamis castle in the name of the crown. Lady Janet, her husband Archibald and her young son John were thrown into the dungeons at Edinburgh Castle.  Lady Glamis was well liked and King James had a difficult time proving any wrongdoing.  Because of this it seems King James turned to torture, in the dungeons of Edinburgh Castle King James had multiple Clansmen rounded up and tortured until they admitted Lady Janet was a witch. Finally King turned to 16 year old John, he had already been forced to watch as his friends and family were tortured before becoming a victim himself. John confessed and both he and his mother were found guilty of witchcraft.

Lady Janet had been held in the dark dungeons for so long that it was said she was nearly blind from lack of sunlight when she was led out to her execution. On 17 July 1537 she was burned alive at Edinburgh Castle, while her husband and son watched. Witnesses reported that no one believed that she was guilty but they looked on in silence as they did not dare defy the King.

King James continued to occupy Glamis castle until his death; luckily, he died before he could order the execution of John. John’s conviction was overturned and the castle and his title returned to him after the Kings death. Archibald escaped the castle only to die shortly after.

Lady Janet became known as the Grey Lady and is said to haunt  her home Glamis Castle.  There have been reports of banging and hammering at Edinburgh Castle, believed to be the ghosts of the men who built the scaffolding for Lady Janet’s execution.

Finally on the castle grounds is a dog cemetery that has been used since 1840 as a place to lay to rest regimental mascots and officers pets.  Reports of at least one black ghost dog have been seen running around the castle grounds.

If you are in Edinburgh you cannot miss taking an afternoon to walk among the grounds of this impressive castle, it is full of fascinating history, intriguing mysteries and likely multiple ghosts who might make an appearance if you’re lucky.


 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Serbia

Historic Anchorage Hotel/Club Paris

Oregon Irish Famine Memorial Cross