Scotland’s Haunted Castles

Scotland is a nation rich in folkloric tradition. Both the highlands and the lowlands preserved distinct cultural folk tradition with influences from Gaelic, Anglo-Saxon, and Norse influences. These cultures, along with the unique landscape and climate of this hilly northern country, fused to give Scottish folklore a unique flavor. Stories of ghosts and spirits are one common feature of Scottish lore. 

And old photocrom print of Dunskey Castle, circa 1890-1900.

In fact, in his book Scottish Folklore, author Raymond Lamont-Brown says “When the early Christian missionaries came to Scotland they found a land they deemed full of spirits and demons. 

The Irish saint Adamnan (c.625-704), Abbot of Iona, tells us so in his Life of Saint Columba” (Lamont-Brown, 32). Although these missionaries canvased and converted the Celtic people very early in the Middle Ages, much earlier than the rest of Northern Europe, these beliefs in spirits lingered on far into the modern era. 

The land is dotted with numerous castles, many of which harbor dark histories. Combine that with the misty atmosphere of a notoriously superstitious culture, and it is no wonder that tales of haunted castles are abundant in Scotland.

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J. Maxwell Wood explores Scotland’s rich folklore tradition in her book “Witchcraft and Superstitious Record in the South-Western District of Scotland,” published in 1911. Since this book is in the public domain, it is available for free online (see link at the end), and we can freely reprint sections. Here is an excerpt in which the author describes the ghostly piper of Dunskey Castle:

Traversing from Western Galloway to Eastern Dumfriesshire, gleaning as we go, the legend connected with Dunskey Castle, which yet in ruined solitude stands sentinel over the rock-bound shore and restless sea at Portpatrick, first calls for mention.

The story goes back to the occupation of the Castle in the fourteenth century by Walter de Curry, a turbulent sea rover, who, becoming much incensed at the outspoken and fearless utterances of an Irish piper whom he had taken prisoner and compelled to his service as minstrel and jester, condemned the unfortunate man to a lingering death from starvation in the Castle dungeons.

Dunskey Castle. Photo by Philip Halling, wikimedia commons

Tradition asserts, however, that the piper found his way into a secret subterranean passage leading from the Castle to a cave on the sea-shore, from which, however, he was unable to find egress, and where he perished miserably.

Along this passage the troubled ghost of the piper was long reputed to march, backwards and forwards, playing the weirdest of pipe music, and so indicating, as was firmly believed, to the awe-stricken listeners above, the line of direction of the secret underground passage (Wood, 244-245).

Returning to Raymond Lamont-Brown’s “Scottish Folklore,” we find more stories of castle hauntings involving music. The first story takes place in Airlie Castle, “the former traditional home of the Earls of Airlie at Cortachy.” 

In 1640, Airlie Castle was burned down after it was captured by the Earl of Argyll. The castle’s drummer, from the Cameron clan, was responsible for sounding the alarm to alert the Ogilvie family, the castle’s defenders, of danger. 

When he failed to do so, and the castle fell, the drummer was blamed. The others escaped, but apparently locked the drummer inside to burn alive as the flames engulfed Airlie. Ever since his horrible death, the Airlie Drummer returns to warn the Ogilvie family of impending deaths (Lamont-Brown, 70).

When he failed to do so, and the castle fell, the drummer was blamed. The others escaped, but apparently locked the drummer inside to burn alive as the flames engulfed Airlie.

 Ever since his horrible death, the Airlie Drummer returns to warn the Ogilvie family of impending deaths (Lamont-Brown, 70).

The Bonnie House O' Airlie - illustration from The Bards of Angus and the Mearns 1897

The second story is brief enough to quote in its entirety. Lamont-Brown says:

Inverary Castle, home of the Dukes of Argyll, is haunted by the ‘Harper of Inverary.” Heard in the area of the Blue Room the ghost is thought to be that of a man hanged at the time the Marquis of Montrose was hunting down the then lard. (Lamont-Brown, 97)

In her book “Skye: The Island and its Legends,” Otta F. Swire describes several hauntings of Duntulm Castle. 

_One story arose from an unfortunate, albeit somewhat humorous, mix-up. Hugh Uisdean MacGillespic Chleirich (we’ll just call him Hugh ) was the cousin of Donald Gorm Mor, chief of Clan Macdonald of Clanranald. 

Hugh, apparently, was known as murderous bugger. He had previously plotted to murder Donald Gorm Mor, as well as having murdered several other individuals. But, Hugh’s next plot against the life of his cousin would prove to be his undoing.

This plot was quite elaborate. Hugh went through the effort to build a custom castle just to carry out his sinister deed. Castle Uisdean, also called Hugh’s Castle, was constructed on the Isle of Skye. The castle was built with no windows and only one door, to prohibit Donald’s escape. 

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When the castle was finished, Hugh planned a house warming party and happily composed his invitations. He wrote a very flowery invite to his cousin Donald to lure him in. Meanwhile, Hugh wrote another letter to a friend called Martin, of East Trotternish, known as “a mean rogue,” giddily laying out his plot to murder Donald which would be completed by Martin. 


Well, as fortune would have it, after the letters were sealed in their individual packets, they were accidentally mixed up. Martin received the sugary sweet invitation while Donald received the letter describing the plot on his own life!

Ruins of Duntulm Castle. Photo by Andrew Wood Wikimedia Commons

As you may well imagine, this did not go over well with Donald Gorm Mor. He stormed Hugh’s castle and laid siege to it until it fell. 
Hugh tried to escape dressed as a woman. But, apparently, his husky body frame gave him away and he was captured. 

Donald hauled his cousin Hugh back to his own castle, Duntulm, where Hugh was slowly killed. 

The method of execution was feeding him salted meat and fish without water until he died of dehydration.  Hugh’s ghost is said to haunt Duntulm to this day (Swire, 52-53).

Works Cited (Links to books on Amazon):

Lamont-Brown, Ramond. 1996. Scottish Folklore. Edinburgh: Birlinn Limited.

Swire, Otta F. 1961. Skye: The Island and its Legends. Glasgow: Blackie & Son Limited.

Wood, J. Maxwell. 1911. Witchcraft and Superstitious Record in the South-Western District of Scotland. Dumfries: J. Maxwell & Son.

Download “Witchcraft and Superstitious Record in the South-Western District of Scotland” for free here from Project Gutenberg.

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​​​My name is Carolyn Emerick, and I write on the history, myth, and folklore of Northwestern Europe. 

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