Already in the records in 1296, Fyvie was at one time held by Robert the Bruce as a hunting lodge and later passed into the hands of the Gordon family (the family of the famous Lord Byron). It has had its share of royal visitors and men of far lesser means, and it has a history that runs in parallel with some of the bloodiest and most tumultuous times in Scottish history, so it is no surprise that it also has its share of ghosts.

Perhaps the most famous ghost in Fyvie is the ghost of Dame Lilias (or Lilies) Drummond. In 1592 Lilias Drummond married Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie. For nine years it seemed they were relatively content and Lilias bore Alexander five daughters. Yes, perhaps you can already imagine the trouble—five girls, five dowries and no heir. The rumor goes that Alexander began an affair with Lady Grizel Leslie shortly before Lilias’s sudden (and yet unexplained) death. Some claim Lilias died of a broken heart—some suspect foul play. We do know that six months after Lilias’ death, Alexander married Lady Leslie. Retiring to their bedchamber, they were startled by strange noises outside—like the sighs of a disillusioned woman. Though no intruder was seen, with the dawn they noticed a bizarre new addition to one windowsill high in the wall—carved upside down were letters spelling D. LILIAS DRUMMOND. The carving remains as part of the mystery of Fyvie Castle as does Lilias’ ghost. She can supposedly be seen from time to time on the castle’s main staircase and occasionally walks the halls of the home that was once rightfully hers.

A less well known ghost is supposedly that of Andrew Lammie, an 18th century trumpeter who fell in love with the local miller’s daughter, Agnes. But Agnes’ parents didn’t approve of Andrew. When the Lord of Fyvie learned they were meeting in secret he became outraged, wanting the lass as his lover. In a fit of rage he kidnapped Andrew and had him sold and shipped to the West Indies as a slave. Legend claims that Andrew finally managed to escape and return for Agnes several years later, but by then it was too late. Agnes had died shortly after he’d been stolen away, perhaps losing all hope of happiness. Andrew then cursed the Lords of Fyvie, proclaiming that the sound of a trumpet would foretell the death of each Lord as a reminder of the treatment he and his love had suffered. Since Andrew’s death, a trumpet has been heard in the deepest hours of night just before each Lord of Fyvie died. Occasionally people have also reported seeing a man dressed in a fine tartan and standing near the wall—could it be Andrew hoping and still waiting to be reunited with his love?

Fyvie is not only a haunted castle, but also a cursed castle. Thomas the Rhymer, known also as True Thomas, was a well known prophet who had supposedly received his gift of Sight because of time spent “under the hollow hill” with the Fae Queen. Thomas had a habit of traveling the land and requesting hospitality wherever he stopped. In those days hospitality—a meal, entertainment and a place to sleep—was regularly granted to travelers. Those were superstitious times and many believed the gods and devils roamed the Earth freely, checking up on mortals whenever curiosity struck them. Rather than accidentally offend a vengeful god, people tried to grant hospitality whenever possible. So it was simply understood that when Thomas the Rhymer mentioned wanting hospitality he should be given it. But Thomas tended to prophesy tragedy…

Two main versions of the legend surrounding Thomas and Fyvie are popularly known today. The first alludes to the castle’s owners being worried about what Thomas might prophesy in their castle, so they refused him hospitality outright. Not only is this unlikely, it would have been viewed as exceedingly foolhardy. The other version of the tale is that Fyvie kept its doors open for either seven years and a day or seven and a half years waiting for Thomas—then, on a gusty day Thomas approached and the wind slammed the door shut. Either way, the outcome of the stories is the same—Thomas cursed the castle with a rhyme that essentially proclaimed:

Fyvie, Fyvie, thou’ll never thrive
As long as there’s in thee stones three:
There’s one in the oldest tower,
There’s one in the lady’s bower,
There’s one in the water-gate,
And these three stones you’ll never get!

People have interpreted the prophet’s curse as relating to three stones that will weep when the Lord of Fyvie is in danger. One stone seems to have been found and does exude water from time to time—seemingly not in relationship to other rocks throughout the rest of the castle. Others interpret the curse as relating to primogeniture and the castle and a need to return three stones to their original location.

Since the time of Thomas the Rhymer’s curse, Fyvie Castle has had its share of problems. No castle heir has been born on the estate and no father has been able to pass the estate to his firstborn son—the eldest boys never outlast their fathers.

Fyvie Castle has been held by the National Trust of Scotland since 1984 and is open to the public during the summer. Visitors, though not always rewarded with ghostly sightings, do find much to see inside, from the lavish heraldic decorations to original paintings by the likes Raeburn and Romney.

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Earl Beardie (whom some sources claim was the Earl of Crawford and a visitor to Glamis, while others say he was the 2nd Lord of Glamis) loved to play cards. Two popular versions of the tale exist… According to one legend, Beardie was so intent on playing that one Saturday night the game approached midnight. A servant came in and twice warned Beardie that midnight was fast approaching and it was a sin to play cards on the Sabbath. In a second version, Beardie was drunk and wanting desperately to play cards but could find no willing partner because of the time and approaching day. Either way, it seems Beardie became so outraged that he proclaimed something like, “I’ll play until Doom’s Day if I want—I’ll play with the Devil himself!”

At exactly midnight there was a knock at the door and a stranger, dressed elegantly in black, entered and asked to play cards. Beardie was thrilled! Suddenly an argument broke out and the servant rushed to the door to peek in. He was astounded to see the two men engulfed in flames. Supposedly Beardie lost a game to the Devil who won his soul—sentencing Beardie to play cards until Doom’s Day. People have reported the sound of heavy footsteps, cursing and the rolling of dice in the tower where Earl Beardie still supposedly plays cards nightly with the Devil.

Perhaps the most well known ghost in Glamis is the Grey Lady. She is often spotted kneeling in prayer at the foot of the chapel’s altar. More than 400 years ago, Lady Janet Douglas married the 6th Lord of Glamis. They lived happily, having one son. In 1528, Janet’s husband died, leaving her vulnerable to the increasing hatred King James V bore for her family due to his loathsome feelings for his stepfather—Janet’s brother. In King James’ eyes, the Douglas clan was full of enemies. Seeing Janet no longer had a husband to protect her, James struck a blow close to his stepfather’s heart and accused Janet of creating potions to try and kill him. In brief, King James V accused the widow of Glamis of witchcraft. Accusing both she and her son—and imprisoning them—was not difficult. So James took Glamis as his own, locking Janet and John in the dungeons of Edinburgh Castle. But actually convicting them of witchcraft was more difficult than James imagined.

Janet was respected and loved by many—her character was beyond reproach. So James did what he had to in order to appear in the right—he resorted to torture of her family members and servants in order to extract evidence. Placed on the rack, they finally broke and gave the precious false testimony James needed. Even 16 year-old John was tortured, after being forced to watch his loved ones being stretched.

Lady Janet and John were convicted of witchcraft and sentenced to death. Lady Janet Glamis was led to her death, nearly blind from her imprisonment. The crowd was silent as she was burned alive. None among them seemed to doubt her innocence, but none felt they could stand against James’ selfish rage. Not long after her execution, her ghost began appearing in Glamis. Knocking was also heard—and some speculate it is the noise of the unearthly construction crew putting together the site of her execution. Luckily for John, James died before he could be executed and John became the 7th Lord of Glamis.

Glamis also supposedly has a vampire—a servant woman caught sucking a victim’s blood. According to legend she was walled up alive in a secret chamber and she can still be heard wailing for freedom.

Other strange occurrences have been reported at the Castle, but perhaps some are best to experience firsthand…

The Castle hosts a special Halloween event each year at the end of October, and other events and tours are also available year round.

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The eldest daughter of Sir James Dalrymple, First Viscount Stair, Janet, like so many of her peers, was forced by her parents into an arranged marriage. Many women her age willingly went to the altar to cement better family alliances, but Janet was already in love, and supposedly secretly betrothed, to the nearly penniless Archibald, Lord Rutherford. Faced with a loveless politically arranged marriage, Janet admitted her promise to Archibald. Her parents would not relent with their plans and finally, Janet was forced to tell Archibald she was to marry another.

At the kirk of Old Luce, not far from Carsecleugh Castle, Janet was accompanied by her two brothers to her wedding, and certain heartbreak. She was wed to David Dunbar, heir to Baldoon on a hot summer day.

The events leading to the haunting vary, depending on who told the tale. Some supporters of Dunbar felt certain Janet simply went insane with her disappointment and viciously stabbed her husband as there was no one closer at hand to blame for the fact she’d never be with her love, Archibald. Others claimed Archibald himself was concealed in the bridal chamber and stabbed the bridegroom—narrowly escaping through the window and into the garden as Dunbar lay bleeding. Yet a third version of the tale claims David wounded Janet, and he is found to be insane. Locals sometimes add additional spice to the story by claiming it was the Devil himself who attacked David Dunbar and tormented Janet until she lost her mind.

Regardless of what version of the tale you choose to believe, in the end, hearing shrieks and terrible wails, the door to the bridal chamber was broken down and Janet and David were both found—him stretched near the threshold, her in a corner–both bloody. David recovered from his wound and never talked about that night to anyone. He later remarried. Janet was not so fortunate to have another chance at love or marriage.

She died on September 12, 1669. She never spoke about the events of that night, either, and was considered by many to have utterly lost her mind.

Her story was later immortalized by the talented Sir Walter Scott in his “The Bride of Lammermoor.” People still claim her ghost can be seen on some hot summer nights, but most often she can be viewed on the anniversary of her death.

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