The Ghostly Hauntings of Glamis Castle

You would be mistaken to see Glamis castle near Forfar as purely a historical and exquisitely preserved place, although it is also that. It is the scene of gruesome things that have left an indelible mark over the stone and wood of Glamis castle, and that continue to haunt the living visitors to this grand Scottish edifice.
The site on which Glamis Castle stands is thought to have been home to a royal residence since the 1100’s, and rumour has it that Malcolm II was murdered there in 1034
The Douglas family has owned and been in residence at Glamis for 600 years and in that time there have been many incidents that appear to have given rise to supernatural events. In 1540 the Lady of Glamis, Jane Douglas, was burned for witchcraft in order that James V could have Glamis Castle forfeited to the Crown by a family he disliked. Lady Jane has often been seen in the turret of the imposing clock tower surrounded by the flames that killed her, a lonely and terrified figure.

It is said there are over a dozen ghosts in the castle, of which the most frequently seen is the Grey Lady. She appears as a solid figure dressed in a grey robe that moves through the chapel before vanishing mysteriously into thin air.

The Ogilvies were to meet a horrible and barbaric end when they sought sanctuary from Lord Glamis. He didn’t have any love for them and after allowing them into a secret chamber, apparently providing them with shelter, he then locked the door and never went back. The ravaged remains of the Ogilvies were discovered years later.

Amongst the other sightings have been a tongue-less lady who runs through the grounds with her hand clasped to her bleeding mouth, a man given the name ‘Jack the Runner’ as he walks the park land, a butler who appears in the room in which he committed suicide, a highlander, Earl “Beardie” who gambled his soul with the devil and lost, and a small girl who gazes from a tower window Perhaps the most intriguing and heart-rending story associated with Glamis is that of the secret room in which a deformed child was hidden from public view. Some say the child was not only hideously disfigured but also mad. There is a part of the roof known as Mad Earl’s Walk where awful sights and sounds are experienced to this day. It is said the deformed Earl was allowed to exercise there during the night, out of sight of possible passers-by. The secret of Glamis is supposedly passed down to each generation of the family as they reach a certain age, but nobody will confirm the real and chilling history of Glamis Castle. Glamis Castle has always fascinated me, especially the stories of secret rooms and of the castle having a secret that is passed down through the generations. I even have an old fashioned rose plant variety that is named "Glamis Castle", it is a full white rose with an enchanting fragrance. If any one knows of a Gothic novel written with the setting of Glamis Castle I would love to know about it and read it.  (Story Originally posted at: http://scottish-ancestry.org/glamiscastleghost.htm)