Wednesday, 21 March 2012

THE HIGHLAND GHOST AND OTHER HAUNTINGS AT STIRLING CASTLE

Here is an interesting  video on haunted Stirling Castle. The video deals with the castle`s haunted history.



The first record of Stirling Castle dates from around 1110, when King Alexander I dedicated a chapel here. It appears to have been an established royal centre by this time, as Alexander died here in 1124. During the reign of his successor David I, Stirling became a royal burgh, and the castle an important administration centre. King William I formed a deer park to the south-west of the castle, but after his capture by the English in 1174 he was forced to surrender several castles, including Stirling and Edinburgh, under the Treaty of Falaise. There is no evidence that the English actually occupied the castle, and it was formally handed back by Richard I of England in 1189. Stirling continued to be a favoured royal residence, with William himself dying there in 1214, and Alexander III laying out the New Park, for deer hunting, in the 1260s.

A close-up of the ghost in negative
The `Highland Ghost` - Original photograph from 1935


There are a few recorded ghosts that dwell within it`s walls. The most famous is the green lady of Stirling Castle is said to be the ghost of one of Mary, Queen of Scots servants. Mary herself has been said to be the identity of the ghost of a pink lady.

Source: Wikipedia

The most active ghost is certainly that of the Highland Ghost.
He often appears around the castle in full costume and unsuspecting tourists have approached him as a tour guide to then discover that he ignores them, turns around and walks away.
In 1935, the ghost was unexpectedly caught on camera by an architect taking photographs for building work. When the ghost was revealed on the print the architect was at first dismayed as he had taken the photographs early in the day to avoid getting tourists on them!


For an excellent history of all the castle`s haunted occupants visit this link here: THE GHOSTS OF STIRLING CASTLE