The Ghosts of Glamis Castle

Glamis Castle, ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore and childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, is considered Scotland’s most haunted castle. Its secrets include a hidden room, a monstrous heir, and ghosts beyond counting.

The Castle

Glamis Castle dates from the 11th century and has been the Bowes-Lyon family seat since 1372. Shakespeare set Macbeth’s murder of King Duncan here. The castle’s turrets and towers create an unmistakably supernatural atmosphere.

The Monster of Glamis

The most famous legend concerns a monstrous heir born to the family, so deformed he was hidden in a secret room and written out of history. Each Earl was supposedly told the secret on his 21st birthday. The room has never been found.

The Grey Lady

A grey figure haunts the chapel, kneeling in prayer. She is believed to be Lady Janet Douglas, burned as a witch in 1537. Her wrongful execution left her spirit bound to the castle she loved.

Earl Beardie

Alexander Lyon, 4th Earl of Crawford, allegedly played cards with the Devil one Sunday. He lost and was condemned to play cards in a hidden room until Judgment Day. The sound of rattling dice is still heard.

The Servant Boy

A black page boy was mistreated by a previous Earl and sits on a stone seat near the Queen Mother’s rooms. His sad figure has been seen by multiple witnesses.

Assessment

Glamis Castle concentrates Scottish history and legend in ways that create an incomparable supernatural atmosphere. The variety of ghosts and the persistence of the Secret Room legend make it one of the world’s most mysterious places.