Comlongon Castle Hotel

Comlongon Castle rises from the Scottish Borders near Dumfries, a formidable medieval tower house dating to 1450. Built by the Murray family as a defensive fortress during the turbulent Border Reiver period, the castle’s massive walls have witnessed centuries of conflict, intrigue, and tragedy. Now operating as a luxury hotel, Comlongon offers guests elegant accommodation in a genuine medieval castle—complete with one of Scotland’s most tragic ghosts.

The Castle’s History

Comlongon was constructed during one of the most violent periods in Anglo-Scottish history. The Border Reivers—raiding families from both sides of the border—created a lawless frontier where castle fortifications were essential for survival.

The Murray family built Comlongon as both home and fortress, with walls up to 13 feet thick. Over the centuries, the castle witnessed:

• Border Reiver raids and battles
• Political intrigue between Scottish and English powers
• The Wars of Scottish Independence
• Clan feuds and family conflicts
• Transformation from military fortress to country house
• Conversion to hotel in the late 20th century

The tower house remains remarkably intact, one of Scotland’s best-preserved medieval structures.

The Legend of Marion Carruthers

The ghost of Marion Carruthers is central to Comlongon’s haunted reputation. Her tragic story dates to September 25, 1570:

The Forced Marriage

Marion Carruthers was a young noblewoman and heiress whose hand in marriage was highly sought after—not for love, but for her substantial lands and wealth. Two powerful men vied for her: Sir James Douglas of Drumlanrig and Sir William Douglas.

Against her will, Marion was brought to Comlongon Castle where arrangements were being made for her forced marriage to one of the Douglases. The practice of “handfasting”—essentially abducting wealthy heiresses to force marriage—was common in the lawless Borders.

The Leap

Rather than submit to a marriage she did not want, Marion made a desperate choice. On September 25, 1570, she climbed to the top of Comlongon’s tower and threw herself from the battlements, falling to her death on the rocks below.

Her death was tragic but achieved her goal—she would not be forced into an unwanted marriage. But her spirit, it seems, never left the castle where she made her final stand.

Marion’s Manifestations

Marion Carruthers haunts Comlongon Castle in various forms:

Visual Appearances

Witnesses describe a young woman in green or grey clothing:

• Walking the battlements where she fell
• Standing in the tower looking out windows
• Appearing in guest rooms, particularly in the tower
• Gliding along corridors
• Seen in the grounds near where she fell

The apparition often appears distressed or agitated, as if reliving the terror of her final moments.

The Tower Rooms

Guest rooms in the original medieval tower experience the most activity:

Room Phenomena:

• Guests waking to see a female figure by the window
• The sensation of someone sitting on the bed
• Extreme cold despite central heating
• Objects moved overnight
• The rustle of medieval clothing
• Overwhelming feelings of sadness and fear

The Battlements:

• The Green Lady seen walking the tower top
• Guests reporting seeing someone about to jump
• The sensation of vertigo and despair
• Cold spots on calm nights
• Some witnesses report hearing a woman crying

Other Activity

Throughout the castle:

• Footsteps on stone stairs
• Doors opening and closing
• Cold drafts from sealed areas
• The scent of old-fashioned perfume
• Electronic devices malfunctioning
• Lights flickering in patterns

Guest Experiences

Comlongon Castle Hotel has accumulated decades of guest reports:

Documented Encounters

The Tower Suite:

• “I woke to see a woman in green standing by the window, looking out. When I spoke, she vanished.”
• “Something sat on my bed during the night. I felt the mattress compress.”
• “The room was freezing, and I heard someone crying.”
• “I saw her on the battlements at dawn, standing exactly where she must have jumped.”

Common Themes:

• The presence feels sad rather than threatening
• Manifestations often occur between midnight and 3 AM
• September (anniversary of her death) sees increased activity
• Sensitive individuals report overwhelming emotional responses
• Multiple guests independently describe the same figure

Photographic Evidence

Numerous guests have captured anomalies:

• Mist formations in photographs of empty rooms
• Light orbs near the tower
• Shadowy figures on battlements when no one was present
• Unexplained reflections in windows
• Temperature variations visible on infrared cameras

Other Paranormal Activity

Beyond Marion, Comlongon experiences additional phenomena:

The Great Hall

The castle’s dining hall has its own manifestations:

• The sound of medieval feasting
• Phantom conversations in Scots dialect
• The smell of cooking when kitchens are empty
• Figures seen from peripheral vision
• Cold spots near the fireplace

The Dungeons

The original prison cells beneath the castle:

• Oppressive atmosphere
• The sound of chains
• Scratching sounds on stone walls
• Overwhelming sense of despair
• Some visitors become nauseated or anxious

The Grounds

The castle grounds hold their own mysteries:

• Marion’s ghost walking toward the spot where she fell
• Unexplained mist formations
• Cold spots in specific locations
• The sound of horses and armed men (Border Reivers?)
• Residual haunting of Marion’s fatal leap

Staff Experiences

Hotel employees report regular encounters:

Housekeeping:

• Finding tower rooms disturbed after cleaning
• Sensing Marion’s presence
• Objects moved in predictable patterns
• Some staff refuse to work alone in certain areas

Night Staff:

• Security footage showing figures that aren’t present
• Reception staff seeing Marion crossing the lobby
• Bar staff hearing sounds from empty floors above
• Guards reporting lights in locked, unoccupied rooms

Long-term Employees:

Staff who have worked at Comlongon for years develop familiarity with Marion:

• Some greet her when entering her tower
• Others claim she’s more active during full moons
• Staff members share their own encounters quietly
• General consensus: she’s tragic but not malevolent

Historical Context

Marion’s story reflects the brutal reality of Border life in the 16th century:

• Women as political pawns in power struggles
• Forced marriages for wealth and land
• The lawlessness of the Borders
• The desperate measures taken by those without power
• How tragedy creates lasting supernatural impressions

Her haunting represents a woman who chose death over loss of agency—a powerful emotional resonance that may fuel her continued manifestation.

Modern Investigations

Paranormal researchers have extensively studied Comlongon:

Evidence Collected:

• EVP recordings with female voices
• Significant temperature fluctuations measured
• EMF spikes in the tower rooms
• Video footage showing unexplained shadows
• Photographic anomalies
• Consistent witness testimonies across decades

The Tower Studies:

Overnight investigations in Marion’s tower have produced:

• Investigators feeling watched
• Equipment malfunctions
• Personal experiences of sadness and fear
• Some researchers refusing to return
• Compelling but not conclusive evidence

The Hotel Experience

Comlongon Castle Hotel embraces its haunted heritage:

• Ghost tours of the castle and grounds
• Historical presentations about Marion Carruthers
• Paranormal investigation weekends
• The option to book Marion’s tower rooms
• Staff who discuss the hauntings openly

Many guests specifically request the most haunted rooms, hoping for an encounter with Marion. Others prefer the modern lodge building. The hotel accommodates both types of visitors.

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Comlongon Castle stands as it has for nearly 600 years, a medieval fortress on the Scottish Borders where past and present coexist. Marion Carruthers continues her eternal vigil in the tower where she made her final, desperate choice. Guests sleeping in medieval chambers may glimpse her green gown as she passes by windows, or feel her sadness permeating the stone walls—a reminder that some choices echo through the centuries, and some spirits never find the peace they sought in death.