Dirleton Castle

Dirleton Castle, one of Scotland’s oldest and most picturesque medieval fortresses, stands amid beautiful gardens in the East Lothian village of Dirleton. Built in the 13th century by the de Vaux family, the castle witnessed numerous conflicts during the Scottish Wars of Independence, including a devastating siege in 1298 when Edward I’s forces attacked the Scottish-held fortress. The castle’s most dramatic paranormal activity centers on spectral medieval knights, believed to be defenders who died during that historic siege, their spirits forever replaying their final, desperate stand.

The 1298 siege was particularly brutal. The castle’s Scottish defenders, vastly outnumbered by English forces under the Bishop of Durham, held out for days despite relentless bombardment by siege engines. When the walls were finally breached, fierce hand-to-hand combat erupted in the courtyards and halls. Many defenders were killed in the fighting, and the castle fell to English control. Historical records suggest that some wounded defenders were left to die in the ruins, their bodies buried in mass graves on the castle grounds.

The spectral knights appear most frequently at dusk and dawn, manifesting as figures in medieval armor moving through the ruined halls and across the courtyards. Witnesses describe seeing groups of armed men taking defensive positions on the walls, as if preparing for an attack, before fading from view. The phantom soldiers appear solid and three-dimensional, detailed enough that observers can see individual pieces of armor, chainmail, and weapons. Some witnesses have reported making brief eye contact with these apparitions, describing expressions of grim determination before the figures vanish.

The sounds of medieval warfare accompany these visual manifestations. Visitors and staff have reported hearing the clash of steel on steel, battle cries in medieval Scots, the thunder of catapult stones striking walls, and the screams of wounded men. These auditory phenomena are particularly intense in the castle’s inner ward and near the remains of the great hall, suggesting these were sites of especially fierce combat during the siege.

The castle’s dungeon and pit prison, carved from bedrock, emanate an oppressive atmosphere that many visitors find overwhelming. Cold spots hover persistently in these chambers regardless of weather, and some people report feeling grabbed by invisible hands or pushed toward the exits. The doocot (dovecot) tower, which dates from the 16th century, has its own haunting—a woman in a long dress seen gazing from its windows, her identity unknown but her sadness palpable.

Additional phenomena include phantom footsteps on staircases that no longer exist, medieval music played on instruments long since vanished, and the scent of burning wood and cooking fires in areas where hearths once stood. The castle’s renowned gardens sometimes host a different type of encounter—gardeners and visitors have reported seeing a figure in monk’s robes walking the grounds at dawn, possibly connected to a religious house that once stood nearby. Dirleton Castle’s combination of romantic ruins, violent history, and active hauntings makes it one of East Lothian’s most atmospherically charged historic sites.