Neidpath Castle: The Maid of Neidpath

Neidpath Castle towers dramatically above the River Tweed near Peebles, its L-shaped tower dating to the late 14th century. Originally a Hay family stronghold, the castle passed to the Duke of Queensberry in the 17th century. Its most famous ghost is the tragic Maid of Neidpath, whose story of doomed love inspired Sir Walter Scott and has been recounted in Scottish poetry for centuries.

According to legend, in the mid-17th century, the beautiful daughter of the Laird of Neidpath fell deeply in love with the son of the Laird of Tushielaw. Her father, considering the match unsuitable despite both families being of noble blood, forbade the relationship and sent the young man away to prove his worth and fortune abroad. The heartbroken maiden vowed to wait for her lover’s return, refusing all other suitors.

Years passed, and the young woman pined for her absent love, wasting away despite her family’s pleas that she eat and rejoin society. She grew pale and thin, spending her days watching from the castle tower for any sign of her beloved’s return. Finally, after several years, her lover returned as a wealthy and distinguished man, ready to claim his bride and prove himself worthy of her father’s approval.

But when he arrived at Neidpath Castle and saw the frail, wasted figure that his beloved had become, he failed to recognize her. Not knowing that the skeletal woman before him was his own true love, he turned away in disappointment, assuming she had married another or died. The maiden, seeing her lover fail to recognize her and depart, died of a broken heart that very night. When the truth was discovered, the young man was overcome with grief and remorse, but it was too late.

The Maid of Neidpath’s ghost has haunted the castle ever since, appearing as a pale young woman in 17th-century dress, often seen at the windows of the tower watching the road as she did in life. Witnesses report seeing her sad face peering from upper windows, particularly at dusk, forever waiting for a lover who will never recognize her. Some visitors to the castle have reported feeling overwhelming sadness in certain rooms, sudden temperature drops, and the sensation of being watched by sorrowful eyes. The sound of a woman weeping has been heard echoing through the stone chambers, and fresh flowers left in the castle have been found mysteriously arranged by unseen hands. The tragic tale of the Maid of Neidpath remains one of the Scottish Borders’ most poignant ghost stories, a reminder that love can be as cruel as it is beautiful.