Tutbury Castle: Mary Queen of Scots

Tutbury Castle occupies a commanding position on a hilltop overlooking the River Dove in Staffordshire. Founded shortly after the Norman Conquest by Hugh de Montgomery, the castle served as a powerful baronial stronghold for centuries. But Tutbury’s place in history—and its haunted reputation—stems from its role as one of the prisons of Mary Queen of Scots. Between 1569 and 1585, the deposed Scottish queen was held at Tutbury on multiple occasions during her 19-year captivity in England, and she despised the castle, calling it cold, damp, and depressing. Her misery during those years has left an indelible supernatural mark.

Mary’s ghost has been seen and felt throughout the castle ruins, but she appears most frequently in the areas that would have served as her apartments during her imprisonment. Witnesses describe a tall, elegant woman in dark mourning clothes or rich Tudor gowns, her bearing regal despite her obvious sadness. She moves slowly through the castle, often with her head bowed as if in deep sorrow or prayer. Some visitors report seeing her gazing from tower windows toward Scotland, as if yearning for her homeland. The apparition’s face, when visible, shows profound grief and resignation—the look of a queen reduced to a prisoner.

The most poignant manifestations occur in the south tower, where Mary spent many of her captive hours. Visitors report sudden drops in temperature and an overwhelming sense of despair and isolation in this area. Some have heard a woman weeping softly, the sounds echoing from empty chambers. Others describe feeling watched by unseen eyes or experiencing the sensation of silk brushing against them as if someone in period dress has passed by. The scent of old perfume occasionally wafts through the ruins—a phantom trace of the luxuries Mary clung to even in captivity.

Beyond Mary’s ghost, Tutbury Castle hosts other paranormal activity connected to its long and often violent history. The sound of horses’ hooves and men shouting has been reported in the courtyard, possibly echoes of medieval tournaments or Civil War conflicts. Shadow figures move along the battlements, and visitors sometimes report being touched by invisible hands. The castle’s dungeons, with their dark history of suffering, generate particularly strong feelings of unease. Tutbury Castle Trust manages the ruins today, and Mary’s story remains central to the castle’s identity. Whether her spirit remains trapped by her years of misery or returns to walk the place that symbolized her fall from power, the tragic Scottish queen seems forever bound to Tutbury.