The Dark Mysteries Of Scotland's Most Haunted Castles | Historic Hauntings | Timeline

this channel is part of the history hit network stick around to find out more [Music] [Applause] so [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] scotland is a land that has witnessed a bloody history of intrigue and betrayal the victims of cruel torture and untimely death have become restless spirits doomed to linger in its haunted castles cursing the generations that follow their suffering echoes down the years but that is not unusual in scotland [Music] scotland's past is as rich and dramatic as its landscape its great mountains and dark secretive glens still echo with the battle cries of centuries ago [Music] as well as scotland's war-like traditions there exists a strong belief in the powers of the supernatural it is said that some scots have the gift of foretelling the future known as second sight each clan had a seer who was given to premonitions this gift of prophecy is more often a curse for death and disaster constitute the communist visions hauntings and paranormal activities are often concentrated in particular places a wood a silent lake a holy site or buildings where gruesome events have taken place [Music] all over scotland relics of an ancient past confound modern man with their strange images and sons scotland's turbulent history seeps into the present day and creates powerful apparitions and scottish castles where much of that history has been played out where a great many of these hauntings have been experienced their very stones echo with the struggles they have witnessed it is in these strongholds that the ghosts of the victims linger on scottish castles were the sites of many bloody battles fought to preserve independence against the english but within scotland's own borders thousands were slaughtered as a result of violent feuds between different scottish clans [Music] a haunted fortress stands on the west coast of scotland in the region of argyll this is duntroon castle dominating the rocky headland overlooking the sound of jura built more than 800 years ago to guard the surrounding countryside against raiders from across the sea duntroon is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in scotland now a peaceful home it was once the scene of bitter clan fighting to this day dantroon is haunted by the heroic deed of a lone piper who paid for his clan loyalty with a gruesome death mysterious music is often heard the piper's desperate tune carried on the wind across the misty waters [Music] the sound of scottish pipes has haunted the castle for many years summoning memories of duntroon's brutal past other paranormal events occur within the castle furniture moves of its own accord objects hurl themselves at walls clocks stop and a gruesome discovery was unearthed beneath the castle flagstones 400 years ago our sitting room was the approach to the main castle entrance so anybody coming or going had to go through that room [Music] on certain nights the malcolm's dog behaved strangely as if it had seen and heard something [Music] if you love history then you'll love history hit we have tons of exclusive documentaries about the most important people in history that you will not find anywhere else from uncovering ancient neolithic cultures to the dawn of the space race history hit has hundreds of exclusive documentaries with unrivaled access to the world's best historians not only that but we have a huge podcast network releasing new episodes every day so you'll always have something to listen to sign up now for a 14-day free trial and timeline fans get fifty percent off their first three months just be sure to use the code timeline at checkout [Music] i wish i could see what it is the dog's seen or felt i haven't yet but i hope one day i shall to understand the hauntings of duntroon we must return to its bloodstained past duncun was owned by the powerful campbell clan during the 1600s scottish clans were fiercely individual ferociously holding sway over their regions at that time as a result of a civil war raging across britain the scots were divided the campbells fought on the side of parliament while others like their enemies the mcdonald's supported the king charles the first hearing that most of the campbells were away from their castle at dunchroom colquito a mcdonald chieftain took advantage of the situation and attacked the castle [Music] [Music] [Music] as soon as the mcdonald's had taken them true carl quito sailed away to continue his campaign he left behind a small garrison and his loyal piper to guard the castle pipers held an important place within the scottish clans well educated and travelled they ranked highly in the chief's household when going into battle the piper stood forth alone piping the men onward their focus of loyalty the campbell clan were determined to regain their castle from the mcdonald's in kolkita's absence they mounted a counter attack [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] eventually the campbell clan recaptured dunchroom every mcdonald was put to the sword except one the macdonald [Music] as privileged individuals pipers were protected colquito's piper was spared imprisoned in the castle and surrounded by enemies the piper knew that his master would return to duntroon at any time kolkito's boat could appear across the waters bringing him back and heralding the mcdonald clan's return to the castle and almost certain death as day dawned the piper scanned the horizon for a glimpse of his master's boat desperate to find a way of warning him at last the piper saw a shape on the horizon and made out the mcdonald galley he did the only thing he could to warn his master he began to play his pipes [Music] across the waters colquito heard the faint strains of the bagpipes he thought he recognized a familiar tune and assumed it was a welcoming air from his piper but as he sailed nearer the notes suddenly changed and he realized that this was instead an urgent warning saying to him beware turn back [Applause] [Music] kolketo turned his boat about and the mcdonald's sailed away to safety but for the piper there was no escape for the campbells had realized the message in the tune a punishment was found to fit the crime [Music] they cut off his hands so he could play no more the piper bled to death from his wounds [Music] those who dismissed the story as a romantic myth were suddenly confronted with gruesome evidence in about 1880 a chilling discovery was made beneath these flagstones repairs were being carried out here and the stones were being replaced suddenly one of the workmen gasped in horror he called his workmate over staring up at them from its shallow grave was a human skull when the surrounding slabs were lifted a full skeleton was revealed they saw quite clearly the skeleton had no hands the workers and the castle lord stared in amazement surely the bones that lay before them were the mortal remains of the ghost that haunted the castle the piper of dantroon [Music] we command into thy hands most merciful father the soul of this our brother departed the lord of the castle asked the bishop to give the skeleton a proper burial and to exorcise the spirit that roamed duntroon the bishop performed the right of bell book and candle and the fellowship of the holy ghost be with us all evermore amen but despite the exorcism the piper's spirit still seems to dwell within the castle [Music] in spite of the disturbing events objects being moved and broken the malcolm family learned to accept the ghost depressants [Music] but why is the piper still haunting duntroon the reason is thought to do with the circumstances of his burial as a mcdonald the piper was more than likely a catholic but the burial service was episcopalian malcolm family believes that the piper's spirit was never truly laid to rest [Music] a single standing stone marks the spot where the skeleton is said to have been buried it is known as the piper's grave but though he is nameless his courageous act has immortalized him the piper of dunchroom the last cell the dogs seemed to notice haunting pipe music [Music] perhaps it is the piper returning to his post to pipe his lonely tune [Music] [Music] another scottish castle has three fearsome hauntings [Music] on the east side of scotland in the grampian region north of aberdeen stands fiving castle [Music] the great facade has been likened to a french chateau with its five impressive towers each one a monument to the successive families who have owned the castle [Music] long before five is oldest surviving tar was built around 1400 the land was a royal hunting forest it was from here that king robert the bruce dispensed justice but the castle's baronial exterior hides a ghostly history sometimes the very stones and mortar of a building become the focus of supernatural power inanimate objects retain influences from the past this seems to be the case at five castle fivey is steeped in mystery and strange tales it has a castle with a disturbed soul blighted by three different hauntings a hidden chamber which causes blindness or death to those who disturb it a centuries-old evil curse laid upon the castle still felt by those who work there and the ghost of a betrayed wife the green lady who walks five years-long corridors to this day [Music] the castle's remarkable supernatural events are so evident that they've even convinced an unbeliever the curator of arms and armor at five is major john payton [Music] one wet january afternoon as the major entered five his drawing room he stepped aside to let somebody pass but when he looked no one was there only a strong rose perfume was left hanging in the air hello what's being bothering you the major was urgently summoned to calm down a tourist who was in great distress looking in this mirror the visitor described to the major how she'd been looking around a bedroom when she saw something in the mirror that scared her half to death through a haze of shimmering green appeared the figure of a woman in a long full dress ropes of pearls around her neck [Music] then in the blinking of an eye she was gone the visitor was in a terrible state she thought no one would believe her but the major told her she was wrong he believed her you do yes they do my mind the green lady of faith the green lady is thought to be the ghost of dame lilius drummond in the early 17th century the owner of the castle was alexander seaton lord fivey he lived in the castle with his wife of many years damn lilius but seton was dissatisfied with her he was a dominating personality and singularly ambitious they had five daughters but not a son the heir he longed for relations of dame lilius lived nearby among the family was a young girl grisel seaton fell passionately in love with her suddenly dame lilius was reported unwell within months she was dead whispered rumors about how lilius had died echoed around the castle they focused on a tiny room at the top of one of the castle towers seaton they said had locked his wife up in this room anyone who attempted to release her was thrown out of a nearby window alone and half man lilius starved to death [Music] only weeks after his wife's suspicious death seton married the young grizzle because of his powerful position within the scottish hierarchy seton's actions were never questioned dame lilius however would soon return to take her revenge on the new bride and groom [Music] on their wedding night seton and his new wife heard the sound of heavy sighs from outside the window seaton tried to calm gazelle's fears by telling her that it was only the sighing of the wind he opened the window and looked out but the night was still and he could see nothing in the darkness [Music] there's nothing happening seaton again assured his young bride that there was no need to worry but as the night wore on the sounds coming from the window grew louder and more human like the cries of a woman in great despair [Music] [Music] in the morning light grisel cautiously approached the window she saw that something had been carved on the window ledge in letters nearly three inches high and inscribed from the outside were the words [Music] d lilius drummond [Music] they remain here to this day dame lilius had returned from the spirit world to exact her vengeance the green lady is a startling apparition but though her appearance is distressing she rarely causes harm another supernatural energy found within the castle is deadlier at the center of its mystery is a hidden room and an ancient lethal curse twice in five is history the curse of the hidden room was invoked the curse is quite specific death to the lord of the castle or blindness to his wife if anyone disturbs the chamber in 1816 general william gordon the lord of five attempted to find the hidden room the general failed to find easy access and very soon after his attempt he died [Music] from that time his wife a former domestic servant in the castle was afflicted by a blindness with which she went to her grave already crowded with supernatural phenomena five it houses yet another mystery it is known as the curse of the weeping stones its ominous presence hangs over the castle and can still be felt to this day [Music] the tale of the curse is as old as the castle more than 500 years ago a prophet named thomas the rimer was renowned for his gloomy predictions he was ill-tempered and always quick to take offense thomas announced that he wished to visit five castle in anticipation of his arrival and to welcome him the castle's great doors were opened and were kept open at all times but the years passed and thomas had not come still the door stood open [Music] seven years and a day after he'd first announced his intention to visit the castle thomas arrived but as he approached the entrance a freak storm blew up the door slammed in his face thomas viewed the incident as a personal insult and in his anger he laid a curse upon the castle and its lands the curse spoke of three stones taken from the boundary markers of the castle lands until all three stones were found and reunited a hex would remain on fire thomas's curse of the weeping stones decreed that the firstborn sons of the families that lived at would never inherit the castle the curse is so powerful that the one weeping stone that has been recovered still exerts its evil influence christopher hartley came under the stone spell when he was working on its conservation and display he soon had reason to wish he'd never set eyes on it while we were working at the castle i spent quite a lot of time with the weeping stone examining it and preparing it for show to the public and it was strange that every time i seem to be closely working with it shortly after something terrible happened to me the first time having worked very closely with the stone i twisted my ankle and so did the surveyor who had also seen it on the same occasion the next time i sprained my knee very badly and the third time when i put it into a showcase i was rushed to hospital in the middle of the night with kidney stones i don't like to look at the stone anymore go too close to it at all i try to avoid it if i can the weeping stone also has remarkable and unexplained physical properties although kept in dry conditions in a wooden bowl the stone becomes wet and the bowl fills with moisture [Music] the castle's eerie history is very much alive and though today it's tourists not courtiers who throng the corridors five-year teams with spirits from the past as christopher hartley says the air here is very busy with more than human visitors [Music] one great scottish castle has a royal and haunted lineage in the midst of the lush angus landscape at the center of what was once a holy region [Music] is glam's castle it is without doubt the most haunted castle in scotland shakespeare chose glams as the setting for his tragedy in macbeth here it is said king duncan was stabbed to death by macbeth glams hath murdered sleep macbeth shall sleep no more but the real lords of glams the lion family have a long and violent history as dramatic as any shakespearean tragedy [Music] originally a hunting lodge of the king of the scots glams was given to the lion family in 1372 by king robert ii the castle was the childhood home of her majesty queen elizabeth the queen mother in the calm light of day this massive castle with its turrets fortifications and spires exudes serenity power grander even magic but as night falls the fairytale image gives way to something more sinister [Music] glams ghosts are numerous and legendary phantoms have been sighted in the castle for hundreds of years and one lord of glams is said to have been visited by the master of all evil a strange atmosphere pervades the castle chapel a feeling not threatening but of overwhelming sadness and the sound of a strange hollow knocking the atmosphere gradually intensifies into an aura around an ethereal grey lady [Music] she kneels quietly at the altar saying her prayers [Music] four hundred years ago the close links between the scottish royal family and glam's castle had dreadful consequences the sixth lord glams had married the beautiful and accomplished janet douglas and they had a son john the family lived peacefully at glams until the lord died in 1528 leaving his wife in a very vulnerable position [Music] janet belonged to the douglas clan her brother was stepfather to the king james v who despised his tyrannical stepfather [Music] his loathing grew into an obsession and he carried out a ruthless vendetta against the douglas's the innocent janet became the focus of the king's hatred as a widow lady glams no longer enjoyed the protection of marriage and king james seized glams for the crown [Music] lady glams was accused of magic and sorcery of witchcraft and mixing deadly potions with which to poison the king no one doubted that these charges were completely false but she and her son were arrested and taken to edinburgh castle where they were imprisoned in its dark fearsome dungeons to procure testimony of her alleged treachery the king had to resort to torture [Music] lady glams's faithful servants and clansmen were stretched on the rack to extract false evidence against her a sixteen-year-old son john was forced to witness these horrors before he himself was brutally tortured [Music] these savage tactics worked the king had his confession god god [Music] janet was convicted of witchcraft and she and her son were condemned to death on the 17th of july 1537 lady glams was led out to her execution [Music] almost blind because of her long incarceration in the dark dungeon she was brought onto the castle hill of edinburgh where she was burnt alive [Music] the onlookers fell silent [Music] an eyewitness account of the execution described her suffering with great commiseration being in the prime of her years of singular beauty and suffering although a woman with a man-like courage [Music] her innocence was never doubted the account concluded that all men believe that the true cause of her execution was not witchcraft but the hatred which the king carried for her brothers janet's son john was luckier although condemned to death he was reprieved until he came of age but before this happened james v himself died before his death the king is said to have felt remorse for his action it was the black spot in his reign but he was generally known as the poor man's king for his many good works on the accession to the throne of his baby daughter mary queen of scots the title lands and the ransacked castle of glams were restored to the young lord john from the time of janet's execution the apparition of the grey lady began to appear at the castle although she died in edinburgh it is here to her home that her spirit returns the hollow hammering sound often heard in glams when she appears is believed to be the ghostly echo of workmen building the scaffold on which lady glams was put to death this is the case with another of glam's disturbing manifestations unexplained sounds have been heard in the castle late at night men's voices are giving the rattle of dice and the specter of an enormous man with a long flowing beard many of these hauntings have focused on the bedroom known as the blue room one account recorded in the 1870s described the event a guest at the castle the wife of the archbishop of york was staying in the blue room she awoke with the feeling that something had brushed her face but she couldn't see anyone in the room suddenly a figure loomed over her a figure with a long flowing beard and the face of a dead man [Music] at other times in the castle late at night the family has been disturbed by the sound of men's voices raised in anger cursing and the rattle of dice being thrown in 1454 patrick the first lord blams was said to have played host to an evil visitor at the castle lord lambs was known for his love of gambling and often played cards with earl beardy of crawford so called because of his long thick beard the pair were playing together late one saturday night and the servant entered and reminded them of the hour it was nearly the sabbath and gambling was forbidden on the lord's day [Music] but the men ignored him and played on at five minutes to midnight the servant again entered and pointed out the time we cannot what dear the weak it is earl beardy road if we have a mind too we shall play until doomsday he would regret his words still the men played on then on the stroke of midnight the door opened a mysterious stranger entered he proposed to join them in a game [Music] the stranger sat down and placed a stake of sparkling rubies on the table [Music] the three men started to play lord lambs and earl beardy soon got into a heated argument the stranger looked on the sounds from the room became loud and furious and the servant longed to enter and see what was happening but as he approached the door he reeled back in terror the two gambling men were enveloped in flames that night the castle knew it had entertained the prince of darkness lucifer the two men were condemned by the devil to play until doomsday the price for gambling on the sabbath blocking up the room did little to silence the noises and could it be that the specter of the bearded corpse was in fact the earl condemned as one of the living dead [Music] in scotland the dark and rugged beauty of the landscape reminds us of the country's vivid history its warring ancient clans hard fighting men and their violent battles revenge and cruel deeds that echoed on the centuries [Music] in the twilight world between sleep and waking specters from another time move into our existence to each of us they appear as something different sounds smells spirit forms across the waves the warning notes from a loyal clansmen play on forever a name etched in stone a tangible reminder of a betrayed wife from the spirit world rising through the smoke and flames an innocent wronged soul returns home two men prisoners in an endless game are fated to play on until doomsday scotland is a land that has witnessed a bloody history of intrigue and betrayal the victims of cruel torture and untimely death have become restless spirits doomed to linger in its haunted castles cursing the generations that follow their suffering echoes down the years [Music] [Applause] you

Channel: Timeline - World History Documentaries

Views: 270,119

Keywords: British history, Dark tourism, Documentary, Historical figures, Historical sites, Historical torture methods, History Hit Network, Medieval folklore, Scotland's dark history, Scotland's past, Scottish folklore, Scottish folklore creatures, Scottish historical landmarks, Scottish legends, Scottish wars, Suffering, Supernatural folklore, Timeline - World History Documentaries, Torture victims, Unexplained phenomena, Unsolved mysteries

Id: 9lBZGH2kIo4

Length: 44min 26sec (2666 seconds)

Published: Sun Sep 04 2022