Scotland

In 'The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain' (1897), John Ingram gives the following account of a haunting associated with Canongate in Edinburgh. Named after the Augustine canons of Holyrood Abbey, Canongate can be found at the lower eastern part of the Royal Mile in Edinburgh and the mansion referred to is according Ingram no longer standing. Read More »

Up-Helly-Aa is a Norse festival on Shetland during which a replica Viking longship is burned.  It is to celebrate the 24th day after Christmas, or Up Helly Night. The festival is relatively new in Lerwick (early 19th Century) and has evolved over time. In 1840 a tar barrel raft was burned as part of the proceedings.  By the 1870's the long ship and Norse costumes were introduced.

The ruin of the Z-plan Vayne Castle dates from the 16th century was built by the Lindsays. There is a Devil legend associated with the castle according to 'The History and Traditions of the Land of the Lindsays' (1882), which states that: Read More »

The castle, built by the Wemyss family, is said to be haunted by the ghost of a Green Lady, whose identity is unknown. Read More »

According to folklore, a family of werewolves used to live on an island on Loch Langavat. The story suggests that the now dead werewolves would return should their graves be found and disturbed.

March 1 - Is Whuppity Stourie Day in Lanark, where primary children run around the church clockwise three times twirling paper balls. The original festival involved young men from neighbouring parishes and was much more violent.

The Will o' the Wisp is the most common name given to the mysterious lights that were said to lead travellers from the well-trodden paths into treacherous marshes. The tradition exists with slight variation throughout Britain, the lights often bearing a regional name. Read More »

On 23d January 1570, the Regent of Scotland, James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray (born 1531) was assassinated in Linlithgow by a sniper firing a 3’5” long, hexagonal bore barreled carbine from a house window. The assassin was James Hamilton of Bothwellhaugh the nephew of Archbishop John Hamilton, from who’s window he fired the fatal shot. Read More »

In 1798 the Wrichtishousis (Wrychtishousis or Wrightshouses) mansion was bought and subsequently demolished in 1800 to make way for a hospital and school, the legacy of the merchant James Gillespie (born 1726 – died 1797). Read More »

There is a story about a witch from Yarrow. Each night a young boy was transformed into a horse when a local witch slipped a magical bridle over his head whilst he slept. She would ride the boy to her sabbat. One night the boy's older brother tricked the witch and managed to bridle her instead. Read More »