Mysterious Britain & Ireland

Country and County: Grampian

Apparitions / Haunted Hotels / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

Maryculter House Hotel

Maryculter House Hotel is situated on the site of a Knights Templar Manor and the ghost that reputedly haunts here may be related to these crusading knights. The land at Maryculter was given to the Templars in 1187 by the King of Scotland, which at that time would have been William the Lion (1165-1214). A further gift of land in the area was then made by Walter Bisset of Aboyne.

Apparitions / Haunted Pubs / Hauntings

Meldrum House Hotel, Oldmeldrum

Meldrum House Hotel is a grand mansion built around a medieval Tower House. The Barony of Meldrum dates from 1236 and was granted to Sir Philip de Phendarg by King Alexander II of Scotland. The house has been modified by and passed down through several prominent Scottish families including the Meldrum’s, Seton’s and Urquhart’s.

Ancient Sites / Apparitions / Early Christianity / Hauntings

St Machar’s Cathedral

Still referred to as a Cathedral, St Machar’s has not held a Bishop’s seat since the Reformation and is in reality a high kirk. Legend has it that St Machar was informed by God to find a place where a river bends like a bishops crozier and then to establish a church there. Hence in 580 St Machar founded his church in Aberdeen where the River Don flows upon such a route.

Occult / Witchcraft

Hill of Fare

The Hill of Fare was the scene of a battle in 1562 between George, the 4th Earl of Huntly and Mary Queen of Scots, his first cousin. Huntly’s wife had been in consultation with the witches of Strathbogie who told her that Huntly would be lying in the Tollbooth at Aberdeen without a wound on his body by nightfall.

Folklore / Occult / Witchcraft

Forres

King Duff (930AD-966AD) was son of King Malcolm I and succeeded King Indulf to the throne of Alba (Scotland) in 962AD. Culen, son of Indulf attempted to take the throne in battle but failed. However King Duff fell ill shortly afterwards and in his weakened state could not govern the country properly and rebellions began to break out.

Apparitions / Hauntings

Abbey of Deer

Deer Abbey dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary was a Cistercian House founded in 1219 by the Earl of Buchan, William Comyn which replaced an earlier Celtic monastery in the vicinity was dedicated to

Apparitions / Hauntings

Ballindalloch Castle

Ballindalloch Castle or the ‘Pearl of the North’ is the family home of the MacPherson-Grants and has remained in their family since it was built in 1546. It is supposed to be haunted by General James Grant (1722-1806), first British governor of East Florida, veteran of the French war, Indian War and the American War of Independence.