A trip to Aberdeenshire will bring you closer to Crathes Castle, which offers the allure of fairytale structures with turrets on a colossal medieval tower that dates back to the 1500s. Inside, many features of the castle have survived the years the test of time. From heraldic shields to a ceiling made out of oak, the castle has many impressive attractions, including a grand Elizabethan fireplace.
Crathes Castle
The 19th-century walled garden of the castle is also a point of interest on the grounds , comprised of eight gardens within the castle walls that visitors can come and admire throughout the year. When renovations took place in 1877, workers uncovered original Jacobean painted ceilings. The converted Old Horsemill is now an eatery open to the public.
When it comes to paranormal activity at Crathes Castle, it is the oldest part of the structure that houses the ghostly Green Lady. Nicknamed for the Green Ladies Room, the ghost is believed to haunt a room situated within the double tower of the castle. Appearing on numerous occasions, the Green Lady’s identity is unknown. Many people believe she is a family member of the former occupants. Sometimes, her ghost appears solo, while other times, she is carrying a baby in her arms.
To add more intrigue to the ghost tale of Crathes Castle, when restorations took place at the castle, workers uncovered two skeletons. One was a female and the other was of a baby. Some believe that it wouldn’t be far fetched that the body of a woman with a baby would be found together, as in the past, becoming pregnant without being married was a highly embarrassing and frowned upon social offense. If the man was of status within the community, it was an especially precarious situation. Some men would think nothing of getting rid of a mother and baby just to save face with his family.
To this day, the Green Lady still haunts the tower and may or may not be connected to the two sets of remains discovered on the castle grounds.
Other haunted Scottish castles include:
Culzean Castle , Ayrshire
The castle has a history of changing hands just as much as it has changed its appearance, including Sir Thomas Kennedy, who lived during the late 1500s. It is said that whenever one of the Kennedy family members is about to tie the knot, the ghost of a piper appears and plays in the grounds. Incorporating his sound with the wind, he is reported to play during stormy nights. On the premises, the unidentified ghost of a young woman appears , wearing a ball gown.
Ackergill Tower , Caithness
For the past 600 years, the history of the Ackergill Tower has been marred by disputes and violence. The castle has seen fighting break out between the Gunns and Sinclairs , families who originated from the same region of the country. As for ghosts, the spirit of Helen Gunn is said to linger. She was a victim of a kidnapping plot executed by one of the Keith family. Brought back to Ackergill Tower, she flung herself from the battlements of the tower rather than surrender to her kidnappers.