Glamis Castle - Perhaps the Most Haunted Of All

Childhood home of the Queen Mother, Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon and birthplace to her second daughter, Princess Margaret, this larger-than-life castle has been featured on the reverse side of ten pound notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, since 1987. It is located just outside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is one of the finest castles in Scotland with 14,000 acres of gardens, walking trails, crops and ranchland. Two streams run through the estate and there is an arboretum that houses trees from all over the world--some rare and very, very old.

There are several legends connected to Glamis Castle--all of them a bit un-nerving. There is the Monster of Glamis, supposedly a hideously deformed child born to the family, was kept in the castle all his life in his suite of rooms that were bricked up after his death. Some believe that every generation of the family had a child born to them that was a vampire that required the child be walled up. There are rumors that at one time guests staying at Glamis hung towels from the windows of every room in the castle. When they looked at the castle from the outside, they could see there were rooms with windows where no towel was hung--indicating the rooms were secret and enclosed. What is true and may have inspired these stories, is the Ogilvie family, seeking protection from their enemies the Lindsays, were walled up in rooms, died of starvation and somewhere withing the sixteen foot walls of the castle is the famous room of skulls.

Another popular legend is of "Earl Beardie", identified as Alexander Lyon, the 2nd Lord Glamis--or possibly, Alexander Lindsay, the 4th Earl of Crawford. Earl Beardie loved to play cards--even on the Sabbath. When he was asked to stop because of the Sabbath his reply was we would play until "doomsday" or with the Devil himself. A stranger then appeared at the castle to play cards with Lord Beardie, takes his soul and condemns the Lord to play cards until doomsday. Some believe he is within the walls of the castle, and you can hear the two men playing cards.

There are a couple of other spirits wandering around the castle. One is thought to be King Malcom II, who was wounded in a nearby battle and take to a Royal Hunting Lodge which once sat where the castle does today. He died in the lodge.

In the small chapel within the castle, there is always one seat in the chapel reserved for the "Grey Lady" thought to be the spirit of Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis. The room is used for various purposes, but her chair is off limits to all except her.