Castles are supposed to give out happy vibes because these buildings are where princesses, kings, queens – royalties – live. However, one castle in Scotland is a place you might want to avoid if you chance upon it.

Glamis Castle was built in the 14^th century and it is one of the most talked about locations in the British Isles because of it being reportedly haunted. Glamis Castle is open to the public and is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne. It also served as the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, the wife of King George VI.

A photo of the Glamis Castle. (Link: http://www.britainirelandcastles.com/Scotland/Angus/Glamis-Castle.html)

The Most Frequent Ghosts Seen In Glamis Castle

There are many ghosts that were reportedly seen in and around the castle but the most frequent ones have the most chilling stories. The first ghostly figure is said to be that of the Grey Lady or the Lady of Gamis. She is also known as Lady Janet Douglas. Per the stories, she killed her husband by poisoning him. She also allegedly used witchcraft to defeat King James V of Scotland.

A photo of the Grey Lady. (Link: https://historywitch.com/2015/09/09/the-grey-lady-of-glamis/)

Accordingly, there was no truth as to the allegations against her. King James V then tortured her family and her servants to get information so as to make it look like Lady Janet really tried to kill King James. After which, Lady Janet was burned at the stake in 1537. Since then, she has haunted Glamis Castle and is reportedly seen running up the stairs towards the clock tower and leaves a trail of ash behind.

The other ghostly figure is the woman without a tongue. She is usually seen roaming the park around the castle. Accordingly, she shows her badly wounded face to whoever sees her. She is also seen looking out from a window inside the castle. It is unclear, until now, to whom the spirit of this ghostly woman belongs to.

A photo of the garden at the Glamis Castle. (Link: https://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/scotland/item/glamis-castle-and-gardens.html)

The ghost of a young boy servant is also often seen. He is reportedly seated on the stone seat by the door of the room of the Queen. According to stories, the boy was treated badly but it is unknown by who and what the terrible things he suffered from were. He has not been spotted anywhere else.

Lastly, the most common ghost story is that of Earl Beardie, the Earl of Crawford. The Earl visited Glamis Castle in the 15^th century and he reportedly got drunk. He wanted to play cards with someone and said that if no one would, he would play with the devil. A mysterious man, who wore a hood and was dressed in black, then appeared and visitors claimed they heard loud voices, clinking glasses and swearing the night before. In the morning, the Earl could not be found anywhere. After that, children reportedly woke in the middle of the night and saw a dark figure standing over their beds. It is believed that the Earl was taken to a secret room and is gambling with the devil for all eternity. His shouts are reportedly heard in the castle to this day.

A drawing showing Earl Beardie playing cards with the devil. (Link: https://www.pinterest.ph/pin/361836151290505166/)

Glamis Castle Referenced In Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’

Glamis Castle was mentioned in the play of Shakespeare titled “Macbeth.” In the play, the murder of Malcolm II reportedly took place in one of the rooms of the famous castle. It is possible that because of the many stories regarding Glamis Castle, Shakespeare used it as an inspiration and incorporated it in his play.

If you want to visit Glamis Castle, you can keep track of the schedules as well as different events happening in the area through their website: https://www.glamis-castle.co.uk/news/.