Country and County: Lothian

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The Laird o’ Coul’s Ghost

An 18th century Chapbook describes the meeting of Reverend William Ogilvie, Minister of Innerwick, 1715 – 1729) and the ghost of Thomas Maxwell, Laird of Cuil (just south of Castle Douglas in the parish...

Prophetic Dream, Edinburgh Castle, 1734

According to ‘The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain by John Ingram (1897); A singular prophetic, or warning dream, is related and vouched for as "entirely authentic," by Dr. Abercrombie, in his work on Inquiries Concerning the Intellectual Powers. The Doctor, however, only gives the skeleton of the story and omits the names of the persons concerned.

Lady Eleanor Primrose And The Conjurer Of Canongate

According to John Ingram, Sir Walter Scott’s (Born 15 August 1771 – Died 21 September 1832) story ‘My Aunt Margaret’s Mirror’ was based upon events surrounding Eleanor Countess of Stair. In his book ‘The Haunted Homes and Family Traditions of Great Britain’ (1897), Ingram gives the following full account which he compiled using the work of Robert Chambers and other Scottish writers.

Unknown Mansion and Queensberry House, Canongate

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.

St Anthony’s Well, Edinburgh

Prior to 1674 St Anthony’s Well flowed from beneath a small stone arch in a slightly higher position to the bolder from under which it now sprouts. It was probably connected to the nearby 15th century St Anthony’s Chapel which is now a ruin.

The Well Of The Holy Rood, Stenton

The 16th century Well of the Holy Rood at Stenton has a legend attached to its finial which resembles a rosetted cardinal’s hat. The legend states that the tenure of Beil depends upon the well keeping its hat.

Woodhouselee

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.

Trinity Poltergeist

Trinity is a mansion house district in Edinburgh that developed in the early 1800’s and was named after Trinity House in Leith. There was a suspected case of poltergeist activity in a house in Trinity around 1835 which led to a legal battle between the supposedly haunted Captain Molesworth and his neighbour and landlord, Mr Webster.

Wrichtishousis, Edinburgh

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).