Veronica Ross with a bottle seal showing the Burnett Coat Of Arms found at an archaeological dig at Crathes Castle.

Volunteer archaeologists have been helping to uncover the forgotten past of Crathes Castle, near Banchory. This has been part of a month-long dig, during which the team has uncovered traces of a 17th century courtyard and old buildings under the lawn.

Pottery and bits of glass have also been found, as well as a bottle seal stamped with the crest of the Burnett of Leys family, who built the castle and still own much of the estate.

Remains of 18th century glass bottles, including this impressive Burnett family seal which would probably have been on a bottle of claret.

Previous to this find archaeologists have discovered a timber hall on the site of the castle. The hall is likely to have been a community building for settlers who travelled from southern Europe in boats made out of skins or logs.

This site was discovered after looking at an ariel photograph of the land in 1976, seeing a colour difference of the ripening cereal crop the outline of an ancient building could be traced. This building is thought to be from the Dark Ages, 1500 years ago.

Crathes is an early neolithic building, near the banks of the River Dee, sadly like so many others it was destroyed by fire. It is one of only three of its kind in Scotland. The others are close by at Balbridie, and at Claish in Stirlingshire.

The post Digg uncovers secrets about the past of Crathes Castle appeared first on ScotClans | Scottish Clans.

Crathes Castle

Crathes Castle historic seat of Clan Burnett. Like most Scottish castles Crathes has it’s ghostly tales. The one it’s most known for is the withered spectre of the Green Lady stalks the corridors, putting the frighteners on those she meets. More than that, she is a portent of death.

Whether you are a believer or not in the supernatural, there is a multitude of hauntings in Scottish castles by a green lady; both Thainstone and Fyvie Castle have a resident Green Lady. Perhaps green is the colour of the undead, when their spirit coalesces under the cloak of darkness and its time to raise the pulses of those trying to get a good night’s sleep. That said, there are a number of White Ladies too.

Crathes’ haunting said to arise from a rather nasty poisoning incident that happened after the death of the Laird. His widow, Lady Agnes was an obsessive mother, whose relationship with her son Alexander was all consuming. Alexander’s blossoming romance with a young common girl called Bertha caused no end of emotional ructions.

While her son was away, Lady Agnes poisoned Bertha. Simple as that. A wee drop of deadly nightshade or similar into her evening’s claret and away went the problem. Except Alexander found out, and in death, Bertha had driven mother and son apart. Either of these tormented souls are said to be haunt the castle.

Curiously the Green Lady is thought to be neither Lady Agnes or Bertha, and such is the nature of anecdotal evidence, plus the fact that ghosts rarely participate in a census, the identity of the Green Lady is unknown. Some say she is a servant who disappeared in disgrace after becoming pregnant. But who really knows? We’d go an ask her personally, but given her reputation as a portent of death for a member of the Burnett family it is understandable that the family would like her to maintain a low profile.

The post The Green Lady of Crathes Castle appeared first on ScotClans | Scottish Clans.