The Eagle Stone

Nestling among the houses on a quiet hillside there is a small fenced off patch of grass, in the centre a modest standing stone with ancient carvings – this is the famous ‘Eagle Stone’, also known as the Clach an Tiompain or ‘Sounding Stone’

The stone is featured in one notable prophesy by the Brahan Seer – he foresaw a great tragedy that would befall the area should the stone topple over three times, over the years it has been known to have fallen twice and superstitious locals have ensured it moves no more by cementing it in place.

Local legends have claimed the stone was erected after a skirmish between the Clan Munro and the McDonalds of the Isles on the way to the battle of Harlaw in 1411 – a sort of practice friendly on the way to the knockout stages. Recent evidence has proven it to be much older though.

Although almost certainly Pictish in origin one famous folk tale links the stone again to Clan Munro, who’s crest symbol also depicts an eagle, the Eagle of Foulis.

On a high ridge on the other side of the valley lies the remains of an iron age fort known as Knockfarrel (literally ’stone fort’). The very first chief of Clan Munro lived here as the clan established its presence in the area. Around the fortification a small village or ‘clachan’ grew. The valley has lush farmland, ideal for grazing and growing all manner of crops, sheltered from the worst of the weather.

Knockfarrel is easily approached via a gently sloping trail up the side of the ridge but treacherous cliffs fall steeply away to one side – high on a rocky pinnacle in these cliffs a great eagle had made its nest. whether the Munro clan took their symbol from this eagle or it was just a remarkable coincidence we do not know but the clansmen saw the eagle as a good omen and were happy to share the valley with this magnificent creature. Even when the bird would lift a young lamb or goat kid they would take this as just an acceptable loss and the chief forbade anyone from doing harm to the eagle.

All was peaceful in the valley until one summers evening. It had been a beautiful day and the womenfolk worked preparing the evening meals and sewing. The children laughed and played between the small houses, outside one house towards the edge of the village one small boy sat, Lachlan, barely a toddler he rested on the grass and watched as his mother busied herself around him.

All at once a great dark shadow was cast across the valley and a terrible screeching was heard, In a blur of feathers and claws the huge eagle swooped down from its nest and caught the poor child in its massive talons. Before anyone could react he lifted the boy high into the air and carried him up the cliffside.

The cries of alarm went up throughout the village and the wailing of the grief stricken mother alerted young Hugh, the chieftain of the clan. When Hugh arrived at the scene he realised that he had to act and act quickly. He called for a length of rope and set off up the cliffside in pursuit. Not entirely sure what he would face when he reached the pinnacle.

Higher and higher Hugh clambered up the sheer face, as the village fell away below he heard a beating of wings and a rush of air – the great eagle was bearing down upon him. Holding onto the rope for dear life he tried to fend off the angry bird. The eagle soared away again and Hugh pressed on. In the fading light he caught a glimpse of a tangle of branches above him and with one last effort he hauled himself up and into the eagles nest.

Lying in the centre of the nest lay baby Lachlan. cooing away to himself as if nothing had happened. Hugh was relived that the boy despite his ordeal had barely a scratch on him but he realised that the hardest work lay ahead. No sooner had this thought crossed his mind than the huge eagle appeared again – even angrier than before. Hugh grabbed a large branch and swinging it like a club tried to fend it off, time and time again the eagle pecked and clawed and Hugh soon became exhausted. His clothes torn and his body bruised and bloody from the ferocious attack.

All this time little Lachlan laughed away thinking it no more than a silly game for his own amusement.

Munro Clan Crest

As the eagle made one more pass Hugh decided on an other tactic; he ducked under the thrashing wings and grabbed at the birds legs. Unsettling the creature just for a second he was able to pull it towards the nest and turn it over onto its back. With the advantage of surprise he reached up and got hold of the bird by the throat and squeezed with all his might.

Gradually the bird began to loose its grip on life, the struggle began to die and with one last effort Hugh squeezed the life from the mighty creature.

Meanwhile far below the cliff the villagers looked up, not knowing if the poor boy or Hugh for that matter were alive or dead. They had heard the terrifying shrieks of the bird and feared the worst. Then suddenly the distant figure of Hugh appeared, holding the corpse of this massive Eagle in his hand. They cheered and shouted and Hugh tossed the bird down, A gust of wind caught the feathers and the eagle’s broken body wheeled and glided down to the valley below, coming to rest at the edge of the village. Where the eagle fell the villagers placed a stone – the Eagle stone in recognition of the brave deeds of their chief and from respect to the noble creature that was such a powerful symbol of their clan.

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This one warns of The Baobhan Sith – a female blood sucking fairy who terrorised the misty glens and the mountains of the Scottish Highlands, preying on unsuspecting travellers. The words baobhan sith (pronounced baa’-van shee) stand for fairy woman in Scottish Gaelic.

This blood sucking woman was also known as Baobhan Sidhe, Bavanshee, Baavan Shee or The White Woman of The Highlands. Like other legends she has the form of a who beautiful woman who would appear to men and try to seduce them. The  Baobhan Sith were mostly attracted to male hunters drawn out by the smell of their blooded clothes. They are described as beautiful women dressed in green – the colour of magic and the fairies.

These vampires are different from the Bram Stoker Dracula kind of vampire, they don’t have pointed fangs that sink into their victims neck. The Baobban Sith when attacking use their long and sharp finger nails then drink the blood from the open scratch wounds. They look very ordinary until the they attack, then their delicate hands turn into talons to bleed their unsuspecting victims. They begin by asking their victim to dance, charming the young man until he is under their spell – then out come the nails.

If they attack and kill a woman she will return as one of their kin. Most of the Baobhan Sith where previously enchanters or witches who keep on using their skills after death.

The Baobhan Sith only come out when the darkness falls, during the day they rest in buried coffins. They only rise and feed once a year.

Some have hoofed feet

A lesser popular version tells they have hooves instead of feet, though they keep it hidden under their clothes. They may be of Human or Half-Elven stock, but they always appear as beautiful women and enchantresses, sometimes attacking in small groups with others of their kin. Baobhan Sith are supposed to be able to shift, but not into bats: their animal of choice is the wolf. Shapeshifting will lessen their power as they won’t be able to use their glamour in animal form.

They are clever and can speak any language their victim knows due to a form of telepathy, but they will sound as if they have a strange accent.

The only way to kill or harm a Baobhan Sith is with iron. They dislike horses because of their iron shoes – a clear warning to hunters leaving their wives at home it’s best to stay on their horse. A Baobhan Sith can be trapped in their buried coffin by building a stone cairn over their grave, this was thought to stop them from rising.

One encounter with these Scottish Vampires tells of four young friends who after hunting decided to spend their night in an abandoned cottage. As darkness fell they set a fire in the hearth and they started singing and dancing. As one of them expressed his wish to have female companions with them, four women knocked at their door and started dancing with the youths. As the baobhan sith started to attack their prey, one of the young men who was singing ran to the door, taking shelter between the horses. The creature that was running after him waited for him to get out of the safe circle formed by the animals but the man stayed within until dawn broke, and the woman disappeared shortly before the sun rose. The man returned to the cottage to find his friends dead and drained of blood. He was saved only because faery creatures are traditionally afraid of iron for it can harm and kill them, and the horses were shod with iron shoes.

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Lower Largo

On The Fife coast sits the pretty village of Lower Largo. The village was the Birthplace of Alexander Selkirk, the inspiration behind the story of Robinson Crusoe and a sign in the village points to the Juan Fernandez Islands, some 7,500 miles away where Selkirk was a castaway. The history of the area goes back much much further though to a time before Scotland as we know even existed.

Outside the village sits Largo Law and around a mile to the North, Norrie’s Law, ancient burial mounds that indicate the great antiquity of the occupation of this area.

It was common among the children of the village to play a game that had a connection to Norrie’s Law. One child would stand before the others and recite a verse; “I’ll tell you a story, Aboot Tammie o Norrie, If ye dinna speak in the middle o’ it, Will ye no?” The object of the game was to lure another child into saving “No” at which point all the others would shout, “The spell is broken, ye hae spoken, Yell never hear the story o’ lang Tarn o Norrie.” Like so many other children games this has a story behind it – a story of the ghost of Norrie’s Law.

In a time long past Largo Law was reputed to be haunted by an earthbound spirit; a ghost sentenced to wander the earth until a spell was broken to release it. To break the spell the ghost had to give up his secret; the hiding place of a hoard of treasure, buried somewhere on Largo Law.

On the nearby farm of Balmain there was a fairly unscrupulous shepherd. Having heard the story he had spent many nights wandering the area around the Law in hope of discovering the treasure. Finally one evening as he walked around the Northern shoulder of the hill he was confronted by a shimmering cloud of smoke. Many others had met this apparition but all had fled in terror. Taken aback at first he gathered all his courage to approached it and asked what it was that kept it bound to this realm. The ghost fixed him with a stare and said:”If Auchendowie cock disnae craw, An the herd o Balmain disnae blaw, I’ll tell ye whar the gold is on Largo Law.” The ghost then quickly ran through the small print of his offer which also included the cut off time of 8 o’clock the following evening.

The shepherd was only concerned about getting his hand on the treasure and cared little of who he had to inconvenience to achieve his ends. He thought of the first part of the ghosts request and scurried off the Auchedowie farm. The next morning the farmer and his wife slept in, never awoken by the crowing of the cockerel. When they went off to investigate they found the cockerel strangled and tossed into a heap of straw by the barn. Phase one complete.

Now for the Herdsman of Balmain. The herdsman was called Tammie O’ Norrie and it was safe to say there was little love lost between him and the shepherd. As Tammie set off to take his cows to pasture the shepherd was waiting. He blocked his path and shouted to Tammie ‘Hey you, Tammie O Norrie, I want a word wae ye”. As Tammie approached the shepherd let his coat slip open to reveal a long knife tucked into his belt. “You had better no blaw yer horn to summon in yon cows the nicht or it will be the worse fur ye”. Tammie was confused; “How no! How will I caw the cows in with nae horn?” The shepherd gripped the handle of his knife; “Ye can use the dugs to round them up – now mind what a said or it will be the worse for ye”. At that he glowered at the herdsman and furtively took off.

Part of the Silver Hoard

With all the plans in place the shepherd made his way back to the north slope of the hill, just before 8:00 the spectre appeared again. As the shepherd approached the ghost the sound of Tam’s horn was heard in the distance. The ghost flew into a rage; “Woe to the man that blew that horn, For out of that spot he shall never be borne.” At that he vanished. The shepherd ran for all he was worth, determined to have it out with the herdsman but when he reached the spot he was met with an awful sight. There in the field stood Tam O Norrie, the horn horn still pressed to his lips but he had turned to stone – petrified literally by the wandering spirit.

The shepherd told no one of his involvement in the events and when the local people discovered what had befell Tam they tried to move him – but some sinister force prevented all attempts, finally they gave up and heaped the earth around him creating another small hill; this came to be known as ‘Norries Law’.

The shepherd never got his prize but many years later a hoard of silver (not gold) was unearthed nearby. It is one of the best silver hoards to be discovered in Scotland. a variation in this tale had been that the law was the burial sight of a viking called Norroway who had been buried on his horse in full armour. However investigation of the find discovered that the pieces were of Pictish rather than Norse origin. Sadly some of the hoard never made it to the protection of the museum, some coins and other pieces were reputed to have been sold off and melted down – we may never know just how extensive this treasure find really was.

‘Will we no’.

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The thistle is the national flower of Scotland, much like the rose is the national flower of England and the United States. Today we’re going to look at two interesting things about this flower, the tale as to why it became the national flower and also the unofficial national anthem it inspired.

There are several different legends that tell how the thistle became Scotland’s symbol, but most date from the reign of Alexander III and in particular the events surrounding the Battle of Largs in 1263.

It is often forgotten, that for hundreds of years much of Scotland was part of the Kingdom of Norway. By 1263 however, Norway seems to have had little interest in their former territory.  That was until King Alexander III proposed to buy back the Western Isles and Kintyre from the Norse King Haakon IV. The thought of relieving King Alexander of some of his riches and territories appears to have re-kindled Norse interest in Scotland.

Late in the summer of 1263 King Haakon of Norway, now intent on conquering the Scots, set off with a sizeable fleet of longships for the Scottish coast. Gales and fierce storms forced some of the ships onto the beach at Largs in Ayrshire, and a Norwegian force was landed.

Legend has it that at some point during the invasion the Norsemen tried to surprise the sleeping Scottish Clansmen. In order to move more stealthily under the cover of darkness the Norsemen removed their footwear. But as they crept barefoot they came across an area of ground covered in thistles and one of Haakon’s men unfortunately stood on one and shrieked out in pain, thus alerting the Clansmen to the advancing Norsemen.

His shout warned the Scots who defeated the Norsemen at the Battle of Largs, thus saving Scotland from invasion. The important role that the thistle had played was recognised and so was chosen as Scotland’s national emblem.

‘Flower of Scotland’ is considered the unofficial national anthem of Scotland.

There are several other songs that have been considered to be the unofficial national anthem of Scotland including; Scots Wha Hae, Scotland the Brave and the more recent Highland Cathedral. Although in July 2006, the Royal Scottish National Orchestra conducted an online poll in which voters could choose a national anthem from one of five candidates.10,000 people took part in the poll in which Flower of Scotland came out the winner.

The lyrics were written by Roy Williamson (1936-90) and the song was performed initially by The Corries, a Scottish folk band, and refers to the victory of the Scots, led by Robert the Bruce, over England’s Edward II at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314. The music is actually somewhat older, and was composed by Peter Dodds McCormick (c1834-1916) who emigrated to Australia as a young man, and also composed the National Anthem of Australia, “Advance Australia Fair”.

The song is also known as Flùr Na H-Alba” in Scottish Gaelic, and “Flouer O Scotland” in Scots.

The title has also been used for a history book: The Flower Of Scotland: A History Of Scottish Monarchy by James J. Sharp, and for the biography of Roy Williamson, which was published by his daughter Karen in 1993.

There also exists a Flower of Scotland tartan which was created in the early 90′s to honour the late Roy Williamson. The design is based on the setting and thread count of the Gunn tartan, as worn by Roy Williamson, using the traditional 18th-century colours of Lichen Green and Lochan Blue although it has no Clan or family affiliation and therefore is available for all to wear.

Thistle Products from ScotClans…

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Brian Doyle captured the kaleidoscope of colours over Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire

Northern Lights Moncreiffe Hill Perth Perthshire Scotland by tourscotland – 2016-02-01

Tim Peake up in the international space station also watched them.

The northern lights are also known as ‘Aurora borealis’ and the southern lights as ‘Aurora australis.’ In Roman mythology Aurora was the goddess of the dawn, so Aurora borealis means ‘dawn of the north,’ and Aurora australis means dawn of the south.

They are nature’s very own theatrical performance, very beautiful and awe-inspiring and at the same time mysterious and even frightening. Many different cultural and ethnic groups who lived in places where they are seen have developed many myths and legends to try and explain and make meaning of them in their own terms.

The Northern Lights feature prominently in norse mythology, they were believed to be the reflections of the shields of the Valkyries racing across the sky on their way to their resting place, Valhalla.

A spirit is often seen as coloured light rising from the body. The Cree Indians held that the Aurora was part of life’s circle and were the spirits of the dead who remained in the sky but apart from their loved ones. The Cree believed that the lights were spirits of these departed friends and relatives trying to communicate with those they had left behind on earth.

They were also seen as an omen, weeks before the French revolution broke out dramatic red northern lights were seen in Scotland and England, and people reported of having heard and seen massive armies fighting across the skies.

Some cultures see them as good luck. The Aurora Borealis have also been linked to fertility and childbirth, and in Chinese and Japanese cultures it is still believed that a child conceived under the northern lights will be blessed with good fortunes.

In old Icelandic folklore it was also believed that northern lights would ease the pain of childbirth. At the same time though, they believed that pregnant women looking at the Aurora would have cross eyed children.

There are some interesting beliefs of what you shouldn’t do during the lights:
The most widely known ´no-no´in the North is to avoid waving, singing or whistling at the northern lights.  People used to believe that the spirits would come down and take you away. Many Sami people would keep their families and children indoors during the display, or if they were outside they would cover up and try to hide from the rays.

The Northern Lights in Scotland – The Nimble Men

In Scottish Gaelic folklore the Northern Lights are known as the Na Fir Chlis – “the Nimble Men” (or also known as the merry dancers).

In Northern Scotland and on Orkney and Shetland some still call the Northern lights ‘The Merry Dancers’. The Scottish names or the Northern Lights suggest moving forms. As one folk song relates: ‘She called them the heavily dancers, merry dancers in the sky’.(The Northern Lights of Old Aberdeen).

There is an old Scottish proverb which goes:
‘When the mirrie dancers play, they are like to slay’

The Lights were described as epic fights among sky warriors or fallen angels. Blood from the wounded fell to earth and spotted the “bloodstones” or heliotrope found in the Hebrides.

There is an old story, a young boy goes out fishing and falls asleep in his boat. He wakes to see giants dancing around a great bonfire. But then he realises they are not dancing but fighting and his boat is adrift on a pool of blood. Returning to shore , he finds he has been gifted with second sight. The blood undoubtedly refers to the scarlet aurora that appears during particularly intense solar storms.

In another story, the Fir Chlis take part in a war called ‘an linne fhuil’ or ‘pool of blood’ and the local red and green ‘bloodstones’ were believed to be drops fallen from the sky warriors. In this way people drew features of their landscape into the story of the aurora and made its spectacle both supernatural and familiar.

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The village of Elsdon today

Walsingham mentions a story of an unfortunate youth, whose brains were extracted from his skull during his sleep by this malicious being. Owing to this operation he remained insane for many years till the Virgin Mary courteously restored his brains in his head.

Another tale of the Brown Man of the Muirs comes from a lady named Elizabeth Cockburn of Offerton who told a tale to Robert Surtees, who then shared the story with Walter Scott in about 1809.

“In the year before the great Rebellion, two young men from Newcastle were sporting on the High Moors above Elsdon, and, after pursuing their game several hours, sat down to dine in a green glen, near one of the mountain streams.

After their repast, the younger lad ran to the brook for water; and after stooping to drink, was surprised, on lifting his head again, by the appearance of a brown dwarf, who stood on a crag covered with brackens across the burn. This extraordinary personage did not appear to be above half the stature of a common man; but was uncommonly stout and broad-built, having the appearance of vast strength; his dress was entirely brown, the colour of the brackens, and his head covered with frizzled red hair; his countenance was expressive of the most savage ferocity, and his eyes glared like a bull. It seems he addressed the young man: first threatening him with his vengeance for having trespassed on his demesnes, and asking him if he knew in whose presence he stood?

The youth replied that he supposed him to be the Lord of the Moors; that he had offended through ignorance, and offered to bring him the game he had killed. The dwarf was a little mollified by this submission; but remarked that nothing coul,d be more offensive to him than such an offer; as he considered the wild animals as his subjects, and never failed to avenge their destruction. He condescended further to inform him, that he was, like himself, mortal, though of years far exceeding the lot of common humanity, and (what I should not have an idea of) that he hoped for salvation. He never, he added, fed on any thing that had life, but lived in the summer on whortle-berries, and in winter on nuts and applies, of which he had great store in the woods. Finally, he invited his new acquaintance to accompany him home, and partake his hospitality: an offer which the young was on the point of accepting, and was just going to spring across the brook (which if he had done, says Elizabeth, the dwarf would certainly have torn him in pieces) when his foot was arrested by the voice of his companion, who thought he tarried long, and on looking around again, ‘the wee Brown Man was fled’.

The story adds, that he was imprudent enough to slight the admonition, and to sport over the moors on his way homewards; but soon after his return, he fell into a lingering disorder, and died within the year.”

Another version of this story goes:

Two friends went hunting on the moors for wildfowl. One of them strayed into some woodland where he had seen some birds descending. He thought he saw a movement in the distance, certainly not a bird but possibly a deer, and he walked towards it through the trees. Pausing at the bank of a stream, he saw a figure emerge from the trees on the other side of the stream. A man it was, and yet like a wild animal. He seemed to be composed of the very things of the woodland itself, of moss and bark and leaf-mould.  He was not so much seen as experienced by other senses than sight, sound and smell, although all of these senses were stimulated by him. So his voice, when he spoke, was harsh and strong:

“What do yer mean by coming here after the animals I have care of?”

His voice was terrible and yet it was enticing.

”Come over here and I’ll tell yer how to behave in my woodland.”

It was as if the hunter had no choice but to put down his gun and cross the stream. Just then he heard his friend’s voice behind him and turned around. When he looked back the figure across the stream could not be seen.

“Did you see that?” he asked. But his friend had seen nothing. When he told him what had happened, his friend was fearful.

“Oh, it’s lucky I came, if you’d crossed the stream he would have torn you apart! It’s only that water that saved you. We’d better go and forget hunting for today.”

But as they were leaving a bird flew up from the undergrowth. The hunter lifted his gun and fired, bringing down the bird. But as he did so his arm froze and the chill never left it. It was said that he was cursed by the ‘Brown Man of the Muirs’ and he pined away and died soon after.

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Isle Maree

Isle Maree is a tiny wooded island on Loch Maree in Wester Ross.   Loch Maree is the largest loch in the North West of Scotland and lies in a glacial trough. There are 66 islands on Loch Maree.

Isle Maree may be one of the smallest islands on the loch but this tiny island holds an amazing amount of history and some wonderful legends. The island has been used as a religious site by Christians and Pagans and there are clues that it was even an important Druid site. The selection of trees on the island are different to the other islands, there are many old Oaks and Holly trees whereas the other islands are almost entirely Scots Pine. For an island to have such ancient Oaks and Holly Trees is a sign that this was an important place for Druids.  Also there is evidence of a Druid’s Circle which has been dated to 100 BC on the island.

God Mourie

On the island are the remains of what is believed to be the 8th Century hermitage of Saint Máel Ruba (Maol Rubha, MoRubha, MaRuibhe in Scottish Gaelic) who founded the monastery of Applecross in 672. This is where the name ‘Maree’ and comes from. He was also known as St Rufus and Isle Maree has been called “the iland of St. Ruffus” in 17th Century Records. The Saint was also spoken about as ‘God Mourie,’ and it is believed that he was actually worshipped in this area. There is also talk about the ‘Cult of God Mourie’, people who continued to worship him and carry out certain rituals after his death.

In the 17th century the Presbytery of Dingwall was disturbed by reports of several rituals, evidently of pagan origin, such as the sacrificing of bulls, on an island in Loch Maree. These were seen as part of a ritual of the cult of ‘God Mourie’. On August 25th is the festival St. Maelrubha’s feast day. The Presbytery of Dingwall reported that people on this day would sacrifice a bull on the island and walk around the chapel performing divinations.

Cure for Insanity

Isle Maree also attracted the sick and the insane, who drank from its holy well and who were plunged into the loch three times in the hope of a cure. This was done by a boat circling the island three times, each time as it rounded the island the ‘lunatic’ who had a rope tied around them was dunked into the water. Then the boat would land and the patient would drink from the well, then an offering was made. This process was repeated each day for maybe several weeks, until the person was considered cured.

This dates back to the time of St Maelrubha  and was still being  used up until 1858.  Locals say that lunatics are still taken to the island by people looking to cure them, but this is all kept very secret.

The waters in the well dried up after locals say it was desecrated by a man using it to try and cure his mad dog. Supposedly the dog died the next day and a week later so did it’s owner. Maybe the waters vengeance? Sadly nothing of the well exists any more.

This way of ‘curing’ insanity may have evolved from the ritual of sacrificing bulls on the island. As late as 1695, Hector MacKenzie, his son and his grandson sacrificed a bull on the island for the healing of the invalid Christine MacKenzie.

The Wishing Tree

The Wishing Tree

This ritual only dates to Victorian times and originated with Queen Victoria who visited Isle Maree on the 16th September 1877. Many people say it is a pagan ritual but although there were pagan rituals of giving a gift this one is not that old. Queen Victoria visited Isle Maree and read a short sermon to her Gairloch gillies,  she then fixed her offering in the wishing-tree, a pleasantry which most visitors to the island repeat, it being common report that a wish given when any metal article is attached to the tree will come true. It is said that if any one removes an offering that has been fixed in the tree, some misfortune, probably the taking fire of the house of the desecrator, is sure to follow. The tree is now nearly dead.

A famous Scottish legend was set on this island:

The Tragedy of Isle Maree, a Legend

The area of Loch Maree was ruled by a young Norwegian Viking Prince called Olaf. He was known for his fiery temper. The story goes that Olaf fell deeply in love. He lived with his fighting men on board his ship on Loch Ewe. Loch Ewe and Loch Maree are joined by a stretch of water now called River Ewe.

Olaf built a tower on the Isle of Maree so he could be near his love. The two lived together as Prince and Princess in the tower happily, but the men aboard the ship were growing tired that their Prince and leader could not drag himself away from his bride. A great expedition had been planned and they needed him. With a heavy heart Olaf told his love that he would soon have to leave. She feared that he would be killed and she would never see him again. A plan was devised, it was agreed that they would fly a white flag from the ship if he was alive and black if he was dead. This way when she saw the boat in the distance she would know. The flags were created and the Prince took them with him on his journey.

After a period of time the victorious Prince returned safely to Poolewe. He got on to his boat on Loch Maree and raised his white flag of success. His Princess had been sick with worry in his absence and had even begun to question whether he would enjoy the excitement of battle too much and choose not to return, whether he really loved her at all. Her doubts grew into a kind of madness and she came up with quite a crazy plan to test him.

The boat appeared in the distance, a lookout announced it to the Princess, and that he could see a white flag. The Princess set about her strange plan. She boarded the boat to go and meet her Prince, on the boat she raised a black flag and lay on a bier in the centre of the boat and pretended to be dead. All her maidens surrounded her and pretended to be grieving.

The Prince of course seeing this black flag approaching was filled with despair. This despair and agony grew as the Princesses boat got closer. He leapt aboard and saw her lying there in what appeared like death. With one agonised cry he plunges his own dirk into his breast. Hearing this the princess leaps up and sees her love lying in a pool of blood, dead. He had truly loved her. Taking the dirk from Olaf’s heart she plunges it into her own.

The bodies of these two tragic lovers are said to be buried on the island. They were buried with their feet towards each other beneath the shade of the sacred holly. The grave was marked with smooth stones engraved with a medieval crosses. This can still be seen on the island to this day.

illustration of the crosses

Access to the island is restricted, it is owned by the Gairloch Trust. Visiting it can be organised through Loch Maree Hotel, well this was the case a few years ago, I don’t know if this is still the case.

Graveyard on the island

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One of the most famous of these, and one that gets the crowds going is a walk through Greyfriers Graveyard. Best done as the light has disappeared to get the full effect, in this dark kirkyard it’s not difficult to feel spooked, large faceless angels surround you, skull and cross bones and eerie mausoleums with the tales that someone on the previous tour collapsed through fear. It’s not all about loyal dogs now.

The kirkyard is also the home of plague pits where the bodies of thousands of victims of the Black Death were buried in mass graves.  Also on the grounds is the Covenanter prison, people that died here were buried in the kirkyard; some escaped, some executed.  In the prison they would wait in terrible conditions for many months awaiting trial. Conditions were so inhumane that this prison is often described as the world’s first concentration camp.  There was no shelter and the only food they were allowed was a daily ration of 4oz of bread.

Covenanters Prison

It is no wonder that Greyfriers has the reputation of being one of the most haunted places in Scotland.  Here the dead do not rest.

The highlight of a ghost tour around Greyfriers graveyard comes when you approach an impressive forboding mausoleum.  This is the final resting place of Sir George MacKenzie, chief persecutor and prison guard of the Covenanters.

The Black Mausoleum of Sir George Mackenzie

Sir George Mackenzie

MacKenzie was an infamous, brutal man with the nickname ‘Bluidy MacKenzie’. He was made advocate in August 1677 by King Charles II. From here MacKenzie organised an enthusiastic and bloody prosecution of Covenanters in retaliation for their refusal to replace Scotland’s Presbyterian Church with the Episcopalian Church that had come to dominate England to the south.

In 1679 the Covenanter were defeated at the Battle of Bothwell bridge, 3,000 of them were captured. These men were brought to Greyfriers. Some were beheaded, some hanged, decapitated heads rotted on walls around the city. It was a time of public torture. By just mid November of the same year 1,200 prisoners had died from starvations or exposure. The survivors were packed onto a boat bound for Australia.

MacKenzie is said to have been responsible for around 18,000 death of Covenanters (his fellow countrymen) during a reign of terror known as ‘The Killing Times’.  Now his mausoleum is said to be the point of the ‘the world’s most recorded poltergeist activitiy’.

A chain and padlock holds the door to his mausoleum shut.  An attempt to keep out the living, rather than keep in the dead.  In 1998 a homeless man looking for shelter came across the Black Mausoleum and took refuge inside, at this time it was just a simple lock on the door.  This break in is said to have woken the evil Bluidy MacKenzie from his slumber.

Inside were coffins of Mackenzie’s  relatives, the homeless man opened one out of morbid curiosity.  Suddenly beneath him the floor gave way and he fell down into a pit.  Many bodies were contained here, they had filled the pit with plague bodies – basically they had so many that bodies were stuffed into anywhere they could find for quick disposal.  Despite their age, the sealing up of these bodies had meant they were still in a state of decomposition.  This scene could have come straight from a horror film, imagine the man’s terror as he tried to claw his way out of the pit, grasping body parts on his way.

From this point people started getting hurt.  It was only a few days later that a woman looking into the mausoleum was  blasted by a cold force.  Then soon after another woman was found unconscious next to the mausoleum, her neck covered in bruises.

Locks can not keep the undead at bay. – Some of the injuries blamed on Buildy MacKenzie from people who have taken The City of Dead Tour

But the vagrant falling through the floor of his tomb wasn’t to be the last desecration to stir up the poltergeist.  In 2003 to add insult to injury a group of 17 year olds out for mischief and trying to be all macabre and impress the local goths were caught playing in the graveyard with what was thought to be a football under one of the boys arms, this turned out to be the severed muffified head of George MacKenzie.  The kids had broken into the tomb and chopped off his head with a penknife.  According to coverage in the Daily Mirror of the trial the teenagers were throwing the head to each other jokingingly pretending it was performing sex acts on them and wearing it as a glove puppet.    The teenager in question was given 200 hours community service and his partner in crime was given two years probation.

The severed head of George Mackenzie

Two years later unknown intruders gained access despite increased security at the churchyard, removed a head and posed it on one of the spikes that top the cemetery’s gates. They left behind a note with the message “The Vampire Lark”.  They have not been traced.

Tours now start with the warning “The Mackenzie Poltergeist can cause genuine physical and mental distress. You join the tour at your own risk!”.  Exorcisms have been carried out twice at the location, first by a spiritualist minister named Colin Grant and a year later by his son. Both were unsuccessful and the attacks continue.

Long before the homeless man fell into the corpse filled pit there is the story of John Haynes, a petty criminal, possibly a highwayman who used the second chamber in the mausoleum as a hideout for six long months.  Eventually the police caught up with him and found him to be completely insane.  Haynes kept insisting that the coffins kept moving around at night.

There are some other explanations for the feelings people have around the tomb.  One suggests it’s the result of high voltage machinery which is housed to the rear of the mausoleum by Edinburgh University’s Artificial Intelligence Unit. These machines can give off electromagnetic energy, a force that some believe could create hallucinations in people that are ‘EM sensitive’ and be the explanation for certain paranormal activity. This, however, does not explain the physical attacks that visitors to the vault have suffered.

Another scientific explanation concerning these phenomenons looks deep underground. Sandstone forms much of the rock underneath the Greyfriars area. Brian Allen of SPI suggests that:

“If the pores of the sandstone were to become saturated with mineral electrolytes, this in effect would create thousands of tiny batteries. Given the right conditions, a micro-tremor perhaps, the stored energy could be discharged, creating an electrical field above the ground affecting a sensitive person by causing a tiny seizure in the temporal lobes of their brain. These seizures appear to run in distinct patterns, with the people affected experiencing the same or similar images”.

What ever you believe – would you dare challenge Bluidy MacKenzie by knocking the door of the Black Mausoleum three times saying” Bluidy Mackingie, come oot if ye daur, lift the sneck and draw the bar!”?

The post The MacKenzie Poltergeist appeared first on ScotClans | Scottish Clans.

Once upon a time there was a King who was so ill that he believed he was nearing death, a wise woman was called for, she said the only thing that would cure him was to drink from the Waters of Life.

Questioning the wise woman the King learned that the Waters of Life could only be found in a well  within a courtyard of an enchanted castle that lay in the middle of a dark stretch of water.  On pressing her further she said that such a place lay in the far off  ’an chancie hills o the Scottish Borderlands’.

‘It is a sad an barren land scoured by incessant winds that at the same time whisper o aw that yince was there.’  She then disappeared before the King could ask any more of her.

The King immediately sent for his 3 sons.  He told each of them that they must fix a flask to their belts and go off to find the Water of Life that only this would save their Father.  At a crossroads by a burn they all took off in different directions.  The two oldest boys chose a broad easy going path that were strewn with daisy.  The youngest took a narrow twisted path that was overgrown with thorny bushes.

The two older Princes on their pleasant path were soon enjoying their easy journey so much and having a braw time with each other that they forgot all about the ills of their father and the water of life.

As for the youngest son, he made his way around the brambles and bushes through bogs ‘like a needle through the coarsest cloot, through bramble bushes, under whin bushes, through bogs an the thickest o woods’.  It was a journey that tested him, and he constantly struggled, so much so that he hardly remembered his name let alone know how far he had travelled.  Finally he came to a wee cottage with an old man who was sitting by the door as if he were expecting him.  ‘Here now, ye’ve  come at last.  I thought ye might never get here.  Ye have a long way tae go yet afore ye find the Waters o Life, so put yer horse in the stable an then come away an share ma supper.’

After being well fed the young Prince was offered a warm bed for the night but this offer came with a warning as the old man said, ‘There is a bed for ye through the wall, but whatever ye dae keep still, dinnae move an dinnae utter a sound nae matter what wee critters get in beside ye tae keep warm.’

The young lad was so tired he agreed and went straight to bed.  He had no sooner got himself all cosy and tucked in when a throng of frogs and snails got in beside him. As they slithered around him in the bed he couldn’t help but tense up and was just about to cry out when he remembered the old man’s warning.  That night he barely slept, as the cock crowed all the critters slithered away and there was a knock on the door.
‘Did ye sleep weel? asked the old man as they sat down for breakfast.  The young prince replied that he had had better sleeps but it could have been worst.

‘so it was meant tae be,’ nodded the old man. He then told the young lad that outside there was a new horse for him who would take him to the old man’s older brother who would help him on the next stage of his journey.

When the young prince mounted the horse the old man handed him a ball of yarn and instructed the prince to throw it between the horses ears and this will make the horse go faster than the wind.  The horse started to head north, with a clear road in front of him the prince threw the ball of wool between the horses ears and the horse took off like a hare.  After some time and quite a distance covered he could see ‘North Countree’ on the horizon.  Soon afterwards they came to a door of a tumble-doon house and neglected garden.  Sitting outside the front door was an even older and uglier man than the first.

‘So ye got here at last.  I suppose ma younger brother sent ye here?’

The prince told him he had and was pointed to a stable to put his horse.   He was then invited to supper with this ancient man,  to share his oatmeal scones and brambles with relish.  After supper the old man said ‘There’s a bed upstairs for ye, but whatever ye dae, an matter what critters come tae share yer be dinnae move or make a sound, or yer father will have yin less son aboot him.’

Completely exhausted, even more tired than the night before the prince went to bed. This time a throng of toads and slow worms joined him and wriggled around the whole night.  The lad managed to hold tight and not move or scream out.  As the cock crowed twice the critters scattered and there was a knock at the door.  As before the old man asked if he has slept well and the boy answered the same.  The old man returned the same reply ‘Aye, that is how it was meant ta be,’ and said there was a new horse outside that would take him to the oldest brother who would help him on his way.

When the prince mounted this new horse he was given another ball of yarn with the same instructions.  So again off they went and left a driech North Countree.  Soon the ominous Chancie Hills of the Scottish Borders lay in front of them.  In a large patch of waste ground was a ruined house at it’s door sat the oldest and ugliest man the prince had ever seen.

Just as before he was invited inside, given food and offered a bed for the night with the same warning.  The lack of sleep from the previous two night again meant that the lad accepted, but this time no creatures crawled into bed with him and he slept soundly till morning.   Until the cock crowed three times.

‘Did ye sleep wee?’  The old man asked

‘I have never slept so well.’  the prince replied brightly.

‘So it was meant tae be,’ nodded the old man. ‘Now listen very carefully tae what I have tae say, because if ye make a mistake yer father will have about him yin less son, whilst ye will live lot the rest o yer days in the driech withered lands o the North Countree as a frog, or a snall, a toad or a slow-worm.

‘Take intae yer hand this ball o yarn an throw it atween the lugs o yer horse an then ride that fast that the wind cannie catch sight o ye, till ye come tae the furthest away o the Scottish Borderland hills.  There ye will come across the enchanted castle that sits in the midst o a dark sheet o water.

‘Tie yer horse tae a tree, an then when it is time, caw oot that ye want tae be lifted across the water.  Three swans will come an cart ye across the water, but watch that ye dinnae slip an faw, because yer father will have yin less son.

‘On reaching the shore ye will have three gates tae go through, each guarded by terrible beasts.  They are always sound asleep in the middle o the day atween yin an twae o’clock, so ye must use that time wheel.

‘Heid straight for the castle.  Inside ye’ll pass by many grand rooms that could turn the head o a lesser man.  Nae matter what ye see in there dinnae tarry, for it is only that short hour that will keep ye safe.  Make yer way tae the kitchen an oot intae the garden where ye will come across the well.  Fill yer flask with the Waters o Life, an then come back here tae me the same way ye travelled there.  But mind this, yer success will affect mair than you an yer father’.
After thanking this old man for his kindness the prince set off.  All morning her rode till they reached the furthest back of the Scottish Borderland Hills.  True to his word the castle stood there before him surrounded by dark water.  At the water’s edge the prince tied his horse and called out to be carried over the water.

Three swans came to his side and carried him safely over the water to the castle.  It was precisely 1 o’clock when he stepped onto the shore.

At the first gate were two giants holding spiked clubs, they were sound asleep. The prince passed safely between them.  At the second gate were two ferocious lions with teeth as long as daggers, again they were asleep and the prince walked on unharmed.  At the third gate there were two dragons sleeping, again the prince past between them.

The prince then past many grand rooms in the castle, but didn’t give them a second glance, but in the last room was the grandest chamber, in it was a gold four poster bed and lying on the bed was the bonniest girl the prince had ever seen.  He could not help but go over to her, as he approached he felt such deep feelings of love for her, feelings he had never felt before.  He went closer and kissed her on her cheek.  The girl didn’t wake from her sleep, remembering his mission the boy turned to go, but as he did he dropped his frilly handkerchief on the floor, picking it up he placed it on the beautiful girl as a gift. Three crowns were embroidered in it’s corner.  The prince then left the room and onto the well.

At the well he removed the cap from his flask and filled it with water from the well.  Then the prince took to his heels and sprinted back past all the grand rooms, sneaking a look at the beautiful sleeping girl.  Then scurried through the gates with their sleeping guards.  At the waters edge the swans were waiting for him.   Across the water they took him, no sooner had he set foot on the other side did he hear the most hideous roar as the monsters all waked from their slumber.  The boy leapt onto his horse and rode swiftly back to the old man.  At nightfall he arrived at the ruined house.

‘Now it is yer turn tae help me, for I have helped you,’ said the old man. ‘Take this sword an come with me tae the well at the back o the hoose.’  When they got to the well the old man told the prince ‘Now, ye must cut off ma heid’.

The prince argued with him but ended up following hi orders and cut the old man’s head off.  As the head hit the water at the bottom of the well  a handsome young man showed up and stood beside the prince.  As the prince turned around the old ruined house had transformed into a magnificent house, how it would have once been, the gardens were all flourishing with neat lawns and trimmed hedges.

The handsome young man thanked the young prince for releasing him from the spell and hoped that he would do the same for his two brothers.  The prince was delighted to cut of the heads of the other two.  Just as he cut off the head of the youngest brother the beautiful girl in the enchanted castle stirred, stretched and opened her eyes, the spell was broken.  Unbeknownst to the prince she was a princess.  The giants, lions and dragons all vanished.  The swans turned back into armoured knights.

The next morning the prince rode back to the cross roads where he had previously left his brothers.  His brothers were still there enjoying themselves and only remembered their plight when they saw him.  The youngest brother didn’t see them and exhausted fell asleep.

While the youngest brother slept the eldest brother whispered ‘I wonder if hae was successful,’ and took the boys flask and unscrewed the top and took a sip.  He could tell straight away that this was no ordinary water.  The two older brothers agreed that their younger brother was too young to take responsibility for such a find and curing their father.  The oldest brother filled his flask half full with the magic water and the middle brother took the other half, then they filled the youngest brother’s flask with water from the burn.

When the young prince awoke, he had the weirdest felling that a strange presence was about him, he saw the tracks of the horses  which went in the direction of his father’s castle.  Believing this was a sign that his brothers had returned he rode back to the castle.

The youngest son was delighted to see his father.  He quickly handed him the flask but as the King took a sip he screwed up his face and spat the water out.  ‘Son, are ye trying tae poison me? This is nae Water o Life ye have in this flask.  Were ye trying tae trick yer auld father?’  The king called for the guards and demanded they cut off his son’s head in the morning saying this boy was no son of his.

The executioner on hearing that he had to cut of the young princes head was sorely vexed, he’d always liked the boy.  So he disguised him in some ragged clothes clothes and dirtied his face and under the cover of night helped him escape and to the home of a poor family of charcoal burners.  Here the boy lived.

Meanwhile the beautiful princess had been searching the whole land for the owner of the handkerchief with the three crowns.  When at last she came to the King’s palace where she insisted on seeing the King and his three sons.  She said she will marry the son who filled his flask from the Waters of Life she cast the handkerchief on the floor and said that only the owner would be able to stand onto of it without loosing their balance.

The eldest son stepped boldly onto the handkerchief,  toppled over and broke his arm. The second prince fared even worst and overbalanced and broke his leg.  The Princess furious, turned to the King and asked if he had no other son.  The King shook with fear and went pale.  He sent for the executioner to find out what had happened to his son.  A messenger was sent to tell the youngest prince to return to the castle.  But the messenger returned and informed the King that the prince would not return and prefers to live in the woods than die in the castle.  The messenger was sent again with the message that he would be safe coming back to the castle.  Once more the messenger returned unaccompanied.  The Princess told the messenger to ask the youngest prince if he would like to swap a handkerchief for the one he left at the enchanted castle.  This time the Prince came straight back.  The Princess asked him to step onto the handkerchief, which indeed he did.  Then she faced the King and his two oldest sons and said ‘Ye can keep yer other twae sons.  They’ve tricked ye yince, an they’ll dae it again nae doot.’

Then she invited the young prince back to her castle to marry her and rule all of her lands.   Which of course he did. They made a point of stopping by the poor charcoal burners house and gifted the family with more money than they could imagine to thank them for their kindness.  From the time they reached the enchanted castle till today their laughter and happiness was carried far and wide on gusting winds.

Resource: Scottish Borders Folk Tales by James P. Spence

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