Dalhousie Castle - Scotland's Oldest Inhabited Castle
Dalhousie Castle stands on the banks of the River Esk near Bonnyrigg, just south of Edinburgh. Dating back to the 13th century, it is Scotland's oldest inhabited castle and was the ancestral home of the Ramsay family for almost 800 years. The first structure was built in 1140, with most of the current castle constructed in 1450. Originally accessible only via drawbridge over a moat, the castle features crenelated battlements, turrets, and secret staircases throughout. <br>
The Bottle Dungeon
The castle's most sinister feature is the bottle-shaped dungeon, now the wine cellar. Prisoners were lowered by rope through a narrow opening into this underground chamber with no escape through the 11-foot thick walls. The rope marks are still visible worn into the stonework today.
Historical Significance
The castle witnessed pivotal moments in Scottish history. King Edward I stayed here in 1298 en route to fight William Wallace at Falkirk. In 1400, Sir Alexander Ramsay defended the castle during a six-month siege by King Henry IV. Oliver Cromwell captured it in the 1650s as a base for his Scottish invasion. Mary, Queen of Scots spent a night here in 1563, and Queen Victoria visited several times. The Ramsays lived here until around 1900, and it served as a boarding school from 1925-1950 before becoming a luxury hotel in 1972.
The Resident Ghosts
Sir Alexander Ramsay: The castle's most famous ghost. In 1342, he was abducted and starved to death in Hermitage Castle by William Douglas. His remains were discovered one and a half centuries later, and though given a proper funeral, his ghost haunts his ancestral home, appearing in the corridors, halls, and grounds. Lady Catherine - The Grey Lady: The most frequently seen and active ghost. In the 1500s, 16-year-old Lady Catherine was the mistress of one of the Ramsay lairds. When his wife discovered the affair, she imprisoned Catherine in a castle turret and left her to starve to death. Another version claims she was the laird's daughter who locked herself away in despair after falling in love with the wrong man. She is called the Grey Lady because of her grey dress with puffed sleeves, and has sharp features and tiny feet in little pointed shoes. Many guests mistake her for staff. She haunts the turrets, staircases, corridors, and dungeons. Other Spirits: The ghost of a pupil who fell from the building when it was a school, and a ghostly dog also haunt the premises. Paranormal Activity
- The Grey Lady's Manifestations: Lady Catherine is extremely active, with guests hearing her dress rustling and seeing her sitting at the end of beds, gliding down staircases, lurking in dungeons, floating along corridors, and standing on battlements before fading away. She was photographed at a wedding in 2004 and has waved from windows. She taps on doors and shoulders, and occasionally pulls hair, though she's considered harmless.
- Bagpipe Interference: The castle pipe sergeant has witnessed her and noted that whenever Catherine is near, bagpipes play out of tune - she appears to hate bagpipe music.
- Other Activity: Furniture and objects move on their own throughout the castle. Phantom footsteps echo through empty corridors. Unexplained noises occur frequently. Both Sir Alexander and Lady Catherine are regularly sighted by guests.
- Most Haunted Areas: The turrets (Lady Catherine's primary domain), staircases, dungeons (now the restaurant), corridors, and guest bedrooms all experience regular activity.
Modern Day
Dalhousie Castle operates as a luxury 4-star hotel and spa with 29 bedrooms. One restaurant is located in the atmospheric dungeon, complete with stonework and medieval weaponry. Regular ghost tours are scheduled due to extensive paranormal activity. Regarded as one of Edinburgh's most haunted places, the castle remains a popular wedding venue and offers activities including archery and falconry.