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Writer's pictureGary Taylor-Green

"From Witchcraft to Wraiths: The Unseen Horrors of Glamis Castle"

The Shadow Over Glamis Castle


In the remote Angus region of Scotland stands Glamis Castle, an edifice whose ancient stones are imbued with an atmosphere of dread and mystique. To the uninitiated, it is but a picturesque relic of history, but to those who have delved into its past, it is a place where the veil between our world and the supernatural is perilously thin. It was on a chill autumn evening that I, drawn by both scholarly curiosity and an unsettling compulsion, found myself at its threshold, eager to uncover the eldritch secrets it harboured.


The tale I sought to investigate was no mere legend but a matter of documented history, whispered in hushed tones by the local populace. It centred upon the infamous and grisly murder of Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis, accused of witchcraft and treason, and burned at the stake in 1537. It is said that her spectre roams the castle grounds, her anguished spirit unable to rest. Yet, my research suggested that the horrors of Glamis were not confined to her tragic fate alone. The castle’s labyrinthine halls and hidden chambers held other, more obscure terrors.


Upon my arrival, I was greeted by the current laird, a man whose sombre demeanour hinted at the heavy burden of his lineage. With a nod of assent, he granted me access to the castle’s most restricted areas, including the fabled secret room—a space that, according to legend, was known to all lairds of Glamis but spoken of by none.


The laird’s warning echoed in my mind: “Beware what you seek, for the castle’s shadows are long and dark.”


The first night of my sojourn was uneventful, though I felt a persistent sense of being watched. The castle’s atmosphere was oppressive, the very air thick with an ancient, malevolent presence. As the midnight hour approached, I decided to explore the castle’s extensive library. Among the dusty tomes and faded manuscripts, I found a journal belonging to an ancestor of the current laird, dated 1723. It recounted the sightings of a spectral woman—presumably Lady Glamis—and other, less identifiable entities that roamed the castle.


It was on the third night that the true horror revealed itself. In the dead of night, a series of faint, mournful wails echoed through the corridors. Following the sound, I descended into the dungeons, where the cold stone walls seemed to close in around me. There, in the flickering light of my lantern, I saw her—the spirit of Janet Douglas, her form translucent yet terrifyingly real. Her eyes, voids of despair, met mine, and I felt an overwhelming wave of sorrow and rage.


Glamis Castle

Suddenly, the air grew colder, and another presence made itself known—a shadowy figure emerging from the darkness. This entity, unlike Lady Glamis, exuded a palpable malevolence. It advanced towards me, and as it did, the shadows seemed to come alive, writhing and whispering in a language older than time. The spectral woman’s form flickered and disappeared, leaving me alone with the approaching darkness.


In a moment of sheer terror, I fled, my footsteps echoing through the stone corridors. The shadows pursued, whispering secrets too dreadful for the human mind to comprehend. It was only upon reaching the sanctuary of my quarters that the oppressive presence receded, leaving me gasping for breath and sanity.


I departed Glamis Castle at first light, my curiosity sated but my soul forever marked by what I had encountered. The castle remains a place of beauty and horror, a testament to the thin line between our world and the other. Lady Glamis continues to roam its halls, a mournful wraith seeking justice, while darker, nameless entities lurk in the shadows, waiting for the unwary.


To those who dare to explore Glamis, I offer this warning: some secrets are best left undisturbed, and some horrors are too great to be forgotten. The castle's shadows are indeed long and dark, and they reach into the very soul of those who tread its haunted halls.

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