The Majestic Glamis Castle

Scottish Castles > Glamis Castle

Originally a royal hunting lodge, it is perhaps best known as the childhood home of the Queen Mother.

The Castle has been around since the 11th century and has been shrouded in mystery with stories of ghosts, monsters and pacts with the Devil.

She is located eighty miles north of the capital, Edinburgh, and around twelve miles north of the city of Dundee. Unique architecture gives the Castle the look of a French Chateau, and tours of Royal residences put Glamis second only to Balmoral Castle as a visitor attraction.

So what exactly is the mystery surrounding this beautiful building?

Well, it is alleged that a Bowes-Lyon child, born in 1821, was deformed, kept hidden through infancy, and spent his adult life confined in one of the Castle’s secret rooms. Known as the Monster of Glamis Castle, and even described as a hideously deformed ghost, the handicapped son was hidden in the Castle until he died, so that he would not inherit.

But there are more strange and sinister tales attached to Glamis Castle. Story has it that one Earl Beardie lost his soul to the Devil while playing cards. The family chapel is said to be haunted by the Grey Lady, thought to be the spirit of Lady Janet Douglas, who was burned at the stake as a witch in 1537, on charges of plotting to poison the King.



When you enter the chapel today, castle tour guides will tell you that one seat in the chapel is always reserved for the "Grey Lady" and on one occasion more than 100 people present in the castle swear that they saw her glide past them. Another ghost, "The White Lady" known as the Lady of Glamis, is believed to be Lady Campbell who has haunted Glamis Castle for hundreds of years.

Yet another story relates to a neighbouring aristocratic family, the Ogilvies, who in 1486, arrived at Glamis begging for protection from their enemies, the Lindsay family. The Ogilvies were shown to a chamber under the castle and left without food or water for over a month.

Secret chambers have always been associated with the Castle, and they say that if you count the windows on the outside, and compare them with the number of windows on the inside, there will be two windows short, implying that there may be at least one secret room.

The Castle was opened to the public in 1950 and is available for corporate events, weddings and private parties.

Visitors to Glamis Castle will be impressed with the entire estate comprising 13,500 acres of farmland, commercial woodland, and much of Glamis, a nice little village about five miles from Forfar.

The escorted tour will take you round the luxurious apartments, the crypt, the private chapel with painted ceiling and the sitting room used by the Queen Mother. There's a tea room in the Castle, and part of the gardens and grounds are open March - December, from 10 am to 6 pm.

Glamis Castle may have more strange and ghostly tales attached to it than any other castle in Scotland, and it is definitely worth a visit.

Opening Times :

13th March - October 10am to 6pm.
November - December 10.30am to 4.30pm.
Closed 25th & 26th December.

Admission Charges :

Adults - £8.75
Children - £6
Infants - Free
Concession - £7.75
Family - £25 (2 Adults & up to 3 Children)

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