Exploring The Stories Of Glamis Castle

If there’s one thing Scotland does well then it’s castles. There are thousands around the country in all shapes and sizes and so picking a favourite is no easy task. One of these magnificent strongholds has always been near the top of my list though, equal parts elegant and foreboding. It’s hard to put my finger on but the wild stories of Glamis Castle might be the reason I’m so drawn to it.

Celebrating its 650 year anniversary, it’s obvious from the moment you catch a glimpse of the jumble of red sandstone turrets, that Glamis is a special place. Inside you’ll find a boatload of legends about ghosts, monsters, the Devil and more. Outside you can recover from the drama of Glamis Castle’s stories with a walk around some perfectly curated gardens.

The History of Glamis Castle

While there was a much earlier hunting lodge here, what we know as Glamis Castle today was founded by the Lyon family in 1372. Over the last 650 years as it’s grown in size and importance, naturally the legends have grown with it. An important thing to remember is that this is more than just a museum. It’s still the ancestral seat of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, therefore visitors to Glamis Castle can’t access everywhere.

Fortunately, this sprawling mansion is so large that there’s still more than enough to keep you occupied. It creates a nice balance as the tour progresses and even with over 100 rooms inside, Glamis still feels like a family home.

It’s easy to find, located in a quiet spot of countryside near Kirriemuir. You can get here in less than 2 hours from Edinburgh or Glasgow and it makes a perfect stop on either a tour of Angus or a daytrip from Dundee!

The Story Of The Card Game

Glamis Castle might have sprawled out into an enormous building now, but there’s no mistaking the early 15th Century tower at its heart. And that’s where my favourite story lies.

One Saturday night, a raucous group were drinking and playing cards in the lower levels of Glamis Castle. As the hour was reaching midnight, people began to get uncomfortable and disappeared off to bed. It was a terrible sin to gamble on the Sabbath.

But one man didn’t care. Sometimes it’s said to be Earl Beardie of Crawford, other times it’s Alexander Lyon, Lord of Glamis. Either way, in his drunken state this fool roared that he didn’t care what the others thought. He would play cards on the Sabbath, he would play until doomsday, he would even play with the Devil himself.

Suddenly, a heavy knock came at the door. It was a tall, dark stranger seeking shelter and maybe even a wee game of cards. Common sense was out the window and he was welcomed to the table.

Once midnight passed, now early Sunday morning, the stranger revealed himself as the Devil, here to grant the man’s wish. Looking around, the little room they were in had somehow been blocked up. The gambler was now trapped inside playing cards with the Devil for eternity.

If you’ve ever visited, you’ll know that it’s a strange feeling in that lower hall. There’s even a space of wall where that little alcove for playing cards should be. Put your ear to it and you might even hear somebody shuffling the decks for yet another hand….

The Mysterious Monster of Glamis

Along with several castle ghosts, another famous legend surrounds the “Monster of Glamis”. It’s a truly shocking story about an allegedly deformed child of Lord Glamis, hidden away his entire life. The child’s existence was only known to the Earl and his factor who kept him hidden away in secret rooms.

Once the Earl’s son had died, those hidden rooms were bricked up and never to be spoken of again. Nobody knows just how much truth is in the legends, but it could have been based on another story from Glamis Castle about the Room of Skulls. A group of Ogilvies had once asked at Glamis for protection and were welcome inside the tower. It was a trick and the group were betrayed, sealed inside a room and left there to die.

These fanciful stories of secret rooms do seem to have groundings in fact. Rumour has it that a group of guests once tried to prove it by hanging towels out of every single accessible window in the castle. When they went outside, they discovered a number of windows were still missing towels.

There’s an oft repeated quote from the 13th Earl of Strathmore which has fuelled speculation. “If you could even guess the nature of this castle’s secret, you would get down on your knees and thank God it was not yours.”

I’m starting to think that this one of Glamis Castle’s stories I don’t want to know any more about.

Is Glamis Castle Haunted?

Of course Glamis Castle is haunted, it wouldn’t be a Scottish castle without some ghost stories after all! In fact, Glamis may well claim the title for most haunted castle in Scotland. The jury is still out since it’s not easy to do a spectral head count.

You have to be careful of which seat you pick in the family chapel, unless you want to sit on the Grey Lady’s lap. She’s believed to be the spirit of Lady Janet Douglas of Glamis, burned at the stake in Edinburgh in 1537. Her crime was allegedly witchcraft or just plain old murder, but the real reason was being born into the wrong family. I think she’s well within her rights to come back as a ghost.

The most playful of Glamis Castle’s ghosts is a young boy who likes to trip people up. Behind the door to the family rooms, you’ll find a little ledge that this spirit sits on while sticking his leg out. His story is a lot less playful though, he was said to be a young slave who sat at this spot waiting for new orders.

One freezing cold night, he sat ready to be told what to do, but everybody had forgotten about him. He sat there in the cold, draughty corridor all night until he fell asleep and simply never woke up. Don’t be alarmed if he gives you a little kick, that just means he likes you!

The Queen Mother

Not all of the stories of Glamis Castle are ancient tragedies or horrific hauntings though. This luxurious, turreted mansion was also once a favourite home of the late Queen Mother. Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon wasn’t born here, but her father inherited Glamis and the Earldom of Strathmore when she was a child. That meant countless summer days exploring the beautiful grounds and maybe even searching for some of Glamis Castle’s hidden rooms!

Elizabeth was a remarkable woman, who never considered anything below her station and is still thought of highly in Scotland. When Glamis Castle was repurposed as a WWI hospital, the aristocratic teenager worked hard caring for the wounded soldiers inside. When she married the future King George VI, she succeeded in bringing a relatable feeling to the royal family.

Her relationship with her Scottish roots remained strong throughout her entire life with regular visits to Glamis Castle. She even gave birth to Princess Margaret here!

What about Macbeth?!

I couldn’t talk about Glamis Castle stories and not mention Macbeth. However, this section is a little bit of myth busting rather than storytelling! Macbeth was a very real Scottish king who ruled from 1040-1057, but not much else from Shakespeare’s famous play reflects reality.

Records aren’t great from that era, but from what we do know Macbeth was a fairly successful ruler. Ruling 1000 years ago took a good bit of scheming and backstabbing, however this King of Scots isn’t remembered as a tyrannical, murdering leader. More importantly, Macbeth had nothing to do with Glamis Castle and certainly wasn’t Thane of Glamis.

I’m not knocking the “Scottish play” at all and lots of people may never have heard of Glamis otherwise. Just like modern TV & Films set in Scotland like Braveheart or Outlander, anything that spikes an interest in visiting this country is fine by me! It would be silly to reject the Macbeth publicity, so out in the grounds you can find the Macbeth Trail.

The Stories of Glamis Castle’s Gardens

As much as I love the interiors, it isn’t just about what you can find indoors. A visit to Glamis Castle wouldn’t be complete without exploring the various gardens and extensive grounds outside. There are enough stories out here if you know where to look as well.

On the front lawn, near the tree-lined avenue is an old, creaking tree planted in 1746 to mark the Battle of Culloden. A (metaphorical) stone’s throw away you’ll spot Scotland’s largest, and most elaborate, 350-year-old sundial!

Head away from the castle itself and into the most popular outdoor space, the elegant Italian Garden. This was created by the Queen Mother’s mother in 1910, comprising of beautifully shaped trees, formal flower beds and a flowing fountain. While the design changed over the years, gardeners are currently trying to replicate the original designs.

From there it’s a visit to the soaring Pine Woodland, technically known as a ‘pinetum’. Given plenty of space and time to grow, these varied trees now make for a peaceful walk, until you’re met with some strange characters. This is where Glamis Castle leans into its Shakespearean legend with the Macbeth trail mentioned earlier.

Crossing a little bridge you find yourself in the gargantuan Walled Garden. Personally, I love the upstairs/downstairs dynamic in country mansions so this is my favourite outdoor space. An army of gardeners once supplied huge feasts in Glamis Castle from here and their modern day equivalent’s are hard at work restoring the space.

Exploring The Rest of Glamis

Once you’ve finished visiting Glamis Castle, you can extend your stay a little in the village. The exit drive takes you out amongst the quaint little houses in neat rows. It was originally constructed to re-house estate workers while keeping them near the castle.

Apart from simply admiring this snapshot back in time, there is one more attraction in the village. The Gin Bothy Experience has set up shop in the old smiddy and makes a perfect nightcap (as long you’re not driving).

Plan ahead and you can organise a tasting of their flavoured gins inside one of the beautifully repurposed rooms. The theme behind Gin Bothy are the hundreds of little bothies that are found all over the Scottish countryside. Some were seasonal accommodation for farm labourers, others refuges for stalkers and hikers out in the wild.

When is Glamis Castle open?

The opening times for Glamis Castle are daily 10am until 5pm throughout the tourist season. I would give yourself at least an hour to explore inside although you could easily double that. A wander around the gardens without stopping would take you another half an hour. Give yourself a lot longer if you want to actually appreciate them though.

The gates will close for the season on the 31st October until springtime. 2022 prices are £15.50 for Adults, £10 for Children with senior, student and family passes available, more information can be found here.

There are also plenty of events that take place in the grounds of Glamis Castle. Theatre productions take place regularly with Macbeth an obvious favourite, along with jazz on the lawn and storytelling tours. Find the events schedule here!

So after all of that, please let me know, have you got plans to explore the stories of Glamis Castle for yourself?

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