Scottish Paranormal Investigations

The castle is situated on a shelf above the north side of Brodick Bay and under the shadow of Goatfell, which rises behind it. The Vikings probably used the location as a defensive site until they were driven from Arran after 1000. The original castle was built some time after 1266 for the Stewarts of Menteith. During the War of Independence the castle was occupied by the English, until retaken by the Scots in 1307. Its subsequent history was equally turbulent. English ships damaged the castle in 1406, and MacDonald, Lord of the Isles in 1455, caused further damage. Meanwhile, ownership of the castle passed through various hands before it came into the possession of the Hamilton’s in 1503. The castle was rebuilt by them in 1510, but suffered further damage in 1528 during clan battles between Campbell’s and MacLean’s, and again in 1544 at the hands of Henry VIII’s forces.

Further rebuilding and expansion took place in the 1550s, but its troubled history was not yet complete. In 1639 the castle was captured by the Campbell’s, and then recaptured by the Hamilton’s. And in the 1650s the castle was occupied, and extended, by Cromwell. Today it takes a real act of imagination to see the castle as it must have been during these centuries. Only occasional glimpses remain. In 1977, restoration work uncovered a 14th century round tower with a fishtail arrow slit contained within the thickness of the Victorian Kitchen walls’. There is also a concealed room or staircase in walls of the old lamp room which is now part of the custodian’s apartment. There are parts of the East Tower, which date from the 14th century. This East Tower has associations with King Robert.

What the visitor to Brodick Castle is rather more likely to see today owes most to work that began in 1844, in effect to convert the castle into a Baronial Hunting Lodge and Summer Home for the Hamilton’s. The results are simply stunning as you are taken back into a time capsule of Scottish Baronial life in the 1800s and 1900s. Parts of the garden date back to at least 1710, according to a date in the wall surrounding part of the garden. Further work was undertaken from 1814, but the main development of the gardens, as they are today date back to the work to elevate the castle to a stately home in 1844. The gardens were subsequently a passion of the Hamilton’s. Like the Castle, its gardens offer a glimpse into another world and another time.

On a warm autumn day in 1913, Churchill, Prime Minister Asquith and Lloyd George held urgent and impromptu discussions about Irish Home Rule on the lawn of Brodick Castle. Asquith’s wife Margot is thought to have put an end to the talking by throwing open a window of the castle and calling the distinguished visitors — and her husband — inside for tea at 4 o’clock.

Associated Paranormal Activity

According to local tradition, a white stag is said to appear near to the castle when one of the Hamilton Chiefs dies. White stags are not phantoms, they are very real. The last one was shot in Lochranza a few years ago. This one used to follow people around, and adult stags can be aggressive. On a more ghostly note the castle is said to have two spectres. The spectre of a man has been seen on two occasions sat in a chair next to the fire. When approached he vanishes. The Library was built by Cromwell’s garrison as accommodation. The other spirit is said to be that of a Grey Lady. According to Lady Jean, youngest daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Montrose, and the last of the family to live at the castle, the Grey Lady is the ghost of a 17th century servant girl who at the time of the Cromwellian occupation of the Castle had an affair with the captain of the guard. She was found to be expecting his child and so was dismissed from service. Her family who lived at Corrie disowned her, and the girl committed suicide by drowning herself in the sea off the old wine port (near the entrance to the Castle gates).

The Grey Lady has been seen on the corridor outside the Servants Hall (now the Tea Room), on the back corridor outside the Victorian Kitchen, and on the turnpike stairs which was the servant’s entrance to the Castle. She has been seen standing over servants who are scrubbing floors or stairs, and is seen by a third party, not by the person she stands over. She looks to be talking to them. There were a number of sightings during the family’s day at a time when they employed a housekeeper who was clairvoyant.

There has also been other activity in the stairwell & Round Room and also an incident in the grounds involving a local clergyman.

SPI’s Investigation

1 of the team members that did not know anything about the Castle prior to arrival was having a recurring dream that he was in a room (to their left) is a ‘bar area’ and a door to the right of it, as he is sitting at the tale, he asks someone where the Gentleman’s toilet is. He is told to go out the door, turn right and it’s the second door on your left. He gets up and follows the directions. As he reaches the bathroom door, he sees that it’s closed. He reaches out to push it open, but it starts to open itself. As it opens, he sees a young lady dressed in what he describes as a ‘Victorian servant’. The girl stretches out her arm towards him and as she does. Prior to arrival the team member has informed several other members of the team and some of his friends and family about this dream.

Upon arrival at the location the team sits down in the Tea Room, the team realise that this room is very similar to the room that has been described in the dream, upon this realisation the dreamer asked that staff were the men’s toilet is and was given the same answer as he was in the dream and it was later confirmed that 1 of the sightings in the castle is of female in that corridor.

After this the team were taken on a tour of the castle and base line readings were gathered in the service corridor, Duchess’s bedroom, the Boudoir, red gallery, Library, dinning room. The equipment was then set up and a trigger object was set up in the Duchess’s bedroom.

The team then split in to smaller teams to begin investigating, the areas targeted were the Boudoir, the library, service corridor, drawing room, dining room and the red gallery

Conclusion

TRIGGER OBJECT: No movement was recorded.

The investigation proved to be very interesting for all the investigators present. Four of the investigators present experienced some form of activity, which is unusual. We do feel that a further investigation should be carried out particularly with more investigators present to cover the areas that we did not manage to spend time in. We also feel that the gallery rooms and the Lower Corridor warrant further investigation as well.

We would also like to thank Bill & all the staff at Brodick Castle who allowed us to spend time in such a wonderful place and for their hospitality during our investigation