Glamis Castle is located in Angus, Scotland, close to Dundee. It sits on 14,000 acres of land. Most of the castle is open to visitors.
Glamis Castle has the reputation for being one of the most haunted houses in the United Kingdom. There are countless stories about ghosts, strange sounds, and ghostly events.
The official history of Glamis Castle dates back to 1372 when King Robert II of Scotland gave the castle as a gift to Sir John Lyon, Earl of Strathmore. However, in the 11th century, King Malcolm II was murdered in the woods nearby. Shakespeare set Macbeth in Glamis Castle based on this story.
The only remaining part of the castle from 1372 is the centre tower; it was extensively restored in the 17th and 18th centuries.
Glamis Castle is rumoured to be haunted due to a curse put on the first Sir John Lyon because he removed a chalice from somewhere he wasn't supposed to. There have been some tragedies that might produce ghosts. The most famous of the ghosts is the "grey lady"; she is supposedly Lady Janet Douglas (Lady Glamis) who James V had burned at the stake as a witch. There is also rumoured to be a secret room inhabited by the Devil. People report strange noises, seeing faces looking in at them from 2nd story windows, and seeing a lady praying in the chapel.
Glamis Castle is most famous in the 21st century as being the childhood home of the Queen Mother, mother of Queen Elizabeth II. Glamis was her childhood home. She was born Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon; at the time of her birth Glamis Castle was owned by her grandfather, the 13th Earl of Glamis. During World War I the castle was converted into a convalescent home for soldiers, Elizabeth helped to care for the soldiers and to help lift their morale. Elizabeth went on to marry the 2nd in line to the British throne, George. George became king after the abdication of his brother. In 1930, Elizabeth gave birth to her second daughter, Margaret, at Glamis. Margaret's tortured life may add some credence to the rumours of a curse. Elizabeth was one of the most loved members of the royal family, and after the premature death of her husband in 1952 she watched her first born daughter being crowned Queen.
Glamis Castle continues to fascinate people with its tales of ghosts. Visit if you dare!
