Dunstaffnage Castle, Scotland

Dunstaffnage Castle may be found 5 miles north of Oban on the west coast of Scotland. It was built in the 13th century and stands on a rocky promontory guarding the entrance to Loch Etive. It was once the capital the capital of Dalriada, the original Kingdom of the Scots and it was to here that the 'Stone of Scone' or the 'Stone of Destiny' as it is also known was brought over via Iona from Ireland.

In the middle of the ninth century, with the impending threat of Norsemen attacking from the west, the seat of power was moved to Scone, near Perth. The Stone was used at the coronations of subsequent Scottish kings until it was taken by Edward I to Westminster Abbey in 1296. The Stone was returned to Scotland on Saint Andrews' Day, 30 November 1996 and can now be seen in Edinburgh Castle.

From the year 1308, the castle became a stronghold of the Campbell family after they had captured it from the MacDougals of Lorn. It was eventually destroyed by great fire in the year 1810.

One of the ghost is said to haunt this all castle is said to be a heavy footed Lady known as the 'Ell-Maid of Dunstaffnage'. She generally appears dressed in green and her appearances, which are almost always associated with our lot of paranormal activity, said to herald either tidings of joy or sadness. However it is not known exactly who the lady was in real life.

Flora Macdonald who was Bonnie Prince Charlie's rescuer after his disastrous defeat at the Battle of Culloden was imprisoned in the castle for a time in the year 1746 and people claim to have seen her ghost here also.

Scottish Haunted Castles