(#3) The Black Dinner Inspired The Red Wedding
Edinburgh Castle hosted the bloody Black Dinner in 1440. That year, the powerful Chancellor of Scotland invited two young aristocrats over for dinner. The Earl of Douglas was 16 and his younger brother David was only 10. Although they were young, the chancellor worried of a challenge from the Douglas clan. As a result, he orchestrated an ambush on the young boys.
During the Black Dinner, the chancellor's men dropped the head of a black bull in the middle of the table. They then seized Douglas boys and removed their heads. The bloody dinner party inspired George R.R. Martin's Red Wedding in Game of Thrones.
(#5) Edinburgh's Loch Was Full Of Human Remains
Edinburgh used to have its own loch. Resting at the bottom of the hill, Nor' Loch was essentially an open cesspit. Butchers dumped their waste into the loch and villains disposed of their victims in the murky waters. The city even tossed the remains of prisoners into the waters of Nor' Loch.
The ghosts of Mr. Sinclair and his two sisters were said to haunt the loch. In 1628, the siblings were taken into custody on charges of incest. The three were locked in a chest and thrown alive into Nor' Loch. Over two centuries later, workers uncovered a box sunk deep into the mud and found three skeletons inside.
(#4) The Wizard Of West Bow Haunts His Old House
According to legend, the Wizard of West Bow, AKA Major Thomas Weir, still haunts the city. In 1670, Weir spontaneously confessed to incest, bestiality, and the use of magic to communicate with spirits. Even though his friends tried to convince him he wasn't a witch, and a doctor declared him unstable, Weir insisted on his own guilt.
Weir received capital punishment for his deeds. After his passing, locals claimed his house was haunted. The stories included mysterious lights in the windows of Weir's home and the sound of distant music. And although the house was torn down in the 1800s, parts of Weir's haunted house were allegedly incorporated into a Quaker Meeting House. Now, according to at least one staff member at the Quaker House, Weir still haunts the area where his house once stood. Today, it's a toilet.
(#9) Edinburgh Has A Haunted Underground Street
When the plague struck Edinburgh in 1645, one unlucky street was condemned completely, leaving 300 residents abandoned in their homes. The tale of Mary King's Close has inspired many ghost stories, partly because of its eerie location today: The street is now underground. When the Royal Exchange was built in the 17th century, the Close was demolished and buried; however, the site still draws visitors.
During the plague, the Close's gates were locked, effectively quarantining its inhabitants. The abandoned Close was forgotten for centuries. Today, visitors can take a tour of the underground alley and learn of the many ghosts that are said to haunt the area. Mary King's Close has also been called Edinburgh's most haunted street.
(#13) People Were Locked Up To Perish In Plague Houses
Edinburgh survived many outbreaks of plague - even the deadly 1645 outbreak, which wiped out up to half the city's population. The city desperately tried to stop the spread of disease, issuing a quarantine for infected people. But that was just the start: On some streets, city officials took even more drastic measures.
In several areas, the city simply bricked up the homes of people suspected of carrying the plague. The victims were left inside to perish with no way of escaping. Just like the residents of Mary King's Close, the people who met their ends behind brick walls in Edinburgh have inspired their own eerie ghost stories.
(#7) King James Hunted Witches Who Still Haunt The City
Scotland hunted down as many as 200 witches during the North Berwick Witch Trials in the 1590s. And the trials were unusual for more than just their size. King James VI of Scotland was personally involved, punishing accused witches himself in Edinburgh Castle. The North Berwick event was just one of Scotland's many witch hunts - as many as 4,000 accused witches burned at the stake in Scotland.
The women detained by King James aren't the only witches who allegedly haunt Edinburgh Castle. The spirit of Janet Douglas, burned at the stake in 1537, has been spotted in the castle. And as many as 300 witches were and thrown into Nor' Loch.
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About This Tool
When people are intoxicated by the beauty and the long cultural history of Edinburgh, they may not remember that Edinburgh had a very dark history and various bloody stories in the past. This city sometimes happens weird haunted events or spooky events, but many people feel that this bloody history makes Edinburgh more attractive. Edinburgh Castle is one of the oldest fortresses in Europe, dating back to the 9th century.
Ancient cities, vicissitudes of castles, melodious bagpipes, etc., so many attractive things in the capital of Scotland, and these characteristic cultures have passed down countless rumors and legends about ghosts. From Edinburgh cemeteries to corpse trading, more about its dark history can be found with the random tool.
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