Fyvie Castle

Date: About 1211 [unknown]
Location: village of Fyvie, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Surnames/tags: Meldrum Seton Drummond

Contents 1 Fyvie Castle 1.1 Family Names 1.2 Fyvie Castle Ghosts 1.2.1 The Grey Lady of Fyvie Castle 1.2.2 The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle 1.2.3 Phantom Trumpeter 1.2.4 Legend of ‘The Weeping Stones of Fyvie 1.3 Location 2 Sources

Fyvie Castle

Fyvie Castle near Turif in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, currently owned by National Trust for Scotland since 1984,is believed to have been built around the 13th Century by William the Lion. The castle served as a Royal stronghold until 1390.. There are a number of famous portraits hung in the castle, as well as displays of authentic armour and weapons. The castle is now open to the public to admire its architecture, art collection, and family history.^[1][2]

Fyvie Castle in the village of Fyvie, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Photo Credit Mike and Kirsty Grundy © Copyright and licensed for reuse under Creative Commons Licence.

Family Names

Family names to call Fyvie Castle home are; Preston, Meldrum, Seton, Gordon, and Leith respectively. Each of the families constructed a new tower onto the castle, the first of these being the Preston Tower. Dated between 1390-1433, the tower located on the far right as one faces the main facade of Fyvie, remains standing to this day. The Seton family added to the entrance to Fyvie Castle the Seton Towers in 1599, Seton's also added the great processional staircase some time after the addition of the Seton Tower. The Gordon Tower was added in 1777, and finally the Leith Tower in 1890. The descendants of Alexander Leith, who owned the castle in the late 1800′s – early 1900′s, sold the castle to the National Trust for Scotland in 1984.
^[1][2][3]

Fyvie Castle Photo Credit: Screamingbluemessiah January 29, 2010

Legends & Rumours

Fyvie Castle Ghosts

As with most old buildings, the stories of hauntings &/or a ghost or two is usual, and with Fyvie Castle that certainly is the case, with a little more mysterious goings on than most.^[1][2][3]

The Grey Lady of Fyvie Castle

The Grey Lady of Fyvie Castle Meldrum

Thought to be the ghost of Lady Meldrum who died in the 13th Century. It is believed that she requested to be buried in the walls of a secret room in the Meldrum Tower. It wasn’t until 1920 that her remains were discovered. The remains were laid to rest in the cemetery, and from that day forward, the castle has experienced several strange and unexplained occurrences. The apparition of Lady Meldrum has been seen many times around the castle.^[1][2][3]

The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle

The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle Lillias Drummond

When Lillias Drummond married Alexander Seton, Lord Fyvie and later 1st Earl of Dumferline
Fyvie Castle was already cursed by bard and seer Thomas the Rhymer, who had predicted in the thirteenth century that no male heir to Fyvie would ever be born within the castle walls, it is rumoured that Lord Seton blamed Lillias Drummond for the lack of a son and heir when he began an affair with the cousin of his wife, (and later his future wife) Grizel Leslie, it is said that Lillias , upon learning of the affair, betrayed and heartbroken retired to their home in Dalgety and wasted away of a broken heart and died shortly after; other sources state her death cause was to poisoning or starvation at the hands of Lord Seton.

Words D. LILLIAS DRUMMOND etched into the stone Photo Credit: Screamingbluemessiah Jan 29, 2010

In October, only months after Lillias died, Alexander Seton married Grizel Leslie, on their wedding night when in the matrimonial bed, they both were distracted by sad, moaning from outside their room window, and even after a search by Lord Seton & Servants, no reason could be found for the sound. The next morning there was the words D. LILLIAS DRUMMOND etched into the stone windowsill in letters three inches high and upside down, the window is over 50 feet from the ground below. The etched letters can still be seen to this day. ~ From this time onwards Fyvie Castle has been haunted by a lady in green, roaming the corridors of the castle, crying the betrayal of her husband, and leaving behind a scent of Rose petals.^[1][2][3]

Phantom Trumpeter

Andrew Lammie[4]

The sounds of a trumpet being played can be heard throughout the castle. Believed to be the ghost of Andrew Lammie, who died of a broken heart after finding out about the death of his beloved Agnes. Andrew is also said to appear dressed in rich tartan, near the castle wall. On several occasions the figure of a man has been seen, only to disappear when approached.^[1][2][4]

Legend of ‘The Weeping Stones of Fyvie

upon visiting the castle sometime ago, Thomas the Rhymer also known as True Thomas (because of his future telling abilities), told of a prophecy that goes:

The Weepstone Plaque

Fyvie, Fyvie, thou’s never thrive

As lang’s there’s in thee stanes (stones) three

There’s ane intill (one in) the oldest tower,

There’s ane intill the ladye’s bower,

There’s ane intill the water-yett (water gate)

And thir three stanes ye never get.

This message refers to three stones that were used in the construction of the Preston Tower, the Charter Room, and one stone that was rolled into the Ythan River. They were apparently taken from a sacred burial site, and until they are returned, no male heir shall live to ever inherit the castle. The stones are also said to remain wet when all around them are dry, and dry when all around them are wet. One of the stones was found in the Charter room, and can be seen today on display in the castle^[1][2]

Eerie Fact: No male heir has never survived to inherit Fyvie Castle!!

Location

Fyvie Castle in the village of Fyvie, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6}
   Wikipedia
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6}
   Website: Haunted Rooms
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3}
   Website: The Peerage
4. ↑ ^{4.0 4.1}
   Spread of Scottish Printing website