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Overview
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9780750957823 |
|---|---|
| Publisher: | The History Press |
| Publication date: | 09/01/2014 |
| Series: | Haunted |
| Sold by: | Barnes & Noble |
| Format: | eBook |
| Pages: | 96 |
| File size: | 6 MB |
| Age Range: | 18 Years |
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Haunted Kirkcaldy
By Gregor Stewart
The History Press
Copyright © 2014 Gregor StewartAll rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-0-7509-5782-3
CHAPTER 1
RAVENSCRAIG CASTLE
Ravenscraig Castle is without a doubt the hidden gem of Kirkcaldy. Positioned in an elevated position just a short distance from Kirkcaldy's town centre, many people pass it without even noticing due to a relatively modern development of flatted dwellings that was constructed between the castle and the road, blocking Ravenscraig from view from road users. As a result the castle does not achieve the same number of visitors that other local historic buildings attract, and visitors to Kirkcaldy miss out on the impressive site and architectural importance of the castle. Although now ruinous, it is the most complete castle with open public access in Kirkcaldy and the surrounding area. The castle is accessed via a path from Ravenscraig Park and, as soon as the twin keep towers joined by a curtain wall first come into view, it is easy to see how formidable the castle's defences once were. The design of these defences is very significant and gives an insight into the passion the original owner had for heavy artillery, a passion that would ironically lead to him never seeing the completed castle.
The castle was constructed for King James II of Scotland (1437–60) from plans he had prepared himself. The king was well respected as an expert in artillery and his desire was to construct a castle capable of withstanding any attack from the latest heavy guns of the time. The rocky outcrop was chosen as the site for the castle as it offered natural protection on three sides by 100ft-tall sea cliffs. The side facing the land, deemed most susceptible to attack, was heavily fortified with walls standing some 14–15ft thick and large 'D'-shaped towers designed to deflect cannonballs. This castle would be the first in Britain that was capable of withstanding artillery fire.
King James played an active role in the siege of Roxburgh Castle in the Scottish Borders, one of the few strongholds still held by the English following the Wars of Independence. Keen to utilise his knowledge of artillery, the king had brought a number of his own cannon to aid in the battle and, on 3 August 1460, just a few months after work started on the construction of Ravenscraig Castle, one of his cannon (known as 'The Lion') exploded while being fired, causing him extensive leg injuries. Despite efforts to save him, the blood loss was too heavy and the king died a short while later. The tragedy was recorded by the Scottish chronicler Robert Lindsay of Pitscottie in his book The History of Scotland: From 21st February 1436 to March 1565, and states that the king 'did stand near hand the gunners, when the artillery was discharged, his thigh bone was dung [or broken] in two with a piece of misfired gun, that brake in shooting; by which he was stricken to the ground and died hastily'.
Following his death, the king's widow, Mary of Guelders, was determined to see his vision for Ravenscraig Castle completed as a tribute to him and so she continued to fund the construction while she lived in the west tower, known as the Queen's Tower. When she died in December 1463, however, the castle remained incomplete and ownership was passed to their son, King James III, who did not seem to share the same desire to see his father's work finished. In 1470, James III passed ownership of the still-incomplete castle, along with all of its lands, to William Sinclair in exchange for the rights to the earldom of the Orkney Islands.
The Sinclair family continued the construction work at the castle, and eventually it was completed, although not entirely to the king's original design. The castle remained in the ownership of the Sinclair family and played an important role in protecting merchant ships in the Firth of Forth against pirate attacks, which were common at that time due to the Forth being home of the main docks for importing and exporting goods between Scotland and Europe.
In the 1650s, the castle suffered considerable damage at the hands of Oliver Cromwell's army as they marched north to try to take the Highlands of Scotland. After this it seems the castle was never restored and instead became a source of stones to build the cottages and houses that now stand nearby. In the late nineteenth century, the linoleum magnate Sir Michael Nairn bought the castle and its grounds and opened the entire site up as a park for the local community before gifting it to Kirkcaldy in 1929. The castle is currently owned by Historic Scotland and is open during daylight hours. Due to the low visitor numbers, the castle is not staffed and so there is very limited access within the castle building due to safety concerns.
For many years, local legend has it that a lady dressed in a long, flowing white dress has been seen wandering silently through the grounds of the castle. Given the history of the castle, this was believed for a long time to be the spirit of Mary of Guelders, still walking within the home that meant so much to both her husband and herself in life. However, an incident in the early 1980s in a hospital that sat on the ground next to the castle brought this belief into question.
The cottage hospital was built on the estate beside the castle, also by Michael Nairn, for the people of Kirkcaldy. Opened in November 1890, initially the hospital offered only ten beds, but it was later extended in 1895 and again in 1914 to create more bed space. The extensions were built in a circular manner, possibly to reflect the D-shaped towers of Ravenscraig, which gave the hospital a unique appearance. The ever-growing population continued to put pressure on the facilities and with no more land to extend the hospital, a new hospital was built elsewhere in the town and the Cottage Hospital was eventually closed and fell into a state of disrepair.
Shortly before its demolition in 1984, it is reported that a group of children were exploring the derelict building when they saw a lady, wearing a long white dress, gliding along one of the long corridors. The children fled but when they told people what they had witnessed, the similarity to the figure that had been seen in the castle grounds was noted. It is unlikely that the spirit of Mary of Guelders would walk the corridors of the hospital, a building that was constructed over 400 years after her death, and so the possible identity of this figure was once again questioned. It is known that both long-term patients and visitors to the hospital used to enjoy visiting the castle and its grounds, as they offered a peaceful place where they could relax and enjoy the fresh sea air. Is it possible then that the lady is actually a spirit attached to the hospital rather than the castle, who roams both the hospital building and also the castle, the place she escaped to for solitude?
Local paranormal research groups have carried out a number of investigations at the castle and have produced some interesting electronic voice phenomena results, indicating that there may be two spirits present in the castle. Their recordings include a male-sounding voice, telling them in no uncertain terms to leave, and also a female voice, that seems to be calling out for help, and this could be the spirit that is still witnessed wandering within the grounds.
CHAPTER 2HAUNTED HOSPITALS
The old Kirkcaldy Memorial Hospital is not the only one in the area to have tales of strange happenings. In the countryside, approximately 1.5 miles to the north of Kirkcaldy, sits an unusual cluster of buildings, comprising of a large, two-storey stone-built Victorian villa and a number of newer, single-storey brick buildings to the rear. In recent years, these buildings, all in a very poor state of repair, have attracted a lot of attention from paranormal groups who have been keen to investigate them after persistent rumours that they are haunted.
Information on the buildings is limited but, according to Historic Scotland, the Victorian building, originally known as Crosbie House, was constructed in the mid-nineteenth century and then enlarged towards the end of the same century. It was converted into a hospital in 1902, known as Kirkcaldy District Infectious Diseases Hospital, and the single-storey buildings behind it were added over the following decade to create additional wards and facilities, including a morgue. The original Victorian building was also converted before being used as accommodation for the staff that worked there.
It is not clear exactly when the hospital closed, although town records show that a proposal to construct a new Kirkcaldy Burgh Infectious Diseases Hospital was approved in 1927, and so the closure of the existing hospital would have been soon after the new one was completed. The site was later used as a school for disabled children and then a home for boys in need of care, before the original Victorian building was converted into a hotel, with the hospital ward buildings being used for storage. From some of the documentation found lying around in the property, it also appears the building was used as a care home for the elderly at some time between the boys' home closing and the building being converted into a hotel.
The hotel building has stood empty for a number of years, with the valuation roll indicating it was vacated prior to 2006. A fire a few years later has left this once-grand building in a state of partial collapse. The hospital buildings to the rear also appear to have been left to fall into a serious state of disrepair since they were closed.
I was able to visit the buildings several years ago and so, despite the lack of early documentation relating to any supposed hauntings, I built up a good picture of the location. The whole site has quite a sinister feeling, with numerous children's toys lying around both inside and outside the buildings. To add to the eerie feeling, these toys include many headless dolls with the heads found elsewhere on the site, so it would be easy to allow your imagination to run wild. It seems the teams of investigators focus on the hospital buildings to the rear rather than the Victorian villa, and a number report feeling as though they are being watched, unexplained noises and the figures of both a man and a woman seen in different parts of the complex.
Having visited, it is clear to me why the site has gained a reputation for being haunted. The hospital is known to have treated a number of unpleasant conditions, such as typhoid, which can cause considerable pain and particularly horrendous deaths. The property, therefore, has a suitably distressing past for a traditionally haunted location. The condition of the buildings and the children's toys throughout also add considerably to the atmosphere. However, when taking all things into account, I remain unconvinced that this is a truly haunted location.
The buildings were used for a number of purposes after the hospital closed yet, despite this, there seems to be no record of any reports of strange occurrences prior to the closure of the hotel and the site being abandoned. It was not until later, when the property became a magnet for local youths looking for somewhere to go at night, that the claims of ghosts began to build momentum and the paranormal investigation teams started to take an interest. I do wonder whether the initial reports of strange goings-on were actually different groups of youths trying to scare one another on this large site. That said, I remain completely open-minded regarding this location. It could be that reports grew because people were once again visiting the buildings after dark and experiencing genuine occurrences.
I have included details of the hospital in this book as, despite my own reservations, many people do believe it to be haunted and so I will continue to monitor new information that comes from this location in the hope that more conclusive evidence can be provided or that earlier records are found providing reports of earlier experiences while the buildings were in use.
I must add that the buildings on this site are in an extremely poor state of repair and under no circumstances should anyone enter the site. It is fenced off to prevent entry and there is a genuine danger of real harm throughout. The buildings can be viewed from the roadside, but please respect the privacy of those who live nearby.
CHAPTER 3THE CASTLES AND CAVES OF WEMYSS
This cluster of three small villages sharing the name of Wemyss are situated a few miles north east of Kirkcaldy. Despite their small size, they boast an impressive number of historically significant locations. The villages – West Wemyss, Coaltown of Wemyss and East Wemyss – all grew as mining communities, initially with salt mining and later coal mining. The mines were owned and operated by the Wemyss family, who had established the clan seat in the local area.
The name Wemyss is believed to be derived from the old Gaelic word for caves and was selected due to the oldest of the historically significant sites, a series of twelve prehistoric caves with many containing wall carvings dating back to the time of the Picts. As well as being used for shelter, these caves have had numerous uses including as a dovecote, storage, a spa, a court and a glass factory. The importance of the caves was recognised in 1937, when they were given the status of a Scheduled Ancient Monument under the Ancient Monuments Act 1931. More recently, in 2004, they were the subject of an episode of the Channel 4 archaeological programme, Time Team. There are two stories of hauntings related to the caves, but, as they are more directly connected to other locations in the villages, it is appropriate to explore these places before relaying the ghost stories.
As well as the caves, the Parish of Wemyss boasts three castles. One is situated in the gardens of the current Wemyss Castle and unfortunately has no recorded stories of hauntings related to it. Wemyss Castle itself sits on the coast between West and East Wemyss and Macduff's Castle sits to the north of the region. Wemyss Castle is the most impressive of them all, with the oldest part of the castle dating back to 1421, when it was built on behalf of Sir John Wemyss. Over the centuries the castle has remained the seat of the Wemyss clan, with the castle being considerably altered and extended to form the impressive stately manor house that stands today. There have been many occasions on which royalty have visited the castle, the most famous of which was probably Mary, Queen of Scots' visit in 1565 when she first met her future husband, Lord Darnley. Today the castle remains a private family home and is not open to the public; the grounds, however, are open at certain times and allow visitors to view the restored gardens. It was during a school visit to the castle and gardens in the late 1970s that I first heard the story of the ghost of Wemyss Castle, which would make it one of the earliest stories I heard and one that helped spark my interest in the paranormal.
The castle ghost is probably one of the best known in the local area, described as a tall, young woman wearing a long, flowing, green dress, known as Green Jean. Little has been discovered regarding who Green Jean may have been in life or in what way she is connected to the castle. When I first heard the story of Green Jean I was told that she appeared as a warning that the head of the clan was nearing death, yet further research indicates that this is not necessarily the case with several reported sightings not connected to the death of the clan chief. There are, however, reports that the Wemyss family do have a warning of death in the form of masonry falling from the walls of Wemyss Castle, and it is possible these two tales have become intertwined over the centuries. Green lady spirits are sometimes considered to protect families (which would make it strange to suggest the appearance of Green Jean to be a sign that the clan head is nearing the end of his life), but this can also be considered as a warning so any family affairs can be put in order, securing the future of the clan.
One of the Wemyss caves, which lies below the castle, is known as Green Jean's cave. The entrance to the cave has, however, been sealed up and sightings of the spirit are mainly reported within the castle itself. Unusually for a ghost, many people describe a feeling of calm along with an inability to speak while in her presence, which is frequently announced by the sound of her dress 'swishing' as she glides.
A reported sighting of Green Jean is noted in the autobiography My Memories and Miscellanies by the Countess of Munster, Wilhelmina FitzClarence (née Kennedy-Erskine), published in 1904. Wilhelmina, born 1830, was the third child of the Honourable John Kennedy-Erskine and Lady Augusta FitzClarence, an illegitimate daughter of the Duke of Clarence (who later became King William IV). In 1855 she married William George FitzClarence, the second Earl of Munster. This was a double wedding with her sister, Millicent, marrying James Hay Erskine Wemyss on the same day, and it was through her sister that the encounter with Green Jean was relayed.
(Continues...)
Excerpted from Haunted Kirkcaldy by Gregor Stewart. Copyright © 2014 Gregor Stewart. Excerpted by permission of The History Press.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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Table of Contents
Contents
Title,Acknowledgements,
Introduction,
one Ravenscraig Castle,
two Haunted Hospitals,
three The Castles and Caves of Wemyss,
four Haunted Homes,
five The Town Centre, Pubs and Hotels,
six Balwearie Castle,
seven Testimony of the Dead,
eight Death of a King,
nine Pistols at Dawn,
ten Further Afield,
A Note on the Text,
Bibliography,
About the Author,
Copyright,