Product Description
Synopsis
This book covers many ghost stories in all their manifestations: Green, White, Grey, Pink, Black, Brown and Blue Ladies; portents of death; gruagach and brownies; evil lairds who dabbled in witchcraft; massacres and bloodstains; dog, monkeys and even maybe a lion; sad stories of children; and insubstantial phantoms, including a ghostly cannonball. There is a separate section on Mary, Queen of Scots, and stories about William Wallace, Bonnie Prince Charlie and Walter Scott. The book is arranged thematically, comparing and contrasting the many accounts, and where possible describing who the ghost was in life, what dark deed caused their death, and how the ghost manifests itself. Many of Scotland's most famous and impressive strongholds have stories, such as Edinburgh, Stirling, Holyroodhouse, Dunnottar, Crathes, Culzean, Dunrobin, Thirlestane, Drumlanrig, Fyvie, St Andrews. There are stories from all over Scotland - from Shetland to Galloway, from the Western Isles to Eyemouth, covering more than 300 strongholds, historic houses and mansions. The book also has many illustrations. Dozens of these sites are open to the public as visitor attractions or hotels. A handy section lists which can be visited or stayed at, and there is visitor information, including websites and phone numbers. A map, with grid references, locates all the sites. Martin Coventry was born in Edinburgh, and is a writer and publisher. He is author of many books on Scotland, and first published The Castles of Scotland, now going into a fourth edition, in 1995. He has been researching Scottish castles and the many related ghost stories for more than fifteen years.
