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Argyll and Bute Ghosts, Folklore and Forteana

Donald Campbell

Location: Inverawe - Inverawe House
Type: Post-Mortem Manifestation
Date / Time: 1756
Further Comments: Donald Campbell appeared to his brother Duncan three times after being murdered, begging that Duncan hand over his killer; Duncan had inadvertently promised that the killer be hidden, not realising the murderer had struck at his brother. Unwilling to break his word, not even to the ghost of his brother, Duncan helped the killer escape - and as punishment his ghostly sibling told Duncan where he would die. The building is currently haunted by Duncan (the ghostly Donald moved to Barcaldine) and by Mary Cameron, the sole survivor of a 1660s outbreak of plague at the house. One nineteenth century account says the house was also home to a Glaistig who would rearrange furniture and could be heard rustling as she moved through the house.


An old postcard showing Iona Abbey.

Time Slip

Location: Iona, Isle of Mull - Abbey
Type: Environmental Manifestation
Date / Time: 1940s?
Further Comments: A clergyman visiting the island reported seeing the abbey in its former glory - he almost drowned when approaching the building, believing that he was walking on a causeway that no longer existed. Friends managed to save him. There are also stories that say Viking longboats sometimes appear off the coast, depositing phantom raiders who go on to attack the abbey, while people still report hearing singing coming from the empty abbey. At least one guest reported seeing a transparent, motionless, cowled figure standing by their bed.

The Call

Location: Iona, Isle of Mull - General area
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A strange spell is occasionally cast upon mortals by the fairy folk that causes them to believe they must leave the island, be it by land, sea or death.

Saint Odran

Location: Iona, Isle of Mull - Monastery
Type: Legend
Date / Time: AD 563
Further Comments: The construction of the monastery on the island was constantly halted by the Devil. Saint Columba had a vision that revealed the only way to ensure to the building work could go ahead was to offer a living sacrifice. Odran volunteered and was buried alive under the monastery foundations. Three days after being covered, Columba removed the earth that covered Odran and found him still alive. Odran said 'there is no wonder in death and Hell is not what it is reported to be'. Columba reburied the man, commanding the earth to fill Odran's mouth.

Marie Emily Fornario

Location: Iona, Isle of Mull - Reilig Odhrain
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: 1930s onwards
Further Comments: Ghost lights are seen hovering around the grave of Marie, and her sad figure has been reported moving around moorland in the region.

Milk Hole

Location: Iona, Isle of Mull - Rocks on the common land
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: A Glaistig that lived in the rocks would have fresh milk left out nightly for her. The entity also lay the curse that no woman by the name of Livingstone could kindle a fire at dinner time, after the Glaistig's clothing was damaged by a fire set by a woman named Livingstone.

Fairy Music

Location: Iona, Isle of Mull - Sithean Mor - Fairy Mound
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: From this grassy knoll sweet music has been heard by both locals and visitors to the area.

Burning Dog

Location: Islay - Bothy on Beinn na Caillich
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: While visiting the island with his hunting dog, Macphie came across a mountainside bothy and decided to rest. A dark entity appeared in the doorway and the dog attacked it. Macphie noticed his dog's fur was smouldering, so fled back to his boat. The dog followed but had changing - the creature was now mad and breathed green flame. Macphie killed the dog with two sixpences fired from a shotgun.


An old woodcut of a winged dragon.

Goraidh Crobhan

Location: Islay - Dragon den close to Ballygrant
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Crobhan killed the dragon that had levelled most of the island by having the beast chase him while he travelled with three horses. The hero ensured that the dragon ate the three horses during the pursuit, resulting in the dragon slowing down and tiring. Still being chased, Crobhan leapt across a series of barrels in which he had earlier hammered iron stakes - the dragon failed the jump, impaling itself on the stakes, ensuring Crobhan had an easy kill.

Drunken Burglar

Location: Islay - Whiskey distillery
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: This building is haunted by a criminal who broke in, drunk far too much of the local brew (this author's favourite single malt), and managed to fall to his death while trying to break back out.

Sweeping

Location: Isle of Bute - Farmhouse, exact location forgotten
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: 1944
Further Comments: A naval officer's family of who stayed at this farmhouse experienced several spooky occurrences, including the sound of sweeping in the early hours of the morning, the manifestation of a woman with her hair tied into a bun, and door handles which turned unaided. One story said that the haunting started after a young husband living here was killed in Rothesay over gambling debts.

White Haired Woman

Location: Isle of Coll - Old Breacacha Castle
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: The Glaistig which lived in the castle would help make ready the property for visitors, although had a reputation for mistreating strangers on the site. Visitors who left their rooms at night would be unable to find their way back to bed.

Brownie

Location: Isle of Insh - General area
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A brownie took a liking to the MacDougalls and, in return for a small amount of warm milk which is left for him in a hollow in a cave, would keep an eye on the cattle which grazed on the island. If his gift were neglected, a cow would be found stranded (or dead) on one of the rocky outcrops.

Black Cat

Location: Isle of Mull - Area around Loch na Keal
Type: ABC
Date / Time: 1978 and continuing for rest of twentieth century
Further Comments: The first alien big cat was reported close to Loch na Keal, where it would remain (fleetingly spotted) over the next twenty years.

Ewen of the Small Head

Location: Isle of Mull - Duart Castle
Type: Crisis Manifestation
Date / Time: Prior to a death in the MacLean family
Further Comments: This decapitated figure on horseback is seen as a member of the family who killed him lies dying.


A witch summoning a storm, from The Devil in Britain and America, 1896.

Doideag

Location: Isle of Mull - Exact location not known
Type: Legend
Date / Time: Circa 1588
Further Comments: Doideag, witch of Mull, is said to have summoned the storms which destroyed the Spanish Armada.


An old illustration showing the Island of Mull.

How do they Smell?

Location: Isle of Mull - General area
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The little people on this island are renowned for only having one nostril.

Terror of Mull

Location: Isle of Mull - General area
Type: Dragon
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A fearsome dragon terrorised the island until a hero appeared and killed the beast with the inventive use of barrels with big spikes attached to them. This story and the dragon tale told of Islay are strikingly similar.

Glaistig

Location: Isle of Mull - Ross of Mull
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Pre twentieth century
Further Comments: The Glaistig that haunted this area became quite active. The entity would hound a fisherman by asking for spare fish, taunt a farmer by claiming a cow had escaped, and take the form of a white horse to cause other mischief.


An old woodcut of a tall sea monster.

Snakelike Beast

Location: Isle of Mull - Sea east of the island, and other nearby areas
Type: Cryptozoology
Date / Time: Circa 1808, and 1873
Further Comments: This creature, when first observed, possessed no fins, and was estimated to be twenty five metres in length. When seen again almost sixty years later, its speed was estimated to be around 15 kph, and was seen by several independent parties.

Fairy Hill

Location: Isle of Mull - Small hill near Duart Castle
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: It was said that if any milk was spilt close to the hill, the fairies reap the benefit.

The Bald Girl has Slept

Location: Isle of Ulva - Ardnacallich (a home of the Macquaries)
Type: Haunting Manifestation
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: The Glaistig of this island could be heard crying out 'The bald girl has slept! The bald girl has slept!'.

Elfin Hound

Location: Kennavarra, Tiree - General area
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Weather Dependent: Stormy nights
Further Comments: A large black fairy hound would walk the sandbanks during storms, the creature's howl carrying in the wind. The same area was also home to bean-nighe, who could be heard scrubbing the clothing of those soon to die.

Paws the Size of Hands

Location: Kennavarra, Tiree - Grassy sandy area close to a hill
Type: Shuck
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: A man walking along the links changed direction after spotting a huge dog asleep on a sand dune. Returning to the place the following day, the man found the dog's pawprints in the sand, each the size of his hand.

Fairy Music

Location: Kennavarra, Tiree - Kennavarra Hill
Type: Fairy
Date / Time: Unknown
Further Comments: Two children, a sister and brother, were hunting for birds in the snow. Music that emerged from deep underground terrified the pair; they ran home, the girl losing her shoes in her haste to escape.

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