Tuesday, October 18, 2011

OooooOH! Ghosty Linlithgow

So, I get regular emails from Historic Scotland about various events going on - a majority of them seem to be about Stirling & Edinburgh castles lately. But I got one for a ghost tour at Linlithgow Palace, which is between Glasgow and Edinburgh (an a little north of both). I went here last November in with my archaeology class last year. So...I told Rachel about it, and she, and her sister Alice and their brother James all came along! They had a tour at 7:30 and one at 9:15. I was inclined to go to the earlier tour, but it was sold out. So, even though I had to work the next morning, I threw caution to the winds and we all went via train to Linlithgow.

They had actors dressed as historical ghosts from the history of the palace. Our tour guide was a fellow from the 1770s who was a sort-of caretaker for the palace after it was burned during the lively events of the '45.
The entrance gates at night...

Alice, Rachel & James.


our ghostly tour-guide.



I was very pleased with the tour - it really did tell a lot about the history. And during the tour ghosty things would run happen in the vicinity, or ghosties would run through the group shrieking and such. This was actually a re-enactment of a witch trial and burning. The witch's name was Agnes (I kept wanting them to call her Agnes Nutter!)

It was raining. I believe this is in the great hall.


I wasn't able to snap pictures of all the "ghosts" but I got this fellow because he held still for a moment. Plus it made me think of a line from the old 20's song "Haunted House": "The gory stain where the duke was slain..."




This was at the train station. I always get a warm glow when I see the Gaelic name underneath the English one. 

6 comments:

  1. Gaelic! This looks like so much fun! I'm so glad you got to go!! Agnes Nutter indeed!!

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  2. Excuse me I do not appreciate being called Nutter, be careful or I shall have to curse you :P haha but all joking aside, I played Agnes Bishop the night you visited :) I have to say...that is not my most flattering picture but then again, I guess its not meant to be :P lol it was my first time doing a ghost walk so I hope I managed it to the audiences approval!

    I hope you enjoyed the tour as much as we enjoyed scaring you! (which I hope we did...) The event is running again in October with more tour times (apparently) so please feel free to come again. The ghosts will be waiting.... *insert dramatic sound effect here*

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    1. I don't know if you'll see this, but we *did* enjoy the tour - very much! Hopefully will be back again this year. The Agnes Nutter is a reference to one of my favourite books, "Good Omens" by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchet - do you know it?

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    2. That's great! I'm glad you enjoyed it! :) And no I haven't heard of it but I shall keep my eyes peeled now I know where the reference comes from!

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    3. Came to the ghost tour again, 'Agnes'. I have a new post about it, if you'd care to have a look!

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