Dornoch Castle, located at Castle Street, Dornoch IV25 3SD, is a historic structure with roots dating back to the early 13th century. Originally built as the Bishop’s Palace for the Bishops of Caithness, the castle has undergone numerous transformations throughout its long history. The oldest surviving parts of the current building are believed to date from the late 15th century.
In 1557, Bishop Robert Stewart gifted the palace to John Gordon, the 11th Earl of Sutherland. The castle suffered damage in 1570 during a feud between the McKays and Murrays, leading to significant rebuilding efforts. Over the centuries, Dornoch Castle served various purposes, including as a school, jail, and courthouse. In 1947, it was converted into a hotel, a function it continues to serve today as the Dornoch Castle Hotel.
Paranormal activity at Dornoch Castle has been reported for many years, with several distinct phenomena documented by staff, guests, and paranormal investigators. The most well-known ghostly resident is said to be Andrew McCornish, a sheep thief who was imprisoned and executed at the castle in the late 19th century.
According to local lore, Andrew’s ghost was first encountered by Marion Mackenzie, the daughter of the Sheriff Substitute of Sutherland. She reported seeing a grey-haired man with a “weird face,” wearing thick grey stockings and knee-breeches, sitting in her father’s study. The apparition vanished when she sought help from her family. Later that night, the same ghostly figure appeared by the bed of Marion’s uncle, the minister of Avoch, who was staying at the castle. When the uncle threatened to call for the sheriff, the ghost promptly disappeared.
Guests staying at the hotel have reported various unexplained occurrences. Some have felt an unseen presence watching them as they sleep, while others have experienced sudden temperature drops in certain rooms. The sensation of being touched or having someone sit on the edge of the bed when no one is visibly present has also been reported.
In the castle’s corridors, staff and visitors have described hearing footsteps when no one else is around, and some have claimed to see fleeting shadows or mists that quickly dissipate. The sound of doors opening and closing on their own is another common occurrence.
One particularly active area is said to be the old jail cells, now part of the hotel’s lower levels. Visitors to this area have reported feeling uneasy and experiencing a sense of oppression, possibly related to the building’s history as a place of incarceration.
In the hotel’s restaurant and bar areas, glasses and bottles have been known to move on their own, and staff have reported hearing their names called when working alone. Some guests have even claimed to capture orbs or strange mists in photographs taken within the castle.
The castle’s grounds are not exempt from paranormal activity. There have been reports of a ghostly figure seen walking the perimeter of the building late at night, believed by some to be a former guard still patrolling the premises.
Despite attempts to exorcise the castle in 1922 when it passed into private hands, paranormal experiences continue to be reported. The current owners of the Dornoch Castle Hotel have embraced the building’s haunted reputation, offering ghost tours and paranormal-themed events for interested guests.
