Tulloch Castle, located in Dingwall, Scotland, has a rich and storied history dating back to the 12th century. While parts of the original structure remain, including the south-west corner and tower, the castle has undergone numerous renovations and expansions over the centuries. The castle was officially named Tulloch Castle in 1507 and has changed hands several times since then.
The Bayne family owned and resided in the castle from 1513 until 1752, when it was sold to Henry Davidson. The Davidson family maintained ownership until the early 1900s. During World War II, Tulloch Castle served as a hospital following the evacuation of Dunkirk. In 1947, it was leased to the Education Authority and used as a girls’ hostel. The castle was eventually converted into a hotel in 1996 by the Macaulay family and continues to operate as such today.
Throughout its long history, Tulloch Castle has been the site of numerous reported paranormal phenomena. The most famous ghost associated with the castle is the Green Lady, believed to be the spirit of Elizabeth Davidson. According to legend, Elizabeth tragically fell to her death on the stone staircase after catching her father, Duncan Davidson, in a compromising position with a maid.
Guests and staff have reported sightings of the Green Lady throughout the castle, particularly near the spiral staircase where she is said to have died. In 2012, a teenage boy captured a photograph of what appears to be a ghostly hand gripping the staircase railing, with a misty figure in the background. Elizabeth’s portrait hangs in the Great Hall, where visitors claim her eyes follow them around the room.
Another frequently encountered spirit is that of a pacing maid, who mutters to herself and wrings her hands in distress. Some speculate that she may be the maid caught with Duncan Davidson, but her identity remains unknown.
Two teenage girls’ ghosts have also been reported, believed to be the spirits of nuns buried alive in the castle’s dungeon. These apparitions are less friendly than the Green Lady, with guests claiming to have awoken feeling the girls pressing down on their chests, making it difficult to breathe.
Room 8 is considered the most haunted room in the castle, with numerous guests reporting paranormal experiences. One man claimed to have been awakened by two young girls sitting on his chest, attempting to restrict his breathing. Another guest reported knocking on the window, despite the room being three stories high, and the sensation of an invisible entity resting on the bed.
Other reported paranormal activity includes unexplained cold spots, balls of light, and eerie noises such as bangs and thuds. Psychics and paranormal investigators who have visited the castle claim to have sensed a multitude of spirits and residual energy from the castle’s long and often tumultuous history.
Despite its haunted reputation, Tulloch Castle remains a popular destination for those seeking a unique and potentially supernatural experience. The hotel staff embrace the castle’s ghostly history, offering ghost tours and naming the bar after the infamous Green Lady.
