Come and revel in the surrounds of the 800-year-old Fyvie Castle, in the heart of Aberdeenshire. Spread across five towers is one of the finest collections in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, originally put together by a local man, Alexander Forbes-Leith. He made his fortune in the American steel industry. With near infinite means he amassed a stunning collection of art including works by Gainsborough, Romney, Lawrence, Greuze, Vigée Le Brun, Millais, Batoni ... and 13 Raeburn portraits!
Everywhere you look in Fyvie Castle you’re met with fascinating collections of arms and armour, elaborate furniture, delicate porcelains and impressive tapestries. But Fyvie’s charms also spread into the otherworldly; for Fyvie is ‘blessed’ with two curses and a resident ghost.
One curse pertains to a sealed medieval dungeon – if an intruder entered, they would be killed and their wife would be blinded. The ‘Curse of the Weeping Stones’ is supposed to explain the death of every eldest son in the castle’s families over the past 600 years – perhaps the reason why the castle has changed hands so often? Until the three stones are discovered and removed, the curse is said to hold. The whereabouts of only one is known: it’s on display in the Charter Room.
And like every good Scottish castle, Fyvie is home to a ghost: that of Lilias Drummond, the Green Lady. It’s thought that she was so upset by her former husband re-marrying very quickly after her death that she left a permanent reminder of her presence on their wedding night. On the tour you can view the window ledge she carved her name into, as well as the lonely room where she was allegedly starved to death.
Entry to the castle is by guided tour. Guided tours take place every hour when the castle’s open, starting at 11am. There’s a children’s quiz available.