6 Creepy Stories From Edinburgh to Freak You Out

The ghosts of Edinburgh Castle, looming over the city from the top of The Royal Mile, have countless stories to tell from within its cold grey granite walls. The faint, haunting melody of a young piper who vanished centuries ago can still be heard today.

In addition to the piper, venture down to the dungeons to hear tales of a headless drummer boy and French prisoners captured during the Seven Years’ War, often sighted around the castle. Other spooky goings-on include misty figures, things pulling at your clothes, and sudden drops in temperature. Are these merely coincidences, or signs of the paranormal? You can try to find out by staying in one of the hotels near the castle. 

If you hear a dog’s bark in Edinburgh’s Old Town with no dog in sight, it could be Greyfriars Bobby, the phantom dog. Known citywide, this faithful hound guarded his master’s grave for 14 years until his death in 1872, and was buried in Greyfriars Kirkland, near to his owner. People still hear his little bark near to his grave.

A small statue of Greyfriars Bobby stands on the corner of Candlemaker Row. Some people claim it's good luck to rub Bobby’s nose, but others say it's just a tall tale created by tour guides in the city. Regardless, this tale of canine loyalty is so famous it was even turned into a Disney movie back in the 1960s.

King James VI was so concerned about witchcraft, he created a frenzy throughout Edinburgh in the 17th century. Old women suffering from mental illnesses and even females with knowledge of science were labelled as witches and senselessly murdered.

Many of these women, reports claim between 300 and 500, were dragged to a market place on the Royal Mile and burned alive. This terrible period in British history thankfully stopped hundreds of years ago, but you can still visit the spot that was regularly used to burn the poor ladies.

Beneath Edinburgh’s Old City, you can delve into the chilling horrors of the underground vaults. This collection of underground passageways once housed the very poorest people, as well as vagrants, thieves and other undesirables. With very little ventilation, these dark, dank tunnels were very unpleasant.

You can still visit parts of this underground labyrinth at the base of the Royal Mile. Fans of ghost stories will enjoy visiting Abandoned Annie, the ghost of a little girl who is said to grab your hand in the darkness. There is now a makeshift alter to little Annie, with thousands of dolls, toys and money left by visitors. The council collects the money every year and donates it to help sick children.

Greyfriars Kirkyard is believed to be the most haunted graveyard in Scotland. It’s the resting place of several infamous characters, but the most gruesome story is that of Bloody MacKenzie, an olden-day super villain. This wealthy lord was tasked with punishing hundreds of prisoners who refused to change their religion and is said to have caused thousands of deaths.

Locals believe Bloody MacKenzie’s ghost haunts the graveyard after his tomb was disturbed by a homeless man. Upon touching the tomb, the floor opened up beneath him, dropping him into a shallow grave containing plague victims. Since then, numerous eerie incidents have occurred nearby and many claim that MacKenzie’s poltergeist continues his evil deeds in death as he did in life.

The gruesome tale of 'earmarked' thieves in the Old Market Square is a good lesson for would-be thieves. Anyone caught stealing repeatedly from the Old Market in Edinburgh would be taken to the stocks and have their ear nailed to the wood. The thief would be forced to rip their own ear off the nail, which would be a lifelong sign that they cannot be trusted.

It’s been said that this ancient punishment, known as 'cropping', is where the term 'earmarked' comes from. We’re quite sure it wouldn’t look pretty. To learn more of Edinburgh’s gruesome tales, take a guided walking tour around the Royal Mile and reserve your stay in Old Town to round off the experience.