Glamis Castle is one of the most mysterious castles of Scotland wrapped in mystic tales about ghosts and spirits. This remarkable and splendid palace is located about five miles south from the town of Forfar in Angus County, Scotland. Glamis Castle and Hermitage Castle are the two most popular haunted castles in Scotland. Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother spent most of her childhood behind the walls of Glamis Castle and gave birth to Princess Margaret here as well.

The history of Glamis Castle begins in 14th century. Glamis is an ancestral estate of the Bowes-Lyon family. The property has been granted to the family by Robert the Bruce in 1372. It is still owned by the Bowes-Lyon family, currently holding the title of Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

The Scottish King Robert II officially proclaimed Sir John Lyon the Thane of Glamis in 1372 and gave him the castle which was used as a royal hunting lodge before that.

The main fortification of the Glamis Castle was built around 14th century and many considerable and smaller towers were added in the following years. It was originally L-shaped and the rooms were organized on five floors.   

As already mentioned, the Glamis Castle is connected to quite a few ghost stories. One of the popular ones is about Earl Beardie, 4th Earl of Crawford who was playing cards with the Devil himself in one of the rooms. Another legend says Shakespeare visited the castle and described it in his famous play – the tragedy Macbeth. There is a truly horrifying story about the brutal murder of Malcolm II of Scotland killed by rebels in 1034. According to the legend the blood of the king soaked into the wooden floor and formed a blood stain visible to this day. It is believed that the ghost of the king still visits this room.

Glamis Castle is open to the public and some of the halls can be rented for private parties and events. The visitors can enjoy the beautiful living room, the eerie dungeon, the breathtaking ballroom used for functions, the private chapel and the room used by Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother. There are gorgeous Italian-style gardens in the park arranged around the castle with statues of some of the kings who had a major role in the country’s history.

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