Ashintully Castle
Encyclopedia
Ashintully Castle, located near Kirkmichael, north of Blairgowrie
, in the county of Perthshire
Scotland
, was built in 1583 as a fortified tower house by the Spalding
family; the Feudal Barons of Ashintully. The Spalding Barons were chiefs of the Spalding Clan and followers of the Duke of Atholl, the Chief of the Murray Clan. The Spaldings of Ashintully and their cadet branches were Jacobites
, or followers of the House of Stuart
. The castle is reached from the B950 road to the Northeast of Kirkmichael
.
The castle is reputed to have numerous ghosts, one of whom being a figure dressed in green known as 'Green Jean', who is thought to be the spirit of a young woman murdered by her uncle. It is said that her footsteps can still be heard as she walks the castle in sadness. In some tales she was murdered in a green dress, and then stuffed unceremoniously up the chimney by a servant. She is also said to wander the family burial ground. Green Ladies are common ghosts in Scottish castles, with a surprising number of them called Jean or Jeanie, suggesting a supplanted tradition.
The castle is also thought to be haunted by the ghost
of a tinker
, hanged for trespassing by one of the Spalding Barons. He cursed the family, warning that the family line would soon come to an end, the prophecy being fulfilled a short time after his death. He is said to haunt the spot near where he was hanged, by an avenue of tall trees.
The Spalding family must have had something of a reputation for cruelty, as the other ghost said to haunt the grounds is that of a misshapen servant, murdered by another member of the family. He is known as 'Crooked Davie' on the account of his hunched back.
The castle also has a Ley tunnel
legend, a tradition often found associated with ancient residences. This tunnel was said to link up with the now ruined Whitefield Castle.
Blairgowrie and Rattray
Blairgowrie and Rattray and Raitear is possibly from an English language cognate of Gaelic ràth, meaning fortress + a Pictish term cognate with Welsh tref, meaning settlement) is a twin burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. Amongst locals, the town is colloquially known simply as "Blair"...
, in the county of Perthshire
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, was built in 1583 as a fortified tower house by the Spalding
Clan Spalding
Clan Spalding is a Highland Scottish clan and sept of Clan Murray. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms so the clan is considered an Armigerous clan. The Spalding family lived in Perthshire, Scotland, for several hundred years before 1745, and dispersed to...
family; the Feudal Barons of Ashintully. The Spalding Barons were chiefs of the Spalding Clan and followers of the Duke of Atholl, the Chief of the Murray Clan. The Spaldings of Ashintully and their cadet branches were Jacobites
Jacobitism
Jacobitism was the political movement in Britain dedicated to the restoration of the Stuart kings to the thrones of England, Scotland, later the Kingdom of Great Britain, and the Kingdom of Ireland...
, or followers of the House of Stuart
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
. The castle is reached from the B950 road to the Northeast of Kirkmichael
Kirkmichael, Perth and Kinross
Kirkmichael is a village located in Strathardle, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is midway between the towns of Blairgowrie and Pitlochry.The name Kirkmichael means "The church of St. Michael", and the village dates back to the first millennium....
.
The castle is reputed to have numerous ghosts, one of whom being a figure dressed in green known as 'Green Jean', who is thought to be the spirit of a young woman murdered by her uncle. It is said that her footsteps can still be heard as she walks the castle in sadness. In some tales she was murdered in a green dress, and then stuffed unceremoniously up the chimney by a servant. She is also said to wander the family burial ground. Green Ladies are common ghosts in Scottish castles, with a surprising number of them called Jean or Jeanie, suggesting a supplanted tradition.
The castle is also thought to be haunted by the ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
of a tinker
Tinker
A tinker was originally an itinerant tinsmith, who mended household utensils. The term "tinker" became used in British society to refer to marginalized persons...
, hanged for trespassing by one of the Spalding Barons. He cursed the family, warning that the family line would soon come to an end, the prophecy being fulfilled a short time after his death. He is said to haunt the spot near where he was hanged, by an avenue of tall trees.
The Spalding family must have had something of a reputation for cruelty, as the other ghost said to haunt the grounds is that of a misshapen servant, murdered by another member of the family. He is known as 'Crooked Davie' on the account of his hunched back.
The castle also has a Ley tunnel
Ley tunnel
Ley tunnels are a common element of the local folklore tradition in the United Kingdom and they also occur in Europe. In Norwegian a ley tunnel-like passage is called a "lønngang" and in Swedish a "lönngång"...
legend, a tradition often found associated with ancient residences. This tunnel was said to link up with the now ruined Whitefield Castle.
External links
- A Guide to Perthshire's Mysterious Sites: Ashintully Castle
- Street Map of Ashintully Castle
- Spaldings of Ashintully, Perthshire
- Spaldings of Ashintully, Ghost Legend: Phantom, Tinker & Hunchback
- Satellite View of Ashintully Castle
- The Spaldings of Ashintully, Perthshire, Scotland
- MyClan.com: Armigerous Clan Spalding
- http://www.spaldinggenealogy.com/