Glamis Castle also served as a home to royalty
IAN STALKER
A wordsmith whose name results in worldwide instant recognition has helped boost both the profile of and visitations to a prominent Scottish structure.
Glamis Castle — 15 miles from the city of Dundee — helped inspire the William Shakespeare classic Macbeth and that in turn has done its share to help a structure that has long served as home for nobility and royalty continue to attract visitors.
“It’s still a very famous play, luckily enough,” one guide says of the ties between Glamis Castle and Macbeth, which has become a household name in English literature.
The castle was visited by participants on a recent Visit Scotland fam, who were given a guided tour of the storied structure.
“It is a good way to combine history and literature and I gained a better insight into Macbeth,” says Katharina Wiig of Norwegian tour operator Unike Reisen.
But the imposing castle — much of it open to the public for tours — has plenty of other impressive connections, with it having been an ancestral seat to English earls since the 14th century.
On a more recent note, it served as the childhood home of the Queen Mother, with her daughter Margaret having been born in it and in doing so becoming the first princess to be born in Scotland in over 300 years.
Others who spent time in it included Mary, Queen of Scots, who like castle resident Janet Douglas came to an unfortunate end, with Mary being being beheaded, while Douglas was accused of witchcraft and put to death as well.
Glamis Castle today can be booked for lunches and dinners of up to 70 people and weddings of up to 40 people, and summertime and springtime visitors are invited to explore its large gardens.
The Glamis Kitchen Restaurant offers morning coffee, lunch and afternoon tea.
Luxury accommodation is available on the Glamis Castle Estate, with self-catering accommodation available for up to 13 guests.
Another castle feature open to the public is the chapel, in which some have reported seeing an apparition they believed was the ghost of Douglas and which contains a chair that some suggest was damaged by her vengeful spirit.
Many scoff at the idea of ghosts existing in this day and age but Glamis Castle employees say there have been credible sightings of different ghosts within the castle over the years.
“I’ve spoken to some perfectly rational, intelligent people who say they have seen them,” the guide reports.
Wiig admits she is fascinated by “mysterious, eerie sights and sounds that cannot be explained” and says potential castle visitors shouldn’t be dissuaded from entering it because it may be home to ghosts.
“Believing that the spirits of the dead are looming around is thrilling,” she adds.
Those wanting further information can access glamis-castle.co.uk.
