Doune Castle which appears in the outlander series as the mckenzie clans castle and feature in the pilot series for the game of thrones. It also features in the films the Monty python and The Holy Grail.
On arrival it appears very grand and admittly we wasn’t disappointed when we got inside. It is simply beautiful and properly one of the most enchanting castles I have visited to this day.
Some History
Built during the 13th century and was occuptied by the Jacobite Rising of 1745, by Charles Edward Stuart, “Bonnie Prince Charlie”, and his Jacobite Highlanders. It was used as a prison for government troops captured at the Battle of Falkirk. Several prisoners, held in the rooms above the kitchen, escaped by knotting together bed sheets and climbing from the window.
Roman artefacts have been found on the site of Doune Castle, and the very name ‘Doune’ is derived from ‘dun’, meaning ‘stronghold’
Hauntings
It is rumoured that the ghost of Mary Queen of Scots has been spotted here and lights from the windows. One of the bedchambers is traditionally known as ‘The Mary Queen of Scots Bedchamber’, there is no written record that she stayed here, although her son, James VI, certainly did.
Very interesting in 1973 my best friend moved away from Blairgowrie where we had grown up together as his mum and dad were to be the caretakers of Doune castle I went to stay with them for the Xmas holidays and new year we slept in a bedroom of the cottage that faced the castle and one cold frosty night we both wakened up to see a. White orb at the bedroom window thinking it was a reflection of the moon we got up to see. No moon was shining and the orb appeared to be now at the castle my friends mum and dad did not believe us who knows spooky place when you visit at night which did when it was time to lock it all up