Introduction
Airth Castle is a castle in the Falkirk area of Scotland that overlooks the village of Airth and the River Forth. Currently, the castle serves as a hotel and spa. Within the castle grounds stand the ruins of the former parish church of Airth.
Airth Castle was owned by Falcones. Mary Bruce, a daughter of the laird of Airth, was a companion of Mary, Queen of Scots in England. The family were Jacobite sympathizers who were forced to sell after the failure of the 1715 rising.
The castle is a major historic building that retains much medieval fabric. As such, Historic Environment Scotland has designated it a Category A listed building.
History
According to an account attributed to Blind Harry, in 1298 William Wallace attacked a previous wooden fortification on this site to rescue his imprisoned uncle, a priest from Dunipace. A later castle was destroyed after the defeat of King James III at Sauchieburn in 1488. The southwest tower is the earliest part, dating to the period immediately thereafter. An extension was added on the east side in the mid 16th century..
Ghosts
The castle is said to be haunted and reported phenomena include: Sightings of a nanny with two young children who are said to have died in a fire at the castle. The sound of children playing being heard in rooms 3, 4, 9 and 23. Heavy footsteps can be heard outside room 14 before suddenly stopping and disappearing. People have also reported hearing cries and screams believed to be from a maid who was attacked by her master and left to die. Additionally, a ghost dog, with a predilection for biting ankles, is believed to roam the hallways.
A groundsman reportedly haunts the lower floor of the castle.