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Dean Castle was once the
home to the Boyd family, who lived there for over 400 years. It was given
to them by Robert the Bruce for their allegiance during the Battle of
Bannockburn. The castle hosted the wedding of Princess Mary to Thomas Boyd
and the family were then given the title of Earl of Kilmarnock.
The castle was gutted by
fire in 1705 and in 1905 was restored to its former glory. Over the years
Dean Castle has had many owners and the last one gave the castle as a gift
to the town of Kilmarnock. Since then the castle has been opened to the
public and they can enjoy guided tours, nature walks and also the stunning
walled gardens.
William Boyd- 4th Earl of
Kilmarnock
One evening when William
Boyd was sitting in his study he was shocked to see the image of a head
rolling across the floor. He was even more surprised when he looked closer
and realised that it was his own severed head!!
Not long after this he
went to fight for Scotland in the Battle of Culloden, he got separated
from his regiment and then ambushed by the English. They took his sword
from him and when he started to cry someone gave him a hat to cover his
face- this person was his son who had betrayed him. He was then taken to
London and executed (thought to have taken place in the Tower of London).
The ghost of his head has since been seen rolling around the castle.
The Old
Lady
The spirit of
an old lady has been seen
by several staff and visitors near the walkway to the castle. She has been
seen dressed in a long black skirt, grey top, worn brown boots and a white
shawl around her head. She has also been seen by one visitor in the old
kitchen.
The
Minstrel Gallery
On several occasions music
has been heard coming from the Minstrel Gallery in the Banqueting Hall.
When the room has been entered the music has stopped playing.
The
Palace Kitchen
Voices have also been head
coming from a room just off the Palace Kitchen, when this was checked the
voices disappeared. There was no other way in or out of this room.
The Castle Dungeon
This was used for people
who broke the law in Kilmarnock and the surrounding areas. It is shaped
like a bottle with a fourteen foot drop. People were often dropped in and
died in there. One visitor who looked into the dungeon had an
overwhelming feeling that she was being suffocated and her chest felt
extremely tight.
In the floor there is an Oublette (in French this means to forget or cast aside), a hole with a lid
on. The hole was just about big enough for a person. The last person to
die in here was an old lady.
Dean Castle is a lovely peaceful place to visit with an excellent history and lots of ‘extra’ things to see if you’re lucky enough!!
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