Airth Castle is a

castle A castle is a type of fortified structure built during the Middle Ages predominantly by the nobility or royalty and by military orders. Scholars debate the scope of the word ''castle'', but usually consider it to be the private fortified r ...

overlooking the village of

Airth Airth is a Royal Burgh, village, former trading port and civil parish in Falkirk, Scotland. It is north of Falkirk town and sits on the banks of the River Forth. Airth lies on the A905 road between Grangemouth and Stirling and is overlooked by ...

and the

River Forth The River Forth is a major river in central Scotland, long, which drains into the North Sea on the east coast of the country. Its drainage basin covers much of Stirlingshire in Scotland's Central Belt. The Gaelic name for the upper reach of th ...

, in the

Falkirk Falkirk ( gd, An Eaglais Bhreac, sco, Fawkirk) is a large town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland, historically within the county of Stirlingshire. It lies in the Forth Valley, northwest of Edinburgh and northeast of Glasgow. Falkirk had a ...

area of

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a border with England to the southeast and is otherwise surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the ...

. The castle is currently operating as a

hotel A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. Facilities provided inside a hotel room may range from a modest-quality mattress in a small room to large suites with bigger, higher-quality beds, a dresser, a ref ...

and

spa A spa is a location where mineral-rich spring water (and sometimes seawater) is used to give medicinal baths. Spa towns or spa resorts (including hot springs resorts) typically offer various health treatments, which are also known as balneoth ...

History

According to an account attributed to

Blind Harry Blind Harry ( 1440 – 1492), also known as Harry, Hary or Henry the Minstrel, is renowned as the author of ''The Actes and Deidis of the Illustre and Vallyeant Campioun Schir William Wallace'', more commonly known as '' The Wallace''. This wa ...

, in 1298

William Wallace Sir William Wallace ( gd, Uilleam Uallas, ; Norman French: ; 23 August 1305) was a Scottish knight who became one of the main leaders during the First War of Scottish Independence. Along with Andrew Moray, Wallace defeated an English army a ...

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.Scott, Ian. "Airth Castle", Falkirk Local History Society, 2006
/ref> Airth Castle was owned by Falcones. Mary Bruce, a daughter of the laird of Airth, was a companion of

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

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 Historic Environment Scotland (HES) ( gd, Àrainneachd Eachdraidheil Alba) is an executive non-departmental public body responsible for investigating, caring for and promoting Scotland's historic environment. HES was formed in 2015 from the mer ...

has designated it a Category A

listed building In the United Kingdom, a listed building or listed structure is one that has been placed on one of the four statutory lists maintained by Historic England in England, Historic Environment Scotland in Scotland, in Wales, and the Northern Irel ...

. Within the castle grounds stand the ruins of the former parish church of Airth.

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.BBC - Halloween happenings in your area
/ref> A groundsman reportedly haunts the lower floor of the castle."Airth Castle's green phantom appears in wedding photo", ''Daily Record and Sunday Mail'', 11 November 2013
/ref>

References

External links

Airth Castle Hotel
{{Authority control Category A listed buildings in Falkirk (council area) Castles in Falkirk (council area) Hotel spas Listed castles in Scotland Reportedly haunted locations in Scotland