Glendevon Castle

The 15th-century Glendevon Castle, a Z-plan tower house, belonged to William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas. The castle passed to the Crawfords, and then the Rutherfords. It was extensively rebuilt in later centuries, and is now privately owned.

The following has been contributed: "...unfortunately, the owner hasn't taken care of the place. For a few decades the dungeons of the castle were a pub, a large function room and restaurant seating were added on, perhaps in the 80s. By the end of the 90s, the business died, and the owners left it. I went for a look at the place several months ago, and found it to be abandoned. Nothing had changed since the moment the owners locked the doors, all of which are gradually rotting away at the hinges. The only real damage is to the modern-ish extensions, which are poorly built. The castle itself is standing strong. The dungeons are left looking like a pub. I never managed to explore the upper floors, mainly because I was worried the floors were rotten, as i'd already stood on some dodgy flooring."

"...the owner of Glendevon estates, owned the Dungeon Bar which was inside the keep ...there is also three ghosts in it just as entering door as you approach inside on left is spiral staircase. A lady in green dress of the 15th century walks up and own there, and seen quite often daytimes and nights, inside downstairs is a well on the floor there was a grating over that its in a small alcove you hear moaning and groaning there coming up from where actual dungeons are, it could be just the wind but more like ghostly humans sounds.

I swear on my wife and daughter and sons grave that I have saw ghosts of Highlanders going through park as if floating, One night,... we were having a cuppa; we sat in caravan in dark and looked out large front main window, as snow was on ground it looked nice when suddenly there was a ghostly figure standing looking in caravan at us, we opened the door and let out my alsatian as I thought it was [someone] carrying on , but my alsatian wouldnt go out and hair on its neck stood up. The figure only appeared about five minutes, but [I] can assure you it made us so afraid we all spent night in caravan...

Another year [we were] camped in the small quarried area 50 yards up from park... we had a small caravan in there looking ... through forest to the park,and again
our jack russell and alsatian wouldnt go out but was growling [fiercely], my son opened top half of caravan door and we thought it was someone carrying on from the park of holiday makers. but all we saw was bright red eyes in four various spots... couldnt have been animals or birds as was about 6ft off ground,,.and I was really scared...

...another place where you see and hear coach and horses is accross Wades bridge on the entry to estate on other side of river; lots of activity there at nights as old execution area of Jacobite times..."

Ther's a wee place in Perthshire, it's nae far frae thi Forth
Glendevon Castle is its name ain its nae thit far north.
It stauns oon a hull, nae veri hi, ais ye'll see,
Bit a beautifil place ye hae evir clapped ain eee.

Oh thi castle, thi Castle, in this a glorius Glen
Its donor wis a Douglas, a man amongst men.
Be ye rich, be ye pair or humble, ye wull ken,
Thir's room fer ye aw in thi glorius Glen

Ave bin doon tae Edinbury, ain Glesca ais weel,
Ain ave bin doon in England ait thi big birlin wheel.
Bit gie mi thi land o'Red Douglas ain his men,
Ain thi strength in ma legs fer a waulk up thi Glen.

Oh thi castle, thi Castle, in this a glorius Glen
Its donor wis a Douglas a man amongst men.
Be ye rich, be ye pair or humble, ye wull ken,
Thir's room fer ye aw in thi glorius Glen.

Whin ye gan up Glendevon, which a hope ye intend,
Hae a look ait thi church ais ye waulk rooned thi bend,
Thin gaze yer een roond ye and see fer yersel,
Thit that jaunt up Glendevon his paid ye richt weel.

Oh thi castle, thi castle, in this a glorius Glen
Its donor wis a Douglas a man amongst men.
Be ye rich, be ye pair or humble, ye wull ken,
Thir's room fer ye aw in thi glorius Glen.

So whaur er ye mite be in yer journey throo life,
Wi its ups ain its doons, ain struggles ain strife,
Jist stop fer yin minute, ain yer thochts ye kin sen,
Tae thit beautifil dae thit ye spent in thi Glen.

Oh thi castle, thi castle, in this a glorius Glen
Its donor wis a Douglas a man amongst men.
Be ye rich, be ye pair or humble, ye wull ken,
Ther's room fer ye aw in thi glorious Glen.

More information on the castle and its links to the Douglas family would be very welcome. Please Contribute... If you could provide a full written up article on the castle, we would be delighted.