Alloa Tower

A fire consumed the castle attached to the tower in 1800 and it is said that smoke can be smelt on the anniversary of the conflagration in August. An apparation on the staircase and first floor has also been reported, as has the sensation of being touched. There are also other phantoms including a man in chains being assisted by a serving girl in the dungeon; a woman dressed in black and a young girl watch over a cradle in the Great Hall; a maid pacing up and down in front of a painting of the tower; a crying boy; an "armed man with strange eyes"; and a man hanging from a beam in the Solar.

Update 12/5/22: Alison Fraser, the Visitor Services Manager told me, "I am not preceptive so haven't seen, felt anything whilst working at the property. Visitors have though" and she provided me with a long list of detected ghosts. Below are the objective reports of people (not ghost hunters): "Visitors have reported seeing this ghost and invariably describe her as being dressed in black and watching over the cradle. Two sightings of the spirit were in connection with weddings. At the first wedding to women arranging flowers for decoration ran down the stairs to reception and told staff they had been disturbed by the spirit." Other descriptions of this phantom exist too: "[she is] short and dumpy in size, with grey hair. She is wearing clothing of the 16th or 17th century." Alison also mentions the fire; "this mansion [adjoining the tower] burned to the ground in August 1800, the cause of the fire was attributed to a maid who placed a lit candle too near to the bed clothes. On the anniversary of the fire people have reported the smell of burning in the Hall." Another area is the Charter Room: "Many passers-by have came in to the tower and reported seeing the ghost of a young boy in one of the charter room windows. The boy has been described as being dressed in medieval clothes, he is unhappy and is crying." Alison also informs me, "There was a report from two women (together) who told me that they had difficulty breathing in the solar and that they felt someone was trying to strangle them."

Link: Daily Record

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