Finlanrig Castle Scotland : a Castle with a Dark Past

Finlarig Castle, located near Killin in Scotland, is a 17th-century ruin steeped in dark history. Built in 1629 by "Black Duncan" Campbell, the 7th Laird of Glenorchy, the castle served as a stronghold for the powerful Campbell clan. Despite its picturesque location near Loch Tay, the castle is infamous for its grim tales. One of the most chilling legends involves a stone-lined pit near the castle's north wall, believed to have been used for beheading prisoners of noble blood. Commoners, on the other hand, were reportedly executed by hanging from a nearby oak tree, ominously referred to as the "Hanging Tree." While some historians suggest the pit may have been a water storage tank, its association with executions has cemented its place in local folklore. The castle also houses the Breadalbane Mausoleum, a crumbling structure where members of the Campbell family were buried. Over the centuries, the castle has fallen into ruin, but its eerie atmosphere and tales of executions continue to draw visitors intrigued by its haunted past.