Lady Frendraught
Frendraught House lies about 6 miles east of Huntly. It dates back to 1203 but has had many later extensions. It was for centuries the home of the Crichtons of Frendraught. In the first half of the seventeenth century, the laird of Frendraught was Sir James Crichton who had married Lady Elizabeth Gordon, daughter of the Earl of Sutherland. Crichton was almost constantly in disputes (sometime violent) with his neighbours and his wife, Lady Elizabeth, has been described as something between Medusa and Lady Macbeth.
Following one vicious dispute in 1630, a party was staying at Frendraught. It included Viscount of Aboyne and John Gordon of Rothiemay. About midnight a furious fire took hold in the old tower and the Viscount, the Laird of Rothiemay and others were burned to death. The Courts decided that the ‘fire could not have happened accidentally but designedly’ but no one was found guilty. Local opinion e laid the blame squarely on Lady Frendraught.
She became a recluse at Kinnairdy Castle and was denied extreme unction ‘because she was suspected to be guilty of the death of my Lord Abboyne…’ A local ballad was written at the time about Lady Frendraught's guilt:
When he stood at the wire window
Most doleful to be seen
He did espy the Lady Frendraught
Who stood upon the green.
And mercy, mercy Lady Frendraught
Will ye not sink with sin
For first your husband kilt my farther
And now ye burn his son.
Oh, then it spake Lady Frendraught
And loudly did she cry
It was great pity for Lord John
But none for Rothiemary
But the keys are sunk in deep
draw well, Ye cannot get away.
Frendraught later passed to the Morisons of Bognie who still retain it. Since the 18th century a dark woman has been seen in and around Frendraught. In 1938, a local lad (later manager of nearby Glendronach Distillery) was shooting in the grounds and saw a pale face starring at him from a window (the house was unoccupied at the time). He called a Keeper who also saw the figure. They searched the house from top to bottom but no one was found.
Nearly ten years later, the then Laird’s wife, Yvonne Morison, encountered the ghost. She was alone in the house, in the kitchens in the basement:
"Suddenly in the silence I heard footsteps coming down the staircase from the top of the house. I was terrified, but something made me go to the bottom of the stairs where they eventually entered the kitchen. I peered up into the darkness and remember thinking very strongly ‘Well, come on then, if you exist show yourself’ I may have even spoken this aloud. The sound of show yourself’ I may have even spoken this aloud. The sound of the footsteps stopped at the top of the stairs kitchen stairs and I saw and heard nothing else”.
Twice the Morisons had guests who cut short their visits because of mysterious disturbances, shouting and crashing of furniture. On both occasions the guests were level headed people. Several guests and tenants at Frendraught had described seeing a dark lady in white dress edged and decorated in gold. She was usually standing or walking on the main staircase or the back of the stairs.
Following one vicious dispute in 1630, a party was staying at Frendraught. It included Viscount of Aboyne and John Gordon of Rothiemay. About midnight a furious fire took hold in the old tower and the Viscount, the Laird of Rothiemay and others were burned to death. The Courts decided that the ‘fire could not have happened accidentally but designedly’ but no one was found guilty. Local opinion e laid the blame squarely on Lady Frendraught.
She became a recluse at Kinnairdy Castle and was denied extreme unction ‘because she was suspected to be guilty of the death of my Lord Abboyne…’ A local ballad was written at the time about Lady Frendraught's guilt:
When he stood at the wire window
Most doleful to be seen
He did espy the Lady Frendraught
Who stood upon the green.
And mercy, mercy Lady Frendraught
Will ye not sink with sin
For first your husband kilt my farther
And now ye burn his son.
Oh, then it spake Lady Frendraught
And loudly did she cry
It was great pity for Lord John
But none for Rothiemary
But the keys are sunk in deep
draw well, Ye cannot get away.
Frendraught later passed to the Morisons of Bognie who still retain it. Since the 18th century a dark woman has been seen in and around Frendraught. In 1938, a local lad (later manager of nearby Glendronach Distillery) was shooting in the grounds and saw a pale face starring at him from a window (the house was unoccupied at the time). He called a Keeper who also saw the figure. They searched the house from top to bottom but no one was found.
Nearly ten years later, the then Laird’s wife, Yvonne Morison, encountered the ghost. She was alone in the house, in the kitchens in the basement:
"Suddenly in the silence I heard footsteps coming down the staircase from the top of the house. I was terrified, but something made me go to the bottom of the stairs where they eventually entered the kitchen. I peered up into the darkness and remember thinking very strongly ‘Well, come on then, if you exist show yourself’ I may have even spoken this aloud. The sound of show yourself’ I may have even spoken this aloud. The sound of the footsteps stopped at the top of the stairs kitchen stairs and I saw and heard nothing else”.
Twice the Morisons had guests who cut short their visits because of mysterious disturbances, shouting and crashing of furniture. On both occasions the guests were level headed people. Several guests and tenants at Frendraught had described seeing a dark lady in white dress edged and decorated in gold. She was usually standing or walking on the main staircase or the back of the stairs.