Story of the origin of the name Lumphanan; encounter with a...

Original Track ID

SA1979.131.A2

Original Tape ID

SA1979.131

Summary

Story of the origin of the name Lumphanan; encounter with a ghost on the Old Road.

Lumphanan was named by the gaberlunzie [beggarman] king, James [the Fifth], who told a woman there, "Yer lum [chimney]'s fannin, Annie." Macbeth was killed there at the Battle of Lumphanan, hence its association with witchcraft.

A Stewart Traveller woman was walking back to her camp on the Old Road of Lumphanan one summer's evening, diddling. [Stanley Robertson diddles.] She saw a well-dressed woman come out of the side gate of the cemetery ahead of her. She thought she would have company for the walk. Taking a stranger's privilege, she called out to the woman twice, asking the time, but got no answer. Travellers are superstitious about asking a question three times, so she said she wouldn't in case Old Hornie himself turned round. The woman screamed like a banshee. When she turned round, she was revealed as a skeleton, and disappeared back into the cemetery. The Traveller woman dropped her basket and ran back to camp. Her husband went to get the basket and was attacked by an unseen assailant. The Traveller woman found out later that the well-dressed woman was the ghost of a young woman who had been jilted and committed suicide.

Item Subject/Person

James V

Recording Location

Item Location

Language

English, Scots

Genre

Story Information

Collection

SoSS

Source Type

Reel to reel

Audio Quality

Good