CASTLE MACTAVISH
Location: Pinpointing the exact location of this ancient stronghold was just as hard as getting permission to do a paranormal examination of the location. It is a private residence in the Scottish Highlands, and a private investigation was allowed only if the Collinsport Ghost Society would not divulge in its location. Guests are only by invitation.
Description of Place: Comprised of a three story manor house surrounded by an inter-connected labyrinth of multi-layered balconies, towers, parapets, walkways and courtyards, the castle looks as if it belongs in one of Grimm's Fairy Tales or as a substitute to Castle Dracula. The drawbridge at the front gate crosses over a fifteen-foot wide creek expanse into a courtyard that seems to enter into a small village courtyard but for the twelve-foot high walls and towering five story parapets around the equivalent of three city blocks. Restored to full condition through modern engineering, the castle is a nearly self-sustaining community with shops, small markets, blacksmiths and stables. Passageways in the structure lead to an elaborate subterranean labyrinth adjacent through caves to exterior footpaths beyond the castle walls. A semi-preserved dungeon, though flooded and collapsed still exists. Surrounded by cottages and two-room homes, the manor house is a maze of alternating rooms, corridors and stairways around an immense great hall adjacent to parapets, halls and balconies and decorated in a mix of Victorian, Edwardian, Norman, Saxon and Arthurian style, tainted only by the presence of modern conveniences. Beyond the main hall are a ballroom, music room, dining hall, game room, a wood-paneled library with a skylight and at least thirty maintained bedrooms.
Ghostly Manifestations: American hostess Samantha Stephens was very kind in aiding the Collinsport Ghost Society an audience to this location. Lord Constantius Ockham has been a close friend of her family for several years, and despite his reverence as lord and master of his estate, he is the consummate cordial and gracious host despite his privacy. Not just anyone is allowed to be his guest, but he has allowed his home open to royalty, celebrities, athletes and the middle-class.
However, not many guests want to share residence with MacTavish, the resident ghost who moans and bellyaches and sends loud screams into the house. The idly curious are daring enough to stay a night or two, debating the ghost as "a gimmick for the tourists." Ockham talks quite openly about MacTavish as if he's constantly around. A descendant of Wiccan practitioners and a Spiritualist, the British lord believes in ghosts and despite public appearances, considers MacTavish his favorite full-time resident. A resident who does not like the other guests...
MacTavish's presence has been seen seventeen times since 1965 in the main hall either walking from one side to the other or standing by the side of the huge fireplace where his meals were once cooked in a massive iron kettle. Described as an imposing six and a half feet tall and garbed in full Scottish armor and regalia with red hair and muttonchops, the active ghost has also been seen sans head walking past guests in corridors or leaving his decapitated head on the cutting table in the kitchen. He's been blamed for moving chairs, slamming immense oak doors, stomping up the winging staircases and moving furniture against bedroom doors to bar them from the inside. MacTavish has also been blamed for stealing things worth his interest: watches, cameras, silver cigarette holders and most recently, beepers, cell phones and I-pods. He's most known for screaming into the night, sometimes two to three times a week from anytime of the day or night, mostly surprising guests trying to sleep or housekeepers over laden with blankets.
In 1968, Samantha had arranged for her in-laws to take a British tour of Great Britain, culminating in a stay at MacTavish Castle. They both heard the screams echoing up through the main hall and the sound of someone trying to get into their locked room. Ockham insists on guests locking their doors to keep MacTavish from throwing them open. One actress staying as a guest here was changing clothes was caught and surprised in a scantily clad state by her slamming open. More annoyed by the recurring screams, Phyllis Stephens waited until they had abated to depart her room to ask her host for pain-killers. As she passed the library, she caught the ghostly images of two people talking in the library. One resembled MacTavish, the other resembled Samantha. As the image of her daughter-in-law vanished, MacTavish turned to seemingly verbally berate Phyllis, then faded away into the air himself....
History: Built possibly as early as the Twelfth Century, MacTavish Castle has had an isolated existence devoid of notable history despite invasions from Saxons, Normans and Danes. In the Fourteenth Century, Chieftain Daren the Bold of Munster held regular raids there and his grandson, Darin, used it for combat exercises. The location stood empty and deserted from 1748 to 1965 when Lord Constantius Ockham acquired legal custody of the property and restored it to its full original condition as a retreat. Shortly thereafter, he opened the location publicly, but as the ghost became popular, he stopped taking reservations from people wanting to see the ghost and started accepting guests by screened invitation only.
Identity of Ghosts:
In life, Oenghus Lochlyn MacTavish (1084? – 1162?) was the reputed ancestral
patriarch of the Clan MacTavish. He was fallen by a battle arrow through his
neck but took eleven days to die as he slowly bled to death, an infection
finally taking his life. Days after his death, his raucous voice was heard
screaming from his chambers for his servants. It took years for rumors of his
death to be believed.
Source/Comments: Bewitched TV-Series (Episode: MacTavish"), Loosely compared to Stirling Castle in Stirling, Scotland, Castle Stuart in Inverness, Scotland, Fyvie Castle in Fyvie, Scotland and Carleton Castle in Girvan, Scotland.
Daren the Bold of Munster (15th Century) from Episode: "A Most Unusual Wood Nymph"
Darin the Bold (14th Century) from Episode: "The Return of Darren The Bold"