The Phantom Drummer of Edinburgh Castle
At Edinburgh Castle, a phantom drummer is said to beat his drum on the ramparts before the castle comes under attack.
What was reported
Edinburgh Castle, on its volcanic rock above the city, has many ghost stories. The best known is of a phantom drummer, sometimes said to be headless, whose drumbeat is heard on the ramparts as a warning that the castle will be attacked. He's said to have been heard in 1650, before Oliver Cromwell's army besieged it.
Another tale tells of a piper sent to explore a tunnel beneath the Royal Mile, whose piping was followed from above until it suddenly stopped; he was never found.
Explanations offered
The stories are part of the castle's long history and folklore, and are told on the city's many ghost tours. There's no evidence for them beyond tradition. The vaults and passages beneath the Old Town are real, which helps keep the piper's story alive.
- When
- Said to be heard since 1650
- Where
- Edinburgh Castle, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Witnesses
- Soldiers, guides and visitors
- Status
- Legend
Famous cases are real, widely reported events. Each file sets out what witnesses said and the explanations that have been offered, without taking a side.