|
«
 |
»
|
Dracula's Inspiration (Slain's Castle)
2009.03.14
Slain's Castle in the North East of Scotland
We went there one afternoon and had such a wonderful time searching in the ruin. It is a very interesting place to visit and they have tried to fence the ruin in as it is said that a number of people have used this site as a place to jump to their deaths. While we were there we saw red marks on the ground and it was rumoured that the month before a young person had committed suicide.
Silhouetted against an expanse of fields that were once the scene of a bloody slaughter of the Danes by the Scots, the ruins of Slains Castle casts an eerie shadow over a rocky coastline where, legend has it, the ghosts of shipwrecked sailors emerge from their watery graves once a year.
The dramatic fortress, is said to have fired the imagination of horror writer Bram Stoker and is credited with being the true inspiration for Dracula's castle,
Slains Castle, one of Scotland's most spectacular ruins, sits on the edge of cliffs overlooking Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire.
Once home to the Earls of Errol, the 16th century castle, which has been in disrepair for more than 70 years, was in its heyday when Stoker began visiting the area in the 1890s and took it as his model for the vampire's home.
'Bram Stoker stayed at Cruden Bay every year from 1893 onwards and it has always been reputed that he drew his inspiration for Dracula's castle from Slains Castle,'
Stoker, who for several years either stayed at Cruden Bay or rented a cottage at the nearby fishing hamlet of Whinnyfold overlooking the castle, is known to have written at least four other supernatural stories inspired by the ghostly legends of the area.
We went there one afternoon and had such a wonderful time searching in the ruin. It is a very interesting place to visit and they have tried to fence the ruin in as it is said that a number of people have used this site as a place to jump to their deaths. While we were there we saw red marks on the ground and it was rumoured that the month before a young person had committed suicide.
Silhouetted against an expanse of fields that were once the scene of a bloody slaughter of the Danes by the Scots, the ruins of Slains Castle casts an eerie shadow over a rocky coastline where, legend has it, the ghosts of shipwrecked sailors emerge from their watery graves once a year.
The dramatic fortress, is said to have fired the imagination of horror writer Bram Stoker and is credited with being the true inspiration for Dracula's castle,
Slains Castle, one of Scotland's most spectacular ruins, sits on the edge of cliffs overlooking Cruden Bay in Aberdeenshire.
Once home to the Earls of Errol, the 16th century castle, which has been in disrepair for more than 70 years, was in its heyday when Stoker began visiting the area in the 1890s and took it as his model for the vampire's home.
'Bram Stoker stayed at Cruden Bay every year from 1893 onwards and it has always been reputed that he drew his inspiration for Dracula's castle from Slains Castle,'
Stoker, who for several years either stayed at Cruden Bay or rented a cottage at the nearby fishing hamlet of Whinnyfold overlooking the castle, is known to have written at least four other supernatural stories inspired by the ghostly legends of the area.
19
Comments
 |
Excellent !!!! Thank you for sharing this story and these great pictures, very interesting !!! Would love to go there and explore
PennyWyatt · 2009-03-14: 13:11
|
 |
you guys really had fun :D #2 looks creepy i'm so wondered about this castel :) I love castles, and ruin things, or abandoned :):):)
onlyricky · 2009-03-14: 13:21
|
|
|
WOW! Very interesting story and images! Did this place give you the creeps???
betsymurphy · 2009-03-14: 14:02
|
 |
12,14, &25 made me look twice... nicely done!
DancingDolphin · 2009-03-14: 14:38
|
 |
Wow those shots are fantastic, you captured them very well
mystic1 · 2009-03-14: 14:48
|
|
|
Is this a "George Washington slept here" thing? Whitby Castle, in Yorkshire, is also said to be the place that inspired Stoker when he stayed there. I must say, from looking at the pics, Slain is spookier and has a much more appropriate name.
portreeslim · 2009-03-14: 14:51
|
 |
beautifull place, interesting story and pretty pictures! thanks.
gonia · 2009-03-14: 17:42
|
 |
Great set. You've certainly showed us how it could be inspirational.
Jarvo · 2009-03-14: 17:56
|
 |
what a wonderful set, and story. But i'm a litlle jalous, i wish i could get in and around so close to my last building :-( great shots !!
eternity65 · 2009-03-14: 18:12
|
 |
wonderful !
StonedNori · 2009-03-14: 18:30
|
 |
Wow - looks like a very interesting place to visit. Love all the beautiful old stone walls. Unfortunately, looks like some think graffiti is necessary.
lookagain · 2009-03-14: 18:43
|
 |
Fantastic set! :))
lalmendra · 2009-03-14: 18:51
|
 |
wow fantastic story !! great set !!
finbarr · 2009-03-14: 21:20
|
 |
Great post, thanks for sharing this.
joycephotography · 2009-03-15: 03:08
|
 |
Love the angle you chose for number 2... very nice!
bootre · 2009-03-15: 10:45
|
|
|
Wow what an absolutely wonderful set.
Kaius · 2009-03-15: 21:25
|
 |
Academic and artistic. Cool.
bigjonny · 2009-03-15: 23:19
|
 |
Amazing shot!
mollylips · 2009-03-16: 10:26
|
 |
alright i'm speechless =D congatulations!!!
affectionate · 2009-03-18: 08:56
|
|
«
|
»
|