Scotland’s Unsolved Mysteries: 13 Scottish mysteries starting with Edinburgh’s Fairy Coffins
Unexplained dead bodies, missing persons, mysterious dungeons and the supernatural - you name it Scotland has it when it comes to fascinating, yet frightful, unsolved mysteries.
The haunted capital city itself, Edinburgh, is famously built upon hundreds of thousands of dead bodies of which the bones can still be found today among other dark discoveries.
Yet this grim reminder of our history extends to the entire country, and if you look past the mist-covered glens that would bring any tourist holding a camera tremendous glee, you can uncover stories of our past that will send chills down your spine.
Let’s take a look at 13 unexplained Scottish mysteries that remain unsolved to this day.
1. The Fairy Coffins of Edinburgh, 1836
When a group of young boys were out hunting rabbits around Arthur’s Seat in 1836, they happened upon a secluded cave and noticed something hidden inside. Upon entry, they uncovered 17 miniature coffins covered in slate and each coffin had a tiny wooden figure inside wearing a set of handmade clothes. Some thought that it was evidence of witchcraft while others linked them to the 17 victims of the prolific Edinburgh-based serial killers Burke and Hare. However, no one ever claimed ownership of the coffins and their existence remains unsolved to this day. Photo: kim traynor via Wikimedia Commons
2. The mystery hangman of Dundee, 1835
After the mid 19th century hangmen were widely unpopular in Dundee after the hanging of popular Jacobites during the rebellions left a bad taste in the people’s mouths. In 1835 Mark Devlin, a member of the notorious Black Band criminal gang, was captured and sentenced to death in Dundee, but understandably none stepped forward to fulfil the task. Instead, he was transported to Edinburgh where again no volunteer emerged until one man spoke to the bailie and offered his services on the condition he be masked. It was known that the hooded hangman was a Dundee native but the bailie who appointed him took the secret of his identity to the grave. Photo: Submitted
3. The cursed bone in Learmonth Gardens, 1936
In 1936, Sir Alexander Seton and his well-off family owned a house in Learmonth Gardens that would become home to the supernatural. After he and his family took a trip to the Temple of Luxor in Egypt they brought a souvenir back with them - a bone from the ruins despite being told to leave everything untouched. Oblivious to the legend of cursed objects, the family reported ghostly figures and loud bangs suddenly occurring at home upon returning, Alexander’s wife also became ill with a disease doctors could not diagnose as did Alexander. In response Seton surrendered the bone to the priest for it to be exhumed and the chaos finally ceased. Photo: Gary Todd via Wikimedia Commons
4. The missing library of Iona, 563 AD
The island of Iona on Scotland’s west coast is called the “birthplace of Scottish religion”. In 536 AD, St. Columba and his followers landed on the island where they founded a monastery which some historians argue was the capital of knowledge in the medieval world. The island, also known as Innis nam Druidneach in Gaelic (Isle of Druids), eventually lost its library as some believe it was pillaged by Viking raiders who attacked in the ninth century. However, one book known as ‘The Book of Kells’ was preserved and it is believed that others may have survived or been taken elsewhere to be kept safe. In the 1950s a search was performed in the Treshnish Islands, nearby Iona, in search of such lost books - although nothing was discovered it is still believed by many that this reservoir of precious knowledge could be found again one day. Photo: Submitted