The Corstorphine White Lady

Corstorphine is a suburb of Edinburgh, out to the West towards the airport. It was initially a self-contained village and became part of Edinburgh in 1920. There was once a Corstorphine Castle however it was destroyed during the 18th century. The only part of the castle that remains is the old dovecote, now a local landmark. Another famous landmark was the old sycamore tree, however this was destroyed in the storms of 1998.

Also of historical interest is the nearby Corstorphine Hill Tower, built in 1871 to commemorate the centenary of the birth of Sir Walter Scott.

The White Lady

Corstorphine's most famous ghost is the White Lady. She is supposed to be the ghost of Lady Christian Nimmo who died in 1679.

Lady Christian was the niece of Lord James Forrester (formerly James Baillie) of Corstorphine Castle. The Lord was a man of loose morals and had affairs with many women - including his own niece Lady Christian. Because Lady Christian was not only his niece but also married, this affair took place in secret.

The couple used to meet under the old sycamore tree. One night when Lady Christian arrived Lord James didn't turn up. Lady Christian guessed - correctly - that he was drinking in the nearby Black Bull Inn. It was a guess that was lead to disaster for them both.

Lady Christian sent one of her servants to take word to Lord James that she was waiting for him. The Lord arrived shortly thereafter, drunk and angry at having been disturbed. The two lovers then argued, with Lord James reportedly calling Lady Christian a "whoor". Lady Christian lost her temper, grabbed the sword from the drunken Lord and ran him through.

According to Lady Christian's account this killing an accident - she had taken the sword to defend herself, then he ran at her. However this didn't persuade the courts and - despite attempts to escape - she was sentenced to death and was beheaded at Edinburgh Cross.

At the time of her execution, Lady Christian was wearing her purest white dress and a white hood. It appears she still wears these today as the ghost of a white woman has been reported in the area of the sycamore tree. According to some, the White Lady of Corstorphine still carries a sword dripping with blood.