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#Post#: 18275--------------------------------------------------
Scottish Borders: dark legends
By: Lace Date: February 7, 2015, 9:05 am
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Collating details on the legends which lie beneath the dark
reputation of the foreboding Border strongholds. Images and
words shall paint a thousand pictures.
#Post#: 18280--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Clay Death Date: February 7, 2015, 9:15 am
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wonderful stuff lady Camelot Lace.
I can hardly wait to see it all unfold here.
it is your ideas and your inspiration that will bring Camelot
and medieval history to life.
#Post#: 19137--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Exotic One Date: March 6, 2015, 9:08 pm
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?
#Post#: 19453--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Lace Date: March 14, 2015, 6:38 am
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Another view from the church yard
#Post#: 19454--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Lace Date: March 14, 2015, 6:44 am
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Hermitage Castle
William de Soulis lived from about 1280 to about 1320. From 1318
to 1320 he was Lord of Hermitage and he was a man so deeply
unpopular that there are two quite separate tales told of his
demise.
Whichever way you look at it, William de Soulis seems to have
been an unpleasant man, even by the standards of his many
unpleasant contemporaries. You can take your pick between the
stories of how he met his end. One is rather ordinary and,
probably, historically accurate. The other combines deeply evil
deeds, supernatural horror, and an especially gruesome but
fitting end for the villain. The second version is based largely
on a ballad popular in the Borders in the 1700s, which may have
been based on earlier folk stories.
As background, the de Soulis family had been connected with
forbidding Hermitage Castle in Liddesdale, close to the English
border, since 1249, when Nicholas de Soulis built a wooden
castle here. In 1318, his descendant, William de Soulis, became
Lord of Hermitage. It is unlikely that the original wooden
castle had yet been replaced in stone, but today's Hermitage
Castle is an oppressive and chilling place that gives credence
to even the most fanciful of the stories concerning William do
Soulis.
But first, the boring, historical bit. Border lords at the time
were always having to look closely at whether their interests
were best served by siding with the English or the Scots, and it
seems that in 1320 William de Soulis took part in an
English-inspired plot to kill the Scottish king, Robert the
Bruce. It failed, and the participants were rounded up, with de
Soulis being imprisoned inDumbarton Castle, where he
subsequently died.
The second version takes a little longer to tell. William de
Soulis was a huge and physically powerful man, and when he
became Lord of Hermitage in 1318 he rapidly demonstrated a deep
vein of cruelty that quickly had him loathed by all who came
into contact with him. Stories began to circulate that he
practiced the Black Arts, kidnapping local children and using
their blood in dark rituals at Hermitage Castle. During these
rituals, de Soulis would summon up his familiar, Robin Redcap. A
redcap, also known as a powrie or dunter, is a type of evil
goblin, typically found in British folklore in ruined castles
along the border between England and Scotland. Once summoned
they roam the area, killing travellers and residents in order to
keep fresh the bloodstains on the redcap's hat: because if these
stains dry, the redcap dies. Redcaps are very quick, despite
their metal-bound boots and the heavy pike they carry, and the
only way to escape one is to quote a passage from the Bible at
it, whereupon it loses a tooth. Robin Redcap was especially
feared, and after being summoned by de Soulis committed many
evil deeds in the lands around Hermitage.
But William de Soulis himself was equally capable of terrorising
his neighbours. One day in 1320 he kidnapped a young Armstrong
woman and tried to return with her to Hermitage Castle. When her
father tried to stop him, de Soulis killed him on the spot.
However, by now a crowd had gathered, and de Soulis was on the
verge of being lynched when Alexander Armstrong, the Laird of
Mangerton, intervened, calming the crowd and advising de Soulis
to return to Hermitage without his captive. De Soulis was far
from grateful, instead developing a hatred for someone who, as
his social inferior, had demonstrated the power to influence the
crowd and save de Soulis's life. De Soulis therefore invited
Alexander Armstrong to a banquet at Hermitage, and when he
arrived, stabbed him in the back.
Complaints about de Soulis's activities were frequently reaching
the ears of King Robert the Bruce himself, and when he was told
of this latest outrage, Bruce, in exasperation, cried "Soulis!
Soulis! Go boil him in brew!" Needing no further invitation, the
locals overpowered de Soulis, using a specially forged chain to
bind him, as ordinary ropes could not contain his supernatural
powers, and took him to the summit of Nine Stane Rig. It was
believed that de Soulis could not be killed by ordinary means,
so instead he was boiled in molten lead in a cauldron suspended
above a large fire. When news reached the king that his words
were being taken literally, he sent soldiers to Hermitage: but
it was too late, and they were only able to report back what had
happened.
Take your pick which story you prefer, but both end in de
Soulis's death; both end with the confiscation by the Crown of
Hermitage Castle; and both end without evoking much sympathy for
William de Soulis
#Post#: 19455--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Lace Date: March 14, 2015, 6:49 am
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William de Soulis
The Soulis family were associated with Hermitage Castle from the
13th century. Of a long line of mean officials, William Soulis
excelled. He became the Lord of Hermitage in 1318.
He was a giant of a man and quickly became loathed by his
vassals on whom he inflicted all sorts of humiliating and
oppressive acts. He enjoyed power and ruthlessly exploited his
position at the expense of anyone who came his way.
He took a delight in inflicting pain and misery on his people.
He was indeed an evil man.
Known as the Wizard, he was said to be in league with the devil
and indulged in all kinds of black magic and witchcraft.
One day, in 1320, Lord de Soulis, took a fancy to a young lady,
an Armstrong, who lived nearby. To satisfy his passions, he
planned to seize her regardless of her wishes. Used to having
his own way he brought terror to any woman in whom he took an
interest.
Riding to her home he was confronted by her father who was
determined to defend his daughter, even against a powerful
figure such as Soulis.
Not being used to having his desires frustrated, de Soulis
struck out at the man and killed him.
The local people had witnessed the incident, and Soulis would
have been slain by the infuriated mob and he was forced to
abandon his prize and flee for his life.
He would certainly have been killed but for the intervention of
Alexander Armstrong, the Laird of Mangerton, who, arriving on
the scene in the nick of time, restrained the crowd, and
escorted de Soulis back to Hermitage.
De Soulis, safe at home, felt no gratitude to the man who had
saved his life. Indeed, he was offended that a man whom he
regarded as his social inferior could so control his people and
save his life.
Brooding over these thoughts, he sent an invitation to
Alexander, inviting him to a banquet at Hermitage to demonstrate
his appreciation and thank him for his help.
But on arriving at the castle Alexander was attacked and
murdered by De Soulis, stabbing Alexander in the back.
His grieving friends bore away his body to be buried at Ettleton
Cemetery. It was nightfall when they rested by the roadside at
the foot of the hill below the graveyard.
Next morning Alexander was laid to rest, and later, by the
roadside, beneath the cemetery, a cross was erected, the
Milnholm Cross, to mark the event and passing of a respected and
much loved laird.
His long suffering people made countless complaints to officials
which became so frequent that eventually they reached the ears
of the king himself.
Exasperated by the constant barrage of complaints, the king, in
despair, clasped his head in his hands and cried out 'Soulis!
Soulis! Go boil him in brew!'
That was all that was needed, an order from the king himself!
Soulis was overpowered and taken to Nine Stane Rig, high up in
the hills by a Druid circle. There, a huge cauldron and fire had
been prepared and the Lord Soulis was wrapped in lead and placed
in the cauldron where he was boiled to his death.
When he discovered that the Borderers had taken him literally
the king dispatched officials hastily to Liddesdale. They were
too late to save De Soulis and arrived in time to witness the
cauldron with Soulis inside 'supping his own broth.'
The story or De Soulis being boiled in molten lead was derived
from an 18th century ballad written by an obscure author.
A good story indeed, except from Soulis's viewpoint, but
unlikely to be true. There is evidence to believe that Soulis,
in fact, died while in captivity in Dumbarton Castle. He had
been guilty of a conspiracy against Robert Bruce.
#Post#: 19456--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Lace Date: March 14, 2015, 7:03 am
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[URL=
HTML http://s1072.photobucket.com/user/arderne66/media/Castles%20of%20Old/PhotographHermitageCastleScotland_zps238f5de2.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w368/arderne66/Castles%20of%20Old/PhotographHermitageCastleScotland_zps238f5de2.jpg[/img][/URL]
#Post#: 19457--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Lace Date: March 14, 2015, 7:04 am
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[URL=
HTML http://s1072.photobucket.com/user/arderne66/media/Castles%20of%20Old/2373893_eb8a73df_zps14b8e88f.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w368/arderne66/Castles%20of%20Old/2373893_eb8a73df_zps14b8e88f.jpg[/img][/URL]
#Post#: 19458--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Lace Date: March 14, 2015, 7:06 am
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[URL=
HTML http://s1072.photobucket.com/user/arderne66/media/Castles%20of%20Old/Hermitage1_zpscf5fd6f6.jpg.html][IMG]http://i1072.photobucket.com/albums/w368/arderne66/Castles%20of%20Old/Hermitage1_zpscf5fd6f6.jpg[/img][/URL]
#Post#: 19469--------------------------------------------------
Re: Hermitage Castle: dark legends
By: Divine Metamorphoses Date: March 14, 2015, 8:59 pm
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Lady Lace
I loved it! Thanks for sharing!
Very formative although as you say have read about it years ago!
Great to recall
Blessings
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