I am currently studying at university in the very old,
historic city of Edinburgh. This is a true story which
happened to me and two friends(Kirsty and Carol) during the
winter months of 1992. Those who have visited Edinburgh
will know that the old part of the town is extremely creepy,
cold and damp especially at night. It is also where all the
best bars in town are.
This experience happened one weekend when my pal Kirsty was
visiting me I decided to show her the nightlife in Edinburgh.
We had only been to a couple of pubs so we were in complete
control of all our faculties. After stopping to get some
chips, we decided to make our way to the next pub. Not
knowing the city very well, I thought it would be quicker to
take a short cut through some of the dark alley ways. BIG
MISTAKE. Anyway whilst walking through an alley called
Brodericks Close, we felt a really wierd sensation. Like
someone had thrown cold water over us. We started to walk
faster, and began to panic. I thought someone was following
us and began to run, with Kirsty and Carol in hot pursuit.
We were pretty shaken by this experience but it was soon
forgotten after a couple more Jack Daniels. Until the next
evening...
Edinburgh has a reputation as one of the most haunted cities
in Europe and there are plenty of ghost tours to cater for
the tourists. I decided to take Kirsty on one of those
guided tours the next evening, we were enjoying the tour
until the guide stopped at the top of the alley we had
walked down the night before, Brodericks Close! He took
the group down and proceeded to tell us its history. During
the 16th century a man shot and killed a judge. He was then
caught and hung, drawn and quatered. His body was hung at
the city gates as a warning to others. One night his body was
taken down and buried at the murder site(Bordericks Close)
without a CHristian burial. Story has it that this was done
so that the constant footsteps of people walking through
the close would keep his soul awake in torment. A few years
back when renivating the close his body was discovered and
given a christian burial.
We told the tour guide what had happened the previous night
and he said that the close had a bad reputation. Up until
the body was found there were often sightings of the ghost
who was named Johnny One Arm(stupid name for a ghost),
though since the body had been removed there had been no
sightings but people on the tour often commented on the
uneasy feeling they had when in the close.