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Billy Boy
28-Mar-06, 18:25
Does anyone know of the myth/legend of castletown beach,
where it is said that the original old village of Castletown is buried under the sand.
Legend has it that with the incoming tides the village had to be abandoned and moved to where it is now. Does anyone know if there any truth to this or is it just a myth:confused:

clash67
28-Mar-06, 18:36
Does anyone know of the myth/legend of castletown beach,
where it is said that the original old village of Castletown is buried under the sand.
Legend has it that with the incoming tides the village had to be abandoned and moved to where it is now. Does anyone know if there any truth to this or is it just a myth:confused:
yeah, a good friend of mine told me that once he was walking somewhere around there when the tide had gone out really far and he found what he thought to be markings that realy resembled an old peat bank that had been worked, but it was a long way out on the shore...mmmm...

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 18:52
From what I can gather, there's still a lot of strange going ons up that way. [para]

webmannie
28-Mar-06, 18:54
You don't have to wait till the tide goes out that far. At the north end of the beach you will notice large clumps of black stuff about half way down when the tide is out. On closer inspection and a scrape you will notice that it is charred ground with what looks like tree roots, there are quite a few clumps.

Now i don't know how old they are, anybody on here know?

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 19:01
What's the story about the mummy up there?[para]

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 20:21
What's the story about the mummy up there?[para]

Dont know Connie [para]....ask DrSzin he has a link to a website about the Mummy! Where is DrSzin anyway? Im getting scared to go oot here :o.......with a Mummy on the loose and The Valkyrie and the Green Lady up at Olrig or was it a Lady dressed in Green and theres the Sysa, and not to mention the bagpipes skirling at all oors up on the hill! Most haunted place in Caithness according to TPC!!!!!! .......and theres the tunnels! [para]

With regards to the beach there are still some tree stumps in the sand on the beach.........when the tides out you can see what appears to be the roots of lots of trees it would seem there may have been quite a lot there at one time!

Billy Boy
28-Mar-06, 20:27
[quote=phoenix]Dont know Connie [para]....ask DrSzin he has a link to a website about the Mummy! Where is DrSzin anyway? Im getting scared to go oot here :o.......with a Mummy on the loose and The Valkyrie and the Green Lady up at Olrig or was it a Lady dressed in Green and theres the Sysa, and not to mention the bagpipes skirling at all oors up on the hill! Most haunted place in Caithness according to TPC!!!!!! .......and theres the tunnels! [para]


what books have you been reading pheonix, i have lived in and around castletown area all my life and heard no such yarns about a mummy (the only mummy i can think of is ma own and she's still alive and kicking ):confused

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 20:33
I didnt read it in abook billy boy [para] DrSzin told me about the Mummy.....not sure how he became linked to Castletown though! :confused: [para]

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 20:37
http://thebackpew.com/kitchensink/images/mummy.jpg

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 20:43
Hehehehe that reminds me of someone connie [lol] maybe this coincides with the solar eclipse in Egypt tomorrow.......maybe the Mummy is going home! Watch this space! :Razz

candyfloss
28-Mar-06, 20:47
All very interesting,i'd love to find more about this myths and legends:o)
I do remember hearing something about the castletown tunnels before;)

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 20:50
Surely there's someone out there with the answers[para] :confused:

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 21:01
Two more posts to go connie and youve hit the jackpot! :D [para]

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 21:03
Two more posts to go connie and youve hit the jackpot! :D [para]EH???????:confused: :confused:

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 21:04
One more connie! :Razz [para]

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 21:07
One more connie! :Razz [para]No way......you're scaring me now...so whats gonna happen after this one[para] [para] If i'm not back, some-one come and rescue me, pleeease!!!!!!

Billy Boy
28-Mar-06, 21:08
whats happen .org tonight is everbody going mad:confused:

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 21:10
Brill connie! :Razz :D :Razz I dont know whats going to happen :confused: Anything happening with you?

newpark
28-Mar-06, 21:12
Only story I know about Castletown is about Silkie. She was half woman half seal and she is buried in Olrig.
If you go in the old old cemetary right up at the back near the pirate graves there is a grave with a big hole in it. It is said that if you stick your foot in the hole and make a wish it is supposed to come true.
Also it is said if you stick your foot in it it will start raining. There is a plaque on the cemetary gate with the story.

I have put my foot in the grave many times and it never rained or no wishes came true.

Probably a myth.

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 21:15
See what you've unleashed connie :Razz........the story of the silkie! :Razz

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 21:19
Connie are you still with us? :eek: Ive just had a jet buzz the house! :eek: Men in black next! [para]

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 21:35
Whats happened? :confused [para] :eek:

candyfloss
28-Mar-06, 21:41
Maybe the aliens on the org. tonight have taken connie home with them:eek:,
its gone all quiet[para]

Billy Boy
28-Mar-06, 22:03
One more connie! :Razz [para]

what have you done to poor connieb, pheonix:confused:

janette
28-Mar-06, 22:04
Ever heard of the Piper of Winda Ha?

Winda Ha is near Olrig

Billy Boy
28-Mar-06, 22:07
Ever heard of the Piper of Winda Ha?

Winda Ha is neat Olrig

Hey Pheonix, maybe that was what you heard and not a jet buzzing past atall[para]

Cedric Farthsbottom III
28-Mar-06, 22:10
Whats happened Connie.....come on the excitements too much!!!!!!:lol: :lol:

angela5
28-Mar-06, 22:12
Whats happened Connie.....come on the excitements too much!!!!!!:lol: :lol:

Aye Connie.....come on!!!!:)

angela5
28-Mar-06, 22:13
Were getting as confused as these guys.......
http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/dayart/19990720/cartoon19990720.gif

connieb19
28-Mar-06, 22:17
What??????:confused: You lot are crazy!!! Ive been right here, replying to all your posts. Haven't I ? ;) Have the clocks gone forward or something??????:eyes

angela5
28-Mar-06, 22:19
What??????:confused: You lot are crazy!!! Ive been right here, replying to all your posts. Haven't I ? ;) Have the clocks gone forward or something??????:eyes
http://www.cartoonstock.com/lowres/cgo0060l.jpg

Cedric Farthsbottom III
28-Mar-06, 22:25
Man that was a Twilight Zone moment!!!!!!!!

Picture yourself on Caithness Org. on a breezy Wick night.Orgers thinking wit is going on here.......wis it alien abduction......and oor Connie coming back saying"Whats all the fuss about,I only went for a brew!!!!!":lol: :lol:

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 22:38
Certainly something going tonight...[para] Maybe it wasnt a jet maybe it was an alien craft........ my computer has certainly been acting very strange tonight, and our dog has been behaving a bit strange all day! :confused: Thank God connies back i thought for a minute shed been abducted too.......what am I saying...... abducted too!!!!!!! [para] Naw Im definitely in my livingroom sat at the computer! At least I think I am! [para]

Wheres the Piper of Winda Ha janette?

Billy Boy
28-Mar-06, 22:41
Wheres the Piper of Winda Ha janette?

its the white house above olrig mains house

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 22:43
Maybe the aliens on the org. tonight have taken connie home with them:eek:,
its gone all quiet[para]


What Aliens on the org! :eek: [para]

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 22:46
its the white house above olrig mains house


Is there a white wall around the white house sapphire? Cant say Ive noticed a white house..........[para] I wont sleep tonight! :eek:

Fran
28-Mar-06, 23:05
i can see all the orgers rushing to put their foot in the hole in the grave!!!!

phoenix
28-Mar-06, 23:12
i can see all the orgers rushing to put their foot in the hole in the grave!!!!


Lol Fran.......theyd better watch out for the Valkyries and the Silkie :eek:..........my keyboard is spooking me tonight! [para]

ice box
29-Mar-06, 00:03
Isn't there supposed to be a story about a ghost in castletown ?

angela5
29-Mar-06, 00:16
Isn't there supposed to be a story about a ghost in castletown ?
http://www.digitalmediafx.com/Features/Ghouls/ghouls08scoobydoo.jpg


The investigators are looking into
that claim.....:lol: :lol:

Cedric Farthsbottom III
29-Mar-06, 01:47
And ye know wit ice-box.Ye would have got away wi' that ghost in Castletown post,if it hadn't been for angela5,those meddling kids and that mutt o' a dog Scooby-Doo!!!:lol: :lol:

ice box
29-Mar-06, 01:52
And ye know wit ice-box.Ye would have got away wi' that ghost in Castletown post,if it hadn't been for angela5,those meddling kids and that mutt o' a dog Scooby-Doo!!!:lol: :lol:
I think i will have to split up and look for some clues :lol: :lol:

Cedric Farthsbottom III
29-Mar-06, 02:08
I think i will have to split up and look for some clues :lol: :lol:

Know wit ye mean.But then the clues always meant nothing in Scooby Doo cartoons.

Scooby and Shaggy would eat a 12" pepperoni pizza,they would chuck the empty pizza box off a wall,rebound and hit a bowling ball which would roll across the floor and hit a mop.Which would then fall to the side and set off a mouse trap,the bit of cheese would then fly through the air and hit the button for the trap they were supposed to hit in the first place.The net would fall down and catch "the ghost".That turned out to be someone you had met in the first 2 seconds o' the cartoon,but ye hadn't really been paying too much attention to.

Corny........yes..........but did ye watch it every week and still watch it to this very day with your own kids..............YES!!!!!!:lol: :lol:

krieve
29-Mar-06, 02:15
Scooby doo lol ye watch it on the tv with your kids i play the games on there website lol just testing them for the bairns.[para]:lol:

Cedric Farthsbottom III
29-Mar-06, 02:19
We believe ye krieve,we believe ye.........:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

The Pepsi Challenge
29-Mar-06, 04:25
There is an element of truth that an old town once rested where Castletown is now. But get this. I once met and chatted with Tom Conti (the actor) who is very big up on Scottish history. He maintains - and I know this is hard to believe - that a church is located underneath the biggest sand dune, which is located beside the smallish car park before you arrive at the main beach entrance in Dunnet. If anyone fancies digging it up, feel free.

Olrig, incedentally, is the most haunted place in all of Caithness. Bad luck follows you out of that cemetery time and again.

cuddlepop
29-Mar-06, 09:46
local myths and legonds are really fasinating,you usually find an element of truth if you dig deap eneogh.
In Potree they've started building on a local farmers land.250 houses are earmarked to go there.Already they have found evidence of an ancient township.Remains as yet haven't een found bue evidence of old buildings and ii nhabitants have.Idont no the history about the place but i think its got something to do with the Nicloson clan fleeing the harbour area and biulding a stronghold to defend them against the Macleods...
When i lived there it just didnt feel right,there were far to many stange goings on.My son was convinced our house was haunted,it was a new house but on an old farm.
Castletown is a :stange :place.If your at all Psychic as i suspect Pheonix is then you'll know what i mean.:p

MagicalTrevor
29-Mar-06, 10:03
I heard if you go out fishing on Loch Watten when the moon be full, a not quite man, not quite fish, called old gregg, will come at you!

phoenix
29-Mar-06, 12:06
There is an element of truth that an old town once rested where Castletown is now. But get this. I once met and chatted with Tom Conti (the actor) who is very big up on Scottish history. He maintains - and I know this is hard to believe - that a church is located underneath the biggest sand dune, which is located beside the smallish car park before you arrive at the main beach entrance in Dunnet. If anyone fancies digging it up, feel free.

Olrig, incedentally, is the most haunted place in all of Caithness. Bad luck follows you out of that cemetery time and again.


You know what I think TPC...... I think youre right I think there was a village here a long long time ago, and I think that they practised a bit of "Voodoo" for want of a better word and conjoured up all these horsemen and seal ladies etc and bad luck stories! And you know what else I think ........ I think that connie and her team of "ghostbusters" from Wick did a little cleansing last night along with the help of some Aliens.....thanks guys! :Razz They shed a little light and laughter on Olrig hill and all the darkness and the spooks have dissappeared! Its a lot brighter and lighter in Castletown today :o) Now I must go take my medication! [para]

Cuddlepop...Castletown strange????? Never! I do know that the static around here this last few days has been unreal, cant touch anything without getting a shock! :eek:

Saveman
29-Mar-06, 12:15
Isn't Olrig House a retirement home for clergy types? You would have thought that would keep away any malevolent spirits!
Or maybe that attracts them!

doyle
30-Mar-06, 14:39
After reading this thread last night I decided to go up to the old old cemetery today with my hubby (wouldn't go on my own) :eek:. We read the plaque beside the gate about the Selkie Woman but couldn't find her grave, nor the pirate graves. She wasn't half seal - she was found as a baby wrapped in sealskins. Of the stones that were readable we were shocked at the amount of infant mortality back in the 1800's, whole families of children, very sad :~( I might go back up again and have another look and see if I can find them.

saffy100
30-Mar-06, 16:36
Hi

If you head in the gates, walk straight ahead then turn left past the church, if you've got to the doorway of the church you've gone to far, the pirate (or criminal ) ones are on the ground, flat with a skull and crossbones on, 2 or 3 rows from bottom end of church.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you find them.

Saffy100

clash67
30-Mar-06, 17:12
Hi

If you head in the gates, walk straight ahead then turn left past the church, if you've got to the doorway of the church you've gone to far, the pirate (or criminal ) ones are on the ground, flat with a skull and crossbones on, 2 or 3 rows from bottom end of church.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you find them.

Saffy100
I don't think they are pirate graves , they are masonic graves.

doyle
30-Mar-06, 20:11
Hi

If you head in the gates, walk straight ahead then turn left past the church, if you've got to the doorway of the church you've gone to far, the pirate (or criminal ) ones are on the ground, flat with a skull and crossbones on, 2 or 3 rows from bottom end of church.

Hope this helps. Let us know if you find them.

Saffy100

Thanks saffy100 - I'll look again, do you know where the selkie womans grave is?

connieb19
30-Mar-06, 20:17
Doyle, this is really odd... your last 2 posts say they are your 13th post. How's that possible? I wouldn't usually notice this sort of thing but somebody mentioned something to me about the number 13 and I just happened to notice this????[para] [para] :confused:

unicorn
30-Mar-06, 20:18
cos when your post number changes it changes on every post you have made

connieb19
30-Mar-06, 20:21
cos when your post number changes it changes on every post you have madeOH thanks unicorn, I thought something spooky was going on. :o

unicorn
30-Mar-06, 20:23
I think the only spirit's to be seen are in your glass connie lol ;)

doyle
30-Mar-06, 20:47
Connieb19 - crikey!! Spooky or what? Maybe thats a sign! :eek:

Fluff
30-Mar-06, 20:49
does anyone know of a webpage that has any info on it about the selkie or the so called ancient town under the sand?

was trying to explain the selkie story to my boyfriend but dont think i did a very good job.
thanks

doyle
30-Mar-06, 20:56
does anyone know of a webpage that has any info on it about the selkie or the so called ancient town under the sand?

was trying to explain the selkie story to my boyfriend but dont think i did a very good job.
thanks

Sorry fluff this reply is not about the selkie but I just noticed where you are from. My son and grandaughter live in Reading - we are coming down for a week at the end of May, maybe i'll see you!! :grin:

Billy Boy
30-Mar-06, 21:17
My friend told me that legend has it that the hole in the silkies grave is always wet.....My friends mother also stepped in the hole in the grave and on the way home fell and broke her ankle... :(

DRM
30-Mar-06, 21:41
Selkies grave if i can remember correctly is directly over from the gate to the old cemetry and up to the right against the wall behind the far side of the church you are looking for a small square hollow in the ground about 6 inches square lined with flagstone at the end of the gravestone
I can remember being there in the drought of 1976 and it was still damp
Years since I have been there but if anybody wants I will go again just to check and post directions.

doyle
31-Mar-06, 18:30
thanks DRM, will go back and have another look with my hubby. Will go into new and old cemetery myself but not the old old cemetery - found it a bit spooky to go on my own [para]

DRM
15-May-06, 22:36
would not upload photo

angela5
15-May-06, 23:00
Any news or sightings on the mummy?:lol:

Ricco
16-May-06, 07:25
Has anyone else noticed that Doyle's post counter is stuck on 74? Maybe this is the new number 13! Oooooooo!;)

darkie@dreamtilt.com.au
16-May-06, 09:51
OH thanks unicorn, I thought something spooky was going on. :o Must remember when I come back for a holiday not to drink the water

dunderheed
16-May-06, 11:08
i'm intrieged (sp?) , where exactly is the olrig cemetary? i know after having spent almost 15 years in the county i should know where this is but i don't.
anyhoo when i was at school in ayrshire they told us that selkies were almost always men as the mermaid were the female equivelant.

phoenix
16-May-06, 11:28
Any news or sightings on the mummy?

Spotted him on the Paul O' Grady show yesterday, he sure does get around! [lol]

angela5
16-May-06, 11:37
Spotted him on the Paul O' Grady show yesterday, he sure does get around! [lol]

Now is'nt that just typical. The one day i miss the Paul O' Grady show:roll:

Dog-eared
16-May-06, 12:39
Many years ago the Broo Job Creation boys were tidying up Old Olrig Cemetary and decided to clear the floor of the old roofless Kirk , to expose the original flag / gravestone floor. They did a good job scraping out loads of earth , but had nowhere to put it . Since it was good , black , crumbly composty stuff they decided it would do no harm to scatter it over the grass in the old graveyard - it would soon disappear into the grass.
So far so good.


A local farmer went down a few days later to see the good work and discovered the old graveyard was covered with bits of bone and teeth everywhere.


After a wee bit of investigating it was revealed that when the cemetary was getting full , there was a lack of depth in the lairs , so the gravediggers would craftily but diligently dispose of some of the soil from the opened graves to make room for the new inhabitant. This soil they scattered in the old Kirk as it was consecrated ground.

The Job Creation boy's scattered "earth" got washed into the grass by the rain , leaving the bits of bone and teeth on the top.


The farmer even found a set of false teeth and a glass eye there.

( I made the last bit up! )

phoenix
16-May-06, 17:01
LOL nice one Dog-eared! :}

[para] Maybe the Elephant ran the Mummy out of Castletown and he took refuge with Paul o' Grady......

star glazer
16-May-06, 18:03
Selkies grave
I can remember being there in the drought of 1976 and it was still damp
Years since I have been there but if anybody wants I will go again just to check and post directions.

I took a walk round there at the weekend, and it is still damp to this day.
The selkie woman myth lives on. :eek:

angela5
16-May-06, 18:25
A Scottish version of the mermaid, selkies were said to be creatures that can take the form of seals or humans, depending on whether they are in water or on land.
Once their seal-skins were discarded, selkies became extremely attractive to humans and it was not uncommon for relationships to form, with the selkie making the decision to stay on land.
No matter how strong the selkie's ties with her mortal family, however, she would always pine to return to the sea, and so to avoid this possibility men would steal the seal-skins and hide them.Without their skins, the selkies were trapped on land.
A Shetland legend tells of a selkie woman who had been married to her mortal husband for many years and had several children by him (as everybody knows, any children produced by a selkie-human union can be distinguished by having webbed hands and feet).
One day, one of her young sons inadvertently discovered the seal-skin which had been secreted away in his father's hiding place and, wondering what it was, took it straight to his mother. Delighted, she seized the skin from him, put it on and slipped into the water, leaving her family, home and distraught husband behind forever.
Still, never mind. Plenty more fish in the sea, eh?

phoenix
16-May-06, 18:29
Omg Ive got slightly webbed toes! :eek: I did see my doc about it, he said not too worry as his daughter was the same! :}

r.rackstraw
16-May-06, 22:38
The Church under the dunes is called Coomb's Kirk. It is supposed to be close to the road cutting east of the Thurdistoft road end.