The story of the Rait
Castle ghost is taken from George Bain's "History of Nairnshire":
"The story is to the
effect that Cumming of Rait, under the guise of a desire to bury former
animosities and establish friendly relations, invited the Mackintosh and
his followers to a grand banquet at Raite. The invitation was accepted,
and the Mackintoshes, never doubting, prepared to attend. They were,
however, timely warned that the Cummings had planned a foul plot and that
at a given signal each Cumming would rise and slay his defenceless guest.
Old Cumming had put all of his household under a solemn oath that they
would not reveal the plot to any person; but his daughter, anxious for
the safety of young Mackintosh, who was her lover, found a way to
disclose the plot. She went to a large boulder, some distance from the
castle and told the whole story to the stone, but she knew her lover was
behind it as it was their usual trysting place, and he would hear every
word. The stone to this day is called 'The Stone of the Maiden'.
The Mackintoshes,
notwithstanding the warning, resolved to attend the feast. When the
night of the banquet came, each Mackintosh hid his dirk in his plaid,
but gaily took his seat at the festive board of Cumming of Raite. The
revelry ran high, and the walls of the castle rang to the mirthful
shouts of the carousers. At length the toast was given, "The Memory
of the Dead". This was the signal agreed upon for the slaughter of
the guests. The Cummings rose and were about to draw their swords but the
Mackintoshes, being forewarned, were forearmed, and with a yell of
derision, sprang to their feet, drew their daggers and thrust them into
the hearts of the Cummings. Among the few who escaped death, it is said,
was the chief of the Cummings, who rushed to an upper chamber where his
daughter was, whom he believed to have given the information, as he knew
the girl and the young Mackintosh were lovers. Seeing the maddened state
of her father, the young lady sought to escape from him by leaping out
of the window, but before she could do so, he cut off both of her hands
with a broadsword. From the night on which the tragedy was enacted, the
bloodstained walls of Raite have been tenantless."
The story locally is that a
girl with no hands still haunts the ruins.
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