The Wicked Laird of Tullochgorum

Tullochgorum, Strathspey, Highland, Scotland

The laird of Tullochgorum sold his soul for thirty years of power and wealth. When the time came to pay, his ghost was seen riding toward the north — and has never stopped.

The legend of the Wicked Laird of Tullochgorum is a classic compact-with-the-devil story that circulated widely in Strathspey from at least the 18th century and was collected in several slightly different forms by 19th-century folklorists. The outline is consistent: a laird in financial ruin, deep in debt and facing the loss of his estate, was approached by a well-dressed stranger on the road north of Grantown. The stranger offered thirty years of prosperity in exchange for the laird's soul at the appointed time. The laird accepted. The estate thrived. The laird became powerful and respected. He tried, as the stories always go, to find escape: consulting ministers, attempting atonement, seeking loopholes in the bargain. None succeeded. On the night of the thirtieth anniversary — in some versions, at the stroke of midnight — a black carriage was heard on the track to the castle. The laird's screaming was heard by the servants. In the morning he was gone. But the story continues. Several generations of Strathspey residents — and more recently, night cyclists on the military road through the area — have reported seeing a rider on the road, riding north at considerable speed, on a horse that makes no sound. He is seen from behind only, and turns a corner or crests a rise and is simply not there on the other side. The figure is unhurried, which is the most unsettling detail. He has been riding for a very long time.

Folklore Disclaimer: These accounts are drawn from local tradition, oral history, and community memory. They are not presented as factual claims.

Location accuracy: Approximate. Coordinates indicate the general area.