Castell Gloom

“The history of Scotland is full of references to the doings at Glencardine, the fine home of the great Lord Glencardine”.  Now in disrepair, those “gaunt ruins of the old castle” were the muse for Baroness Nairne for these lines of prose.

 Oh Castell Gloom! thy strength is gone,

    The green grass o'er thee growin';

  On Hill of Care thou art alone,

    The Sorrow round thee flowin'.

  Oh Castell Gloom! on thy fair wa's

    Nae banners now are streamin';

  The howlit flits amang thy ha's,

    And wild birds there are screamin'.

      Oh, mourn the woe! oh, mourn the crime

        Frae civil war that flows!

      Oh, mourn, Argyll, thy fallen line,

        And mourn the great Montrose!

  The lofty Ochils bright did glow,

    Though sleepin' was the sun;

  But mornin's light did sadly show

    What ragin' flames had done!

  Oh, mirk, mirk was the misty cloud

    That hung o'er thy wild wood!

  Thou wert like beauty in a shroud,

    And all was solitude.

Baroness Nairne

The House of Whispers, William Le Queux