Jackie Lindsay, who lives in Wales and is related to the Cochranes who once lived at Calderglen in Blantyre recently emailed me. Her message contained a ghost story which is retold here.
Jackie said, “When I visited Calderglen in 1993, owners at the time, Mr & Mrs Welsh were lovely. They were fascinated by what I could tell them about the Cochranes who lived there in the 19th and 20th Century, as they had become very interested in the family. When we were on our own Mrs Welsh said that there was a ghost upstairs in one of the bedrooms. Apparently there were 6 beds in a very large bedroom and several times the occupants asked her why the nurse woke them up during the night asking them if they wanted a drink of water. Mrs Welsh was naturally confused and said what do you mean – they said the nurse in the long grey dress ………. And then she would find chairs moved into the middle of the room, and personal possessions moved to others bedside cabinets. Mrs Welsh had not heard about Pelham’s death in 1884 and the body kept upstairs with a nurse employed to look after him …… she was wowed!! She also told me that one day she was down in the hall when she heard an approaching horse and she saw the shape of a horse ridden by a man go under the portico (front door). She rushed outside but there was nothing there. Fascinating stories!”
This was of course a LONG time ago. Calderglen has such a calm, peaceful feel to the place and ghostly goings on are not in modern stories. Calderglen has recently gone through several changes with its 24 bedrooms now devoted to residential rehabilitation and wellbeing. Set in 10 acres of beautiful grounds Calderglen House has a therapeutic community with services ranging from Mental Health Treatment to Physical Health & Wellbeing.
Calderglen is pictured in 2007 by local man Jim Brown.
