Page 49 - wadirum

But this is where the spooky stories
start: As our group of eight stood ee-
rily still, our guide told us the chilling
tale of how the Devil came to be here.
There are various versions of the story,
but supposedly during the mid-15th
century, The Lord of Glamis and Earl
of Crawford were in a small room off
the side of the Crypt, playing cards late
on a stormy Saturday night. When the
card-playing continued into the wee
hours of Sunday, a servant chastised
them for gambling on the Sabbath. The
Lord of Glamis replied “that they would
play cards until the Devil himself joined
them, that they’d play ’til Doomsday,”
said our guide.

Well, some folks think that’s just what
occurred, since after that the servants
heard eerie noises coming from the
room as the card game supposedly con-
tinued. One peered through the key-
hole and was zapped by flames! Finally,
300 years later, those residing in the
castle could take the disturbing sounds
no longer, and the room was filled in
and permanently sealed off. But that
didn’t seem to stop the ruckus. Report-
edly just before midnight on Saturdays,
people say you can still hear them! Ap-
parently the Devil has been playing
cards with the duo ever since!

Another room we visited is the Billiard
Room, formerly the Library, built be-
tween 1773 and 1776. It’s much like a
typical family room (in a mansion, that
is)--with a huge fireplace, pool table,
and a chess set and jigsaw puzzle on one
table. Numerous books, tapestries, and
family portraits line the walls. Atop
the piano, purchased in 1866, are fam-
ily photos, including one of the young
Queen Mum, then Lady Bowes-Lyon,
playing this same piano in 1923, short-
ly before her marriage.

Also on the tour is the 60-foot long,
17th century Drawing Room, with its
curved ceiling and large family portraits.
This has long been the family "hang-out"
and where they've entertained guests.
One wall has a painting of the Queen
Mum as a girl in 1909 at age 9. More
family photos are displayed atop the

Wine Dine & Travel 2016 49