Edinburgh’s Ghosts – 2. The First Ghost (Vault Tour)

Who was the ghostly “child number three?” Read about this lingering mystery, and ghosts beneath the streets of Edinburgh, Scotland.

(This is Fiona’s summary, continued from Edinburgh Ghosts, Part One)

First ghost encounter – The mother with “child number three”

The first room was reached by a stairway from the street level. The room had little lighting, part of the “atmosphere” created for the tour.

On one wall, I saw a fireplace. It had been the center of life in that room, as it seemed to hold considerable “psychic” energy. I knew it had been a rather smoky fireplace because the lingering image was so clear.

In front of the fireplace, I “saw” a woman, in a shabby linen-like gown and a soiled, austere cap of what seemed to be coarse white linen. From her clothing, I’d guess that she lived in the early 17th century, but I could be wrong.

I knew she’d been highborn, and her father was probably a doctor. She’d married someone far beneath her, and was living in relative squalor. It embarrassed her.

She was too proud to ask her family for help yet, and they were equally uncomfortable dealing with the situation.

The woman’s husband had been a fascinating and exciting man (in a mercurial way) when they’d met, but now he was quite mad. He slept on the hard floor, fearing “vapours” which he thought were poisoning him. In his madness, he believed that his wife planned to have an affair with a neighbor. The husband continued to work for awhile, but eventually lost his job and left his wife and children.

I don’t know if he died or just deserted them.

The family had at least four children.

Who was Child #3?

There was a baby in this room, and an older boy whom I call “Child #3.” The mother felt guilty about neglecting the baby, but her focus was on Child #3.

She was convinced that he had a future.

For some reason – and this is why I have the sense that her father was a doctor – she insisted upon holding Child #3 up to a small window, to let the light shine on his face. In an otherwise dark existence, this was often his only exposure to sunlight, especially in the winter.

I know that she and her children stayed in this underground dwelling for awhile after she was deserted by her husband. Then they moved away. I know that, after living underground, she became obsessed with light and warmth for her family. When her family lived in this room, she spent most of her time near the fireplace.

I think that the woman swallowed her pride and–with her children–returned to her father’s home.

I have the sense that Child #3 grew up to become someone who’s in the history books. Perhaps he was a politician. I think his family history will be noted in biographies. He can be identified.

Also in the room, to the left I “saw” a closet or some niche in the wall. It was where the woman kept a secret. It was a “good” secret, but something she wanted concealed while she lived there. Perhaps she hid money from her husband.

On the other side of the room, I sense a closet or niche that had something very bad about it. It may have been a damp area, and/or something with a horrid odor. The woman was alarmed by that, but not overwhelmingly afraid. She tried to keep that closet (or niche) closed up.

This story continues in Edinburgh vault tours – two ghosts