Paranormal investigators seek to discover if Falkirk Steeple is haunted

The view of the cell door from inside the cell in Falkirk's Steeple. (Pic: submitted)

Is Falkirk Steeple haunted? That was the question that a group of paranormal enthusiasts tried to answer last week when they visited the building and set up their impressive collection of measuring equipment in the old jail cells.

The investigators from RAW paranormal were taking advantage of the opening of the steeple to the public to test if the grim walls of the 19th century cells held more than the stories told by the guides from the Local History Society.

Ian Scott from the society drew the short straw and stayed in the building until late in the evening watching much of the proceedings and was astonished when the investigators reported that the lower cell which had been for the male prisoners was “chock full of various spirit forms” and that they “pinched and nipped the investigators on the arms, whispered their names and clearly made their presence felt”. While the female cell above was less productive the stairwell apparently showed evidence of struggles and even of bodies tumbling down the spiral.

Ian who finds all this incomprehensible was impressed nonetheless by the enthusiasm of the team and is looking forward to their full report. He said: “I admit that we thought that a steeple ghost would be good publicity for us and hoped it might turn out to be the drunken chimney sweep called MacFarlane who climbed up the outside and fell 60 feet to his death in 1829 while trying to speak through the bars to a friend in the top cell. However he has not shown himself so far!”

The paranormal investigators are planning a second visit soon.

The steeple is open to the public every Tuesday and Saturday from 10am to 4pm. Admission is free.