The Ghosts of Marshalland & Spier's
30 September
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The lands of Marshalland and Spier's
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Spier's - plenty of scope for the imagination
At least two ghosts are associated with Marshalland and Spier's.
John Shedden of Marshalland was born in 1756 and was locally known as 'Jack o'the Marshalland'.
Jack was a notorious poacher and had numerous conflicts with the law of the day, indeed so much so that he had to leave the Beith area for a while and support himself by become a game-keeper, his local nickname suitably adapting itself when he eventually returned.
When he died he had a friend fire a shotgun over his grave, much to the surprise and consternation of the minister all in an attempt to scare away the evil spirits waiting to snatch his soul away to hell.
Legend has however it that a ghost was regularly seen in the old 100ft high tower of the old Spier's school built on the grounds of Marshalland; maybe the closests to heaven that Jack could get?
It was once believed that a lady had ended her life in the grounds of Spier's and groups of the schools' pupils used to come out at night and camp in the grounds in the hope of seeing her.
Over four hundred cholera victims were buried in an unmarked grave on the lands of Marshalland and Spier's - plenty of scope for ghosthunters there!
Does anyone have any other stories of ghosts or strange happenings associated with Spier's, Marshalland, Beith, Barrmill, Gateside, etc.
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