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Daily Record
Daily Record
National
James Moncur

Fears Loch Ness house once owned by 'Wickedest man in world' will become satansist shrine over plans for holiday homes

Protesters have demanded council bosses throw out plans to turn the former home of a notorious occult leader into holiday lodges.

Opponents claim Boleskine House, on the shores of Loch Ness, will also become a pilgrimage site for Satanists if a planning application is given the green light.

The house is currently owned by Keith Readdy who placed it into the care of a charitable foundation.

It used to be the Highland home of Led Zeppelin’ guitarist, Jimmy Page, and, more significantly, infamous occultist, philosopher and ceremonial magician Aleister Crowley, who died in 1947.

He founded an occult religious movement named Thelema and styled himself as a prophet.

In 2015, a major fire devastated the B-listed Georgian building on the banks of Loch Ness. (PETER JOLLY NORTHPIX)

Crowley drank blood and staged huge orgies fuelled by heroin and cocaine. He also called himself The Beast 666, the wickedest man in the world and had his teeth filed into fangs.

He was one of the founding 'prophets' of the Ordo Templi Orientis, also known as OTO or 'Order of the Temple of the East',

In 2015, a major fire devastated the B-listed Georgian building, stripping out the interior and collapsing the roof.

To help raise money for the project and repair the damage, Readdys sold pieces of the building with authentication certificates to collectors online.

The planning application, lodged with Highland Council under the mansion house's Gaelic name of Baile Os Ceann, shows plans to create 10 holiday 'twin units' with a reception area, car parking and the installation of a sewage treatment plant.

Boleskine House was once owned by legendary Led Zeppelin guitarist, Jimmy Page. (sunday mail)

Guided tours of the main building and grounds are also planned.

Opponents are worried that if the development goes ahead the sprawling site will become a hub for occultists and Satanists from around the world.

Owner Keith Readdy, the Chairman of the Boleskine House Foundation. (PETER JOLLY NORTHPIX)

Children’s charity Fresh Start Foundation are representing people who oppose the redevelopment at Boleskine House, both in the local community and further afield.

A spokesman told The Record: "Our objection is to the proposed use of the property to promote the "sex-magick" and "Thelemic" doctrines of Aleister Crowley, which amount to a Satanic religion and are associated with Satanist Ritual Abuse.

"As such, the promotion of this abusive legacy of a man who styled himself "The Beast" presents a danger to the local community and especially to children and vulnerable adults.

Alesiter Crowley, the self styled 'wickedest man in the world'. (Hulton Archive)

"We believe that this development poses a danger to local people as it will attract Satanists from across the globe to the quiet, and hitherto safe, highland community of Foyers.

"We believe  it is essential that the planning process be used to prevent this ultimate bad-neighbour development from blighting this highland community."

While another objector, Naomi King,  claims her comments on the council's planning portal had been 'sanitised' - with all references to Satanism removed.

Mr Readdy is the chairman of the Boleskine House Foundation. He recently published the book One Truth and One Spirit: Aleister Crowley's Spiritual Legacy and claims to have an academic interest in the house.

The Foundation’s intentions are explained on its website and play down claims that Boleskine will become an occult hub.

It says: “Our mission is to restore and preserve the historical legacy and heritage of the Boleskine House estate for the greater benefit of the public.

“Upon its complete restoration, we intend to use the estate to promote education on the heritage of the house, to welcome the enjoyment of its structure and surrounding gardens.”

And it adds: “The Boleskine House Foundation is not affiliated with Aleister Crowley or Thelema and is an independent organisation with primary secular interests to restore the house.”

A previous version of this article suggested that there were proposed plans to 'turn' Boleskine House into 10 holiday homes. We have been asked to make clear that the proposals are not for the building itself to be turned into 10 holiday homes, but for the holiday homes to be erected separately on site. We are happy to clarify this.  

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