Did you know that Edinburgh and the Lothians is home to some seriously creepy abandoned buildings? Some of which have a dark past that still haunts them to this day.
From the spooky ruins of Mavisbank House to the weird and wonderful story of Cammo House, we have rounded up five of the creepiest, most unusual and less well known abandoned buildings and ruins in Edinburgh and the Lothians and also explained what makes them so unique.
Ghosts (probably) don't exist, but it's still fascinating to look at photos of these eerie sites and imagine wandering around them in the dark. More importantly, it's an important reminder of just how interesting and varied our area's heritage really is.
Cammo Estate
Just south of the A90, at the edge of Edinburgh and approximately six miles from the city centre, lies an abandoned estate which is popular with local dog walkers.
Today all that remains of the house that gives the estate its name is a door frame surrounded by a pile of stones, but this abandoned site was once a mansion owned by a family surrounded by scandal.
Cammo House was built in 1693 by John Menzies and was bought in 1898 by Margaret Maitland-Tennent who came from a wealthy background.
A book has been written all about the family which follows the turbulent marriage between Margaret and husband David, who both wanted to get their hands on her huge inheritance.
After Margaret passed away her son left the house to rot. It's since been demolished but there are lots of other unusual ruins in the grounds to explore.
Mavisbank House, Midlothian
Tucked away between Loanhead and Bonnyrigg lies an abandoned 17th century "lunatic asylum"
The Category A listed building is appreciated by architects for being one of the earliest examples of a 'Palladian-style villa.'
The building has a rich and eerie history, it was once home to a Scottish politician before becoming a "lunatic asylum" for the wealthy in the 1870s.
Since 2002 the Mavisbank Trust has been trying to restore and develop parts of the building to keep it in order.
Old Gunpowder Mill, Roslin Glen
Just outside Edinburgh and over the River Esk, lies the ruins of an old gunpowder mill now smothered by moss.
The mill once produced gunpowder from 1801 to 1954 and it was a major source of employment in the area, especially in wartime for women.
It's a hauntingly beautiful spot, but rumour has it that the Old Gunpowder Mill is haunted by its dark past, as numerous accidents took place at here when it operated.
Royal Bank of Scotland building, Dundas at Fettes Row
In the heart of Edinburgh City Centre, an old Royal Bank Of Scotland building now lies dormant.
One Edinburgh local shared a picture of the abandoned bank saying: "The abandoned Royal Bank of Scotland building on Dundas at Fettes Row looks like a Soviet ruin."
The New Town building has now been sold off to a Real estate firm called Orion Capital who planned to turn the ruins into 400 new homes, however, they came up against opposition from nearby residents.
Crichton Castle
Crichton Castle is an old castle near the village of Crichton in Midlothian. It is located at the head of the River Tyne, two miles south of the village of Pathhead, and the same distance east of Gorebridge.
Much of the ruins are still intact and tell the story of the 14th-century castle which was built by the Crichton family.
The ruins are difficult to find and are nestled away in a lonely location above the River Tyne.
The oldest part of the castle is the 14th-century tower, which was once three storeys tall and had an eerie pit-prison located in the prison.
This article previously included Bangour Village Hospital, which is currently unsafe to visit due to the fact it is currently under development, we have removed this reference as a result. We did not intend to encourage anyone to either visit or trespass on a dangerous site and will be reviewing our policies on stories about abandoned places moving forwards.
