Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

500-Year-Old Scottish Castle Forced to Shut Down Due to 'Very Angry Badger'

500-Year-Old Scottish Castle Forced to Shut Down Due to 'Very Angry Badger'
Arterra/Getty Images

For one glorious day, Craignethan Castle in Scotland must have felt like it did during the old days—the site of an epic battle, with heroic forces facing off for control of each hall and turret! During the dark ages, the competing forces would be armored knights, but in our modern era the warriors are even more exciting: a group of tourists and one "very angry badger."


The castle's tunnel was closed the week of Sunday, April 8, due to a badger conflict.

Historic Scotland, the organization that oversees the castle, hatched a plan to entice the badger out of its hidey-hole with cat food. Unfortunately, they didn't manage to lure it back to the wilds until it had already "dug through loose soil and stonework, leaving behind a mess." The BBC reported that the combative badger "wandered" into the castle from the nearby woods, though it seems just as likely the beast was making an intentional choice to invade the castle and become a Lord.

Though the badger is gone, visitors won't be able to enjoy the tunnel for a little while longer.

Scotland's national newspaper,The Scotsman, reports the tunnel will remain off limits until it can be cleaned and otherwise de-badgered. The rest of the castle, however, will carry on as usual — as long as a certain someone doesn't return for revenge.

If the badger wanted to take over a castle, Craignethan is a good choice.

The castle was built in 1530 and featured special "fortifications" to protect it from artillery, a state-of-the-art development for its time. At one point, the castle also had a very nice rampart, though it was destroyed in 1579 and is now seen only as a ruin.

And if you're a Game of Thrones fan, the castle's history reads like something from the mind of George R.R. Martin.

The opening of the castle's history on Wikipedia reads:

The barony of Draffane, in which Craignethan was located, was a property of the Black Douglases until their forfeiture in 1455. The land was granted to the Hamilton family, and in 1530 was given by James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran to his illegitimate son James Hamilton of Finnart.

James Hamilton of Finnart had travelled in Europe, and had become an accomplished architect and military engineer. Appointed Kings Master of Works, he was responsible for the defences at Blackness Castle, as well as the renaissance facades of Linlithgow Palace. At Craignethan, he set out to build a "showcase" to display his talents in both domestic and military architecture.

If you were visiting Craignethan last week and found yourself barred from the tunnel, thank your good fortune.

Badgers are the largest carnivores in Scotland. Though they're mostly peaceful creatures, they can be dangerous when cornered, scared, or attempting to carve out a place for themselves in feudal Europe. Perhaps we should consider ourselves lucky everyone made it out alive.

H/T - Huffpost, The Scotsman

More from Trending

Country Singer Gavin Adcock went on a drunken rant over Beyonce's "Cowboy Carter" success.
Danielle Del Valle/Getty Images; Emma McIntyre/Getty Images for The Recording Academy

Country singer rants over Beyoncé album

Country singer Gavin Adcock became the title of his next album, “Own Worst Enemy,” after going on an unhinged rant about the legitimacy of Beyoncé's Grammy-winning and record-breaking Cowboy Carter in the country music genre.

Adcock, whose upcoming album is set for release next month, was filmed during a live performance last weekend, complaining that Beyoncé and her album are not “country music.”

Keep ReadingShow less
Dionne Warwick; Tiny Chef
Astrida Valigorsky/Getty Images; @ToonHive/X

Dionne Warwick Is Ready To Go To War With Nickelodeon Over 'Tiny Chef' Cancellation

You know your campaign against a show's cancellation is achieving widespread attention when you get people like venerated singer Dionne Warwick advocating for you.

Nickelodeon's The Tiny Chef Show was recently cancelled, much to the dismay of its viewers and creators. It was also a genuinely surprising decision, since the show has won an Emmy.

Keep ReadingShow less
Woman relaxing in sunhat and sunglasses
Photo by Jordan Bauer on Unsplash

People Explain Which 'Small Luxuries' They Can't Live Without

Many of us have committed to being fairly financially frugal and not overspending on silly, unnecessary things.

That is to say, sometimes, it's fun to splurge on something one time to see what it's like to experience that small luxury.

Keep ReadingShow less
two women in emotional distress seated on couch
Ben White on Unsplash

People Who've Experienced Grief Share The Most Tone-Deaf Things They've Heard

Grief, loss, trauma are all part of life. But for most people, the emotions and reactions that go with them are difficult to witness.

So they rely on platitudes to fill any holes in conversation. That's rarely a good idea.

Keep ReadingShow less
Donald Trump
Mehmet Eser/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images

Trump Demands 'Boss Of AT&T' Fix Equipment After Failed Conference Call In Bizarre Meltdown

When most of us have technical difficulties, we contact tech support or customer service.

But if you're President of the United States, just ranting on social media—then having your White House Press Secretary post a screenshot of your post on a social media platform people actually use—is apparently the answer.

Keep ReadingShow less