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Buckholm is a farm near the Scottish borders in Galashiels, Scotland. On the farm lay the ruins of the Buckholm tower. Built in 1582 by the Pringle family.
During the 18th century, James pringle was the owner of the estate. He was widely known as an evil and ruthless man. He mistreated his wife and son and would often beat them up. His family would always live in fear and one night when he went into the drunken state they ran away from home. From then on James pringle became even more angrier and started taking out his rage on the women of the village.
The Government during that time were persecuting the covenanters and he being such an evil man was appointed by the government to inflict pain on the covenanters. The local dragoons (appointed by the crown) were notified of illegal covenanters gathering taking place and they asked for help from James pringle. When they reached the location, the assembly had already fled and only an old man and his son were present on the spot. Both of them were taken prisoners to extract information about the others.
During the night, the old man fell ill and his son was shouting for help. James went into the cell and started beating them up. After some minutes of screaming there was complete silence and James came out of the cell and sat down to drink again. Soon there was a loud knocking on the door. The old man’s wife was found upon opening the door and she demanded to know about his husband and son. In a fit of rage James pringle took the old woman to the cell where her husband and son were kept. The woman screamed when she saw the condition of her husband and son. They were hanging from the hook of the ceiling and blood was dripping from their lifeless bodies. The old woman in pain and agony cursed Pringle and said that the hounds of hell would forever pursue him and even after his death. James pringle became scared.
It is said that he died after sometime and in his last days, the servants and guards would hear him scream. He believed that those hounds of hell were following him day and night and he died a horrifying death that many people believed was the work of hounds of hell. He would sometimes come out of his room running to servants pleading his servants to save him from the devil’s pets.
Every year on the day he died people can still see his apparition running away scared knocking all the doors begging to be let in followed by the barking sounds of hounds only to be dragged away to a place that many believe to be hell. This activity continues on a yearly basis and it is believed that the curse is still in effect.
Reverend Henry Davidson is said to have reportedly exorcised the ghost and banished the hounds to where they came from but he failed as people still claim to witness the terrified apparition on the date of his death anniversary.
