Haunted Edinburgh

Dalry House & Johnny One-Arm

Edinburgh's Dalry House - in Orwell Place near Haymarket - is reportedly haunted by the ghost of a one armed man, known unimaginatively as Johnny One Arm.

Johnny One Arm is believed to have been one John Chiesly. Chiesly lived in the seventeenth century and in 1688 divorced his wife. Local magistrate Sir George Lockhart decreed that Chiesley should pay a substantial annual settlement to his ex-wife.

This annoyed Chiesley so much that he shot and killed Sir George. Chiesley was captured and his right arm (which had held the gun) cut off before he was hanged.

Just a scary story to tell around the fireplace? Perhaps, but in 1965 a skeleton was found beneath a Dalry cottage - a 300 year old skeleton with only one arm.