For generations, a human skull linked to a bloody Highland legend was kept within the Grant family, surrounded by a warning that taking it away could spell disaster for the clan. Now, more than six centuries after the events at the heart of the story, forensic experts are examining the remains to find out whether the grisly relic really belongs to the medieval figure described in the legend. The investigation is being led by Grantown Museum in Scotland, which is preparing an exhibition and podcast titled The Legend of the Highland Skull. The museum says the project will explore a story involving forbidden love, powerful Highland clans, murder and a supposed curse.
A skull, a castle and an old Highland legend
The story centres on what is now Castle Grant in Strathspey. According to the tradition recorded in an 1857 letter, the skull belonged to the head of Clan Comyn, who was allegedly killed during a violent struggle involving the Grants and MacGregors over the stronghold then known as Freuchie Castle.The Grants eventually made the castle their seat, and it became known as Castle Grant. The legend held that the skull was retained as a kind of grim family talisman but with one ominous condition: if it ever left Grant possession, the clan would supposedly lose its lands, influence and standing in Strathspey. That part of the story remains folklore rather than established history. What can be established is that a skull associated with the legend survived into modern times.
The mysterious skull resurfaced in a box
The relic disappeared from public view for years after the Grant family sold Castle Grant in 1983. It was eventually rediscovered by Lord Reidhaven, a descendant of the Grant chiefs, in a family storeroom. It was reportedly sitting inside a Harrods box alongside something almost as intriguing: a letter dating to 1857.The document had been written by Grigor Stuart, a minister from Kingussie who visited the Countess of Seafield at Castle Grant in October that year. His account described the skull and the story that had grown around it, including the claim that it was the remains of the last Comyn associated with Freuchie. Rather than allowing the mystery to remain a family story, Reidhaven brought the skull and letter to Dan Cottam, curator of Grantown Museum. That decision has now turned a centuries-old legend into a forensic investigation.
What can science actually reveal?
The skull is being examined by specialists in human remains and osteology, including Cat Irving, a human-remains conservator associated with Surgeons’ Hall Museums in Edinburgh. The first examination has already raised fresh questions. The skull appears to have been deliberately sawn across the forehead, with a metal hinge and hook attached to it, effectively turning part of the skull into a container.Researchers are working to establish basic facts that could either support or challenge the traditional account, including whether the remains belonged to a man or woman, the person’s approximate age, and any evidence of injury or disease. Most importantly, determining the skull’s age and comparing the physical evidence with the historical account will be crucial to assessing whether the story holds up.
The curse is being tested against history
The timing is particularly striking. The skull has now left the possession of the Grant family, precisely the act the legend warned would bring about the clan’s downfall. But this time, the purpose is not to test the curse.Grantown Museum is using the investigation to examine how stories survive, change and acquire authority as they pass from one generation to another. The project combines historical research, forensic examination and storytelling rather than treating the supernatural element as established fact.The museum’s Legend of the Highland Skull project includes a four-part podcast, an animated short film and an exhibition. The exhibition is scheduled to run at Grantown Museum from September 7 to October 31, 2026, while the podcast began releasing episodes in September. And after roughly 600 years of legend, one question finally has a chance of being answered: whose skull is it really?
