The Tattie Bogle

A bogle, boggle, or bogill (depending on where you come from) is a being that is related to many other kinds of household spirits. There is popular story that Tattie Bogle's hide in potato fields, and either protect the crop or jump out to scare passersby.

The Origin Story

A Tattie Bogle is also a Scottish name for a Scarecrow. The children's book "Tattybogle" by Sandra Horn, is an uplifting and heartfelt tale....But in Scottish folklore the Tatty Bogle is a much more menacing figure.

In fact, there is one very dark tale of a farmer who sought help from the ghost's of a warlock, Colin Massie, who was executed in 1596 for witchcraft. Following the warlocks instructions the farmer created a scarecrow using owls eyes and the mouth of a small child who died from smallpox. 

Key Locations

The Hirsel is a 500-acre park with lake and river with a seat of the Douglas-Home family at its core. Coldstream, Berwickshire. Keep your eyes peeled for any scarecrows

The Hirsel

Just North of Eyemouth, this quaint little fishing village is set around old fishermen's cottages and spectacular jagged cliffs. Not sure if they have Tatty Bogle's there but it is worth a visit if you're in the area.

St. Abbs

This striking group of hills are a landmark in the Scottish Borders, visible for miles. The Hills are a treasure-trove for archaeologists, botanists, geologists and ornithologists, and offer a mix of peat bogs, grassland, and acidic heath, on a base of volcanic rock. 

Eildon Hills

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