The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com

Abandoned Castle Hospital

By Matthew Kong

EERIE photographs revealed an abandoned Scottish castle that was previously the WW2 military hospital that treated Rudolf Hess the top Nazi and penman of Hitler’s diary Mein Kampf.

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com

Pictures show moss, ivy, even trees have begun growing inside the former castle with no roof. The wooden insulation has been left exposed and rotting with ivy and vines taking root on them. From a distance, you can make out the towers which are missing turrets and have fallen into disrepair.

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com

These stunning but haunting images were taken at Buchanan Castle in Stirlingshire, Scotland by an urban explorer and photography known only as The Forgotten Scotland. For this shoot, the explorer used the lightweight Olympus Em5 DSLR Camera, which was easy to carry whilst exploring ruins.

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com

“I had, unknowingly, driven past Buchanan Castle for many years on my way to the eastern shores of Loch Lomond,” he said.

“I first heard about it online and from then on I was intrigued by its beauty, but also its surprising history.

“During WW2 it had an unexpected use, keeping Adolf Hitler’s right-hand man, Rudolph Hess as a prisoner of war in 1941.”

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com

Rudolph Hess, the Deputy Fuhrer who helped Hitler write his memoir, Mein Kampf, had flown to Britain on a secret peace mission only to crash in Scotland. After parachuting to safety but badly twisting his ankle upon landing, Hess was soon captured by local farm workers.

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com

The nearby castle had been requisitioned and transformed into a hospital during the war, so after being handed over to the Home Guard he was transferred to Buchanan Castle for treatment.

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
“The main problem with shooting in a location like this is trying not to die,” said the Forgotten Scotland explorer.

“You have to watch your every step, for holes in the floors, sharp objects sticking out from the overgrowth, and precarious beams or loose masonry hanging overhead.

“I just want people to look at the photos and for them to use their imagination – what was it like decades ago, the sounds, the smells, the mood.

“Hopefully then people can appreciate the history that is often hidden on their doorstep.”

The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com
The Forgotten Scotland / mediadrumworld.com