An article entitled  The Real Deal,  author David Knight reports that "Many country hotels like to trade on their historic past, with varying degrees of authenticity, but Maryculter House has something right from the top drawer. As soon as you see the 1225 date engraved above its entrance you realise it has something different from the rest. It sits in a charming, secluded spot alongside the River Dee which also happens to be the ancestral home of a Scottish contingent of the famed Knights Templar."

This article interested me to learn more about this hotel especially since Knight's writing was so evocative: 

"These were fearsome fighting Christian knights with various strongholds around Europe spanning two centuries, who fought in the Crusades and protected pilgrims travelling to the Holy Land. A mere 80 knights once challenged an army of 26,000 Saracens to a scrap on the road to Jerusalem – and eventually won, according to my research. Apart from their fighting prowess, they were also distinguishable by their white robes and vivid scarlet crosses. You feel their presence everywhere here..."

The Maryculter House Hotel website states that it is located near Aberdeen and that "this quality forty bedroom Country House Hotel situated in the heart of Scotlands Castle Trail and Whisky Trail. The perfect Accommodation base for Golf, Fishing, Leisure and Romantic Breaks.... Set in beautiful Landscaped grounds, nestling on the banks of the River Dee in Royal Deeside, home to Scotland's Castle, Golf and Whisky Trails."

The hotel's website can provide you with more information about what it offers and show you pictures of its picturesque interiors, but it also offers a legendary story which brings to life a ghost story of epic proportions.  This story is excerpted here, but you may find the full story HERE:

"...Godfrey Wedderburn, was left for dead on the field of battle in the Holy Land. However, although seriously wounded, he was still breathing and was found by a very beautiful Saracen woman. She tended his wounds and before long nursed him back to full health."

"Before Godfrey left to return home, she presented him with a charm of rare beauty, consisting of a plain gold circlet in which was set a gem of great brilliance. She told him that the charm was proof against the dangers of war and disease but could only be worn by those of spotless purity and unsullied honour. On arriving home, Godfrey was received with great rejoicings by the Knights who had thought him dead."

"One Sunday morning, many years later, as the Knights were passing into the chapel for early Mass their attention was attracted by the figure of a closely veiled woman standing near the door who scanned the features of every passer-by. When Godfrey approached she tore of the veil and rushed forward putting her arms around his neck and kissing him. She was the Saracen lady who had saved his life."

"The Master of the Templars demanded an explanation from Godfrey but did not believe him and questioned his honour. At this Godfrey flew into a terrible rage and struck the Master to the ground."

"So terrible an insult was this that it was only punishable by death, but in consideration of his notable career, Godfrey was allowed to die by his own hand. As Godfrey plunged a dagger into his own heart, a piercing scream resounded in the woods and valleys around Maryculter. The Saracen lady then appeared and, snatching the charm from the dead Knight’s neck, she dared the Grand Master to put it on and prove whether an injustice had been done. Contemptuously the Grand Master placed the charm around his neck. As he did so there was a blinding flash from heaven - a blue bolt of fire struck deep down into the earth where the Grand Master stood and he was seen no more. When the Saracen lady saw what had happened she shouted for joy and snatching the blood-stained dagger from Godfrey’s body buried it deep in her own breast. The Templars fled in fear and when they returned the next day they found the bodies of Godfrey and the Saracen but no sign of the Grand Master. Nearby they found the charm and fearing to keep it, they flung it into the fields, where, it is said, on the anniversary of the terrible tragedy, it shines with a pale blue light."

"Today you can see a deep depression in the ground at Templars park known as the Thunder hole which, it is said, is the exact spot where the Grand Master met his fate. It is also said that if you are there at the midnight hour you may see a fully clad and armed Knight Templar galloping across the fields while near at hand the shadowy figure of a dark complexioned lady is said to glide through the neighbouring woods."

The hotel's website reports that it is located "on the south bank of the River Dee, about six miles from the City of Aberdeen" and that "the hotel can trace its name directly back to the First Crusade and the Knights Templars."

The hotel reports: "Having been introduced to Scotland by David I (1124-1153), [the Templars] were granted lands in the parish of Culter by his grandson William the Lion (1165-1214) in 1187. However they already had a presence in Aberdeen, a chapel on the north side of the Castlegate (roughly where St Peter’s Chapel is now). Subsequently, through the generosity of Walter Bisset of Aboyne, a settlement was established on the lands in Culter about 1225. The site selected by the Templars’ was a level terrace overlooking a wide sweep of the Dee about a mile below the Roman ford at Tilbouries."

"The establishment of the Templars chapel led to a dispute between them and the monks of Kelso (who held the rights to the lands in Culter) over the Templars’ right to have their own chapel within the parish. The dispute went all the way to the Pope and was eventually settled in favor of the Templars. This led to Culter becoming two parishes. The lands on the north bank of the river remained with the monks of Kelso.  As their patron saint was St Peter, these lands became known as Peterculter. The lands on the south bank, belonging to the Templars, became known as Maryculter as the patron saint of the Templars was the Virgin Mary."

"Little documentary evidence of the Templars survives, but in one document of November 1319 reference is made to William de Middleton, of the “tempill house of Culther”."

Further history of the land the hotel is situated upon includes:

"The Templars were succeeded by the Knights of St John of Jerusalem and on deeside reference is often made to the “Sanct Johnis landis in the barony of Marecultir”. With the coming of the Protestant Reformation, they too were banned and the lands eventually came into the possession of the Menzies family of Pitfodels in 1618. In 1745, all six sons of the laird at that time fought for Bonnie Prince Charlie. In 1811 they were sold by John Menzies of Blairs to William Gordon of Fyvie in whose family they remained until 1935 when the estate was broken up. The last Gordon laird, Sir Cosmo Duff Gordon, was one of the few male passengers who survived the titanic disaster. Maryculter House and policies were acquired by Commander J W Guy Innes while his Homepark, now called Templars park, was acquired by the City of Aberdeen Boy Scout’s Association as a camping ground."

"For over 300 years the two famous orders of Chivalry - first the Templars, white cloaked and displaying the scarlet cross of their order, then the Hospitallers, in black with their eight-pointed cross in dazzling white - were a familiar part of Deeside scene."

It is reported that "Of the buildings only the fragmentary ruins of St Mary’s chapel survive, and what is believed to be the vaulted basement of the Preceptor’s lodging incorporated in the 17th century Ha’Hoose of the Menzies family, now Maryculter House Hotel. However it is also claimed that there are still stones to be found in the area with Templar crosses inscribed on them, probably marking the old boundaries of their lands."

David Knight wonders "With a surname like mine, I wondered if I, too, might have had ancestors who were Knights Templar. Very fanciful, I know, and on checking the meaning of names, I discovered that the name, Knight, was also granted to domestic servants or soldiers in the pay of real knights. My lot probably had the contract for cleaning the gents for the Knights Templar."

I conclude this report with Knight's observations regarding his stay at the Maryculter House Hotel:

"Its showpiece is the residents’ lounge, set in an ancient hall dating back to 1225 which would not look out of place in any castle, with huge exposed stone walls and a beamed ceiling so high it almost disappears from sight."

"It is a perfect room in which to relax with a drink in its luxurious leather sofas and soak up the historical atmosphere. The knights’ stables were supposedly beneath this very room."

"Outside, and opposite the reception, there are the remains of a large Knights Templar chapel and cemetery, which is well worth a visit. From its gates, we could spot deer in the distance."

"It’s an ideal base to strike out for other activities and visits in the area, but this is also a great place just to get away from it all, relax and do nothing in particular, or perhaps some walking, eating and drinking in very pleasant surroundings."

"Maryculter House also offers one luxury city dwellers crave – peace and quiet. There is no traffic and no noisy drunks outside, as often happens around city hotels. We were there for only 24 hours, but felt our batteries had been recharged by the time we left."

For some 784 years, at the time of this writing, this location has preserved the memory of the Knights Templar.