Morbid - Episode 146: Mary King's Close/Nor Loch

Episode Date: June 8, 2020

So for today's "mini", Alaina thought she was going to do Spooky Roads but then Scotland just went ahead and provided a whole-ass episode worth of spooky goodness that just had to be shared. Mary King's Close is a fascinating, terrifying and bizarre piece of Scottish history and add in the supreme darkness of Nor Loch, where murders run rampant, executions were carried out and accused witches were dunked to their deaths and you have a seriously spooky Scottish episode that will kick off our new sporadic series, Scottish Shenanigans. Make sure you check out the new true crime/comedy podcast, Obsessed with Disappeared featuring Patrick Hinds from True Crime Obsessed! Thanks to our sponsors! HelloFresh Go to HelloFresh.com/morbid60 and use code morbid60 to get $60 off your first three weeks, including free shipping on your first box. Additional restrictions apply. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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That's W-O-N-D-E-R-Y-P-O-D. Audible.com slash wonderypod or text wonderypod to 500-500 to try audible for free for 30 days. Angie's list is now Angie, and we've heard a lot of theories about why. I thought it was an eco-move. For your worst, guess paper. It was so you could say it faster. No way. It's to be more iconic.

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That's ANGI, or download the app today. Hey, weirdos, I'm Elena. I'm Ash, and this is a mini more bed. Mini, mini, mini, mini, mini, more bed. Mini, more bed, mini, more bed, mini, more bed. Bored. Bored. We told you, there, many, many, many more bad. Many more bad, many more bad. Bad. We told you, there's not, there's just not gonna be minis anymore. No way.

It's a mini. It's a quote unquote mini morbid, because you know what? You got the theme song, so you need the song, so we'll keep the name, but it's an Elena mini anyway, so get ready for a fucking two-hour case. Yeah, we know that just doesn't exist. This one won't be This one's not gonna be like Zach and Addy long where I was like, oh, this is a mini and it was an hour and a half That was really good, but I will tell you I was sitting on an ottoman for that and my butt fell asleep and like So fucking nasty, but I had swast that was just not okay

It was a long one, but there was so much information, I couldn't leave it. It was a good one. Well, today, I don't think we really have a lot of business to attend to, and we don't really do that with minis, even though we've been doing this. We don't know, no, no, no, no.

But, all right, so here's what we were gonna do. We were gonna make today spooky roads. I fully intended to do that. She did. I did, I went into it, and I was like, all right, how, you know, I was looking today spooky roads. I fully intended to do that. She did. I did, I went into it and I was like, all right, how, you know, I was looking for some roads. I came across some and I'm like, I don't know. And then I was like, you know what,

I'm feeling my Scottish roots today. So I was like, let's go to Scotland. Let's get some Scottish spooky roads. Let's help a proud. Yeah, I wanna make my dad proud. And you know, let's do this because Scotland is the most haunted place on Earth, like literally.

So I went in, I went in, thinking I was gonna get a road, and you didn't. I came out with a totally different episode. So what did you get? Exactly. What are we talking about today? So what I decided to do was I came across this place called Mary King's Close. Mary King's Close.

Yes. It is bonkers bananas. I had no idea that it existed. Now I want to go to it. It's, let's plan a trip. It's spooky. It's horrible. It has. And what we're also going gonna be talking about is a place called nor lock That is no longer there anymore, but it's connected to this Mary King's clothes and it has its own fucked up shit So it's just all cr- and there was too much and I was like I I can't I can't not dive into this This is gonna be incredible also. I can only see your eyes right now

and they're they're just twinkling and like moving and bugging out of your head and it's really funny because I'm just really excited. I'm like you're literally like this is gonna be so fucking good. Scotland's the best of so excited. I can't. Our Scottish listeners, I love you because you guys have the best fucking country. Oh, well, tell them what your idea was. Oh, so this is my idea. So because while I was looking through Scotland

for cool stuff, I came across so much more. I kept writing things down being like, well, I'm gonna cover that. Well, I'm gonna cover that too. And I was like, you know what? We do an Australian madness episode because Australia just provides and provides and provides. Australia is the pandemic keeps giving. It truly is. We love Australia. And so I decided

we got to do a new series that we're going to throw in there every month and a while between Australian madnesses and the spooky roads and the listener tales. We're going to do some Scottish madness because they have way too much way too much. We're gonna talk about the Loch Ness Monster. We don't talk about it, but it's something, but it's cool and it's fun, but it's cool. It's morbid. And you know what? The Loch Ness Monster is in the lock that sits outside of Urkart Castle, which is your

last name. So that's just like my castle. And that's like my lineage, but I don't have that name. So is that it's it's wild. It's wild. So without further ado, let's dive in. Like I said, Scotland has the distinction of being called the most haunted place on earth.

Ooh, and Mary King's close has the distinction of also being called one of the most haunted places on earth. Ooh! And Mary King's close has the distinction of also being called one of the most haunted places on earth. On earth. On earth, earth, earth. But certainly in Scotland. Well, in very much in Edinburgh. So, oh, I love saying that town, Edinburgh. It's a city. Well, town city, you know. And it's beautiful. God just beautiful. Do you speak from experience? I don't, but I wish I did. That's I have a plan to go to Scotland very in the near future. Fuck yeah, can I come? Yeah. Am I in the plan? Am I in the plan? Sure. So Scotland, you know, you're just doing the damn thing. So today we're talking about Mary King's

clothes and we're going to start by explaining what a clothes is because I didn't know what a clothes was Yeah me either I just acted like I did yeah good because I Don't know a lot of people who know what a clothes is. I don't think this is like common knowledge Especially to like Americans. I guess sure. Is it like a hotel? No, okay? Well fuck me, right? I was a good guest Is it like a hotel? No, okay. Well, fuck me, right? I was a good guest. So in the 17th century, Edinburgh's old town was getting insanely full, like overcrowding, becoming a huge problem. Okay. It was just becoming a big issue for them and they needed to figure out how to fix it. But they also didn't want to bankrupt themselves. And there was also the problem that was stopping them from just simply expanding the city outwards. There was this huge wall around the city that they built as protection from what? From just everything because this is the 17th century.

You've got to protect your ass. Just from everything. There's just shit happening. Well, I mean, I'm feeling today is the 17th century. It honestly is. So, but they built those for protection, which is great, but you can't build your city outwards now because you can take those walls down. So what's the only option for growth? You start squeezing houses in on top of each other and start building them way up. Oh, okay.

Yeah. So some houses on these streets were like eight stories high. Oh, that's cool. Yeah. And what's weird, so the whole thing with Edinburgh back in the day was it was like Edinburgh castle and then it slowly went down on a slant. So it's like everything started going down on a slant. So they started building those bottom houses up to like meet the the top portion of that slant. Okay. So slants are always spooky. It's a very spooky thing. Every haunted house is on a slant. There you go. It's a slant. Now, of course, if you had money, you lived at the top, like the penthouse. I mean, duh. You lived at the top of the hill. You lived at the top of the buildings. We all

the way up. And it was mostly because you were too good to be sitting down there where all the sewage was running everywhere. In the rats and all the animals. The cattle. Just it didn't smell good down there where all the sewage was running everywhere. In the rats and all the animals. The cattle just, it didn't smell good down there. All the trash. Just bad stuff. All my fam. So, you know, the smell was definitely not bougie.

And if you were bougie, you were not going to be down on the bottom. If you were bad and bougie, you were not hanging out there. No way. So, that's, so the poorest people were the ones that were down on the bottom. For a second, it sounded like you said the poorest people. Like they were like very poorest. Oh, I thought you said the poor. I know it's like I did.

You're like that's exactly what I said. You fucking idiot. No, the poorest like their absorbent. Yeah, those people, you know, how they be living. A very specific demographic place down there. Now that we're recording together, I can't stop laughing. I know. I missed you.

I missed you. It's safe to worry, shut up. It is, don't worry. We're very far apart. And we already quarantined. And we're related. It's fine. We know we've been.

We're not going anywhere to work. So yeah, the poorest people are at the bottom and As you went down that slant it just got poorer and poorer and darker and stingier and just bad all around So these crowded streets and offshoots were called closes or closes, excuse me Okay, and they kind of spread out like a spider web, like they were just dark narrow alleys and roadways that were just like on either side, these big tall, very crowded,

tenement houses and office buildings. And this sounds ominous as fuck. It's real ominous. And so they ran off, they all ran off of the Royal Mile, which is a famous area still around, and it's where Taurus now flock, and it's a one-mile stretch of streets that run between Edinburgh Castle and Hollywood Palace.

Hollywood? Yes. Hollywood? Hollywood? I love that. So it's right between a palace and a castle. You know, campus it. The Royal Mile. Yeah.

So they used to lock off the gate at the Royal Mile on either side to keep the undesirables out at night. I mean, fuck them, right? Like that's crazy. So Mary King's Close is the most infamous of these closes. Why is that? Now, that's because most of these closes ended up being taken apart or demolished later to build other buildings and offices and such on top of them

Okay, so because they wanted to start leveling the city out right so they just kind of like buried and sealed off Like whole parts of these the city Underground so they were burying like homes. Yeah, yeah, like the whole People first right they did okay from what I've read I mean, I don't know. It was a So they were burying like homes. Yeah. Yeah. Like the whole people first, right? They did. OK. From what I've read. I mean, I don't know.

It was the 1790s. Oh, no. It was really. It should got wild. It could have happened. But so basically underneath the city, are these like cavernous cities? Like underneath.

God's cool. Which is so like, it's the amount of history that's under people's feet. Yeah. You just don't know. It's unbelievable. But Mary King's Close is infamous because it didn't exactly get like sealed off. So back in the 17th century, it was suddenly very important that a new royal exchange

be created to continue trade between Old Town and New Town, you know, 17th century shit. Yeah. You know, they needed the two mags and the coffee and the silver. You know. So they find an area that will work perfect for what they need to build this royal exchange. Okay, which is this like massive building. And they look and they're like, oh shit, that's Mary King's close. That's the place where we want to build that building. So we can't build it there. So they're like, we're going to figure out how they're like, we need that location. We want to build this massive royal exchange on top of it, which by the way, now is still standing this royal chain. So it happens. But it's called the Edinburgh city chambers now.

And instead of just taking the entirety of Mary King's close and just demolishing it, like they did with a lot of them or just like you do. So what they did was they the entirety of Mary King's clothes and just demolishing it, like they did with a lot of them or just like fill in. So what they did was they just took the top floors off of all the buildings, like just the top floors, and then they paved over the existing floors to use them as the foundation to build this massive building on top of. What? So they made Mary King's clothes

an underground web of roads and alleys, just underground. That's the coolest shit I've ever heard. Like literally, it's a road in the basement of this massive, royal exchange building. So can you go there now? You can now.

When are we going? I'm saying. So now you would think that even this way, you were like, that's clearly going to be abandoned because it's like underground. But it wasn't. It wasn't. So some people left because they were like, yeah, I'm not going to live my life underground.

But a lot of businesses kept running down there. So you would just like, I'd be like, oh, I got to go to the cleaners like underground. And you just literally go underground. People kept living like buried under there. And it was dark, it was spooky, it was like this underworld. Would it be a word that I really hate called moist? It was, oh for sure.

And like, what's that word that basements are? Musty? Musty? Oh, I'm sure it was all of those things. And more. As we'll find out, okay. The last people to hold out there was the Chesney family and it was actually Andrew Chesney and he didn't leave until 1902. Wow. Yeah.

And the close was sealed off because the city chambers building wanted to expand even more. But they ended up on sealant. So apparently if you go down there, it's this like spooky labyrinth with old storefronts and housing fronts. Oh my god. It leads down a hill and it empties into what was the Nore lock, but it was like what Nore lock was was a man-made lock. Okay. It was built, it was created on marshland.

No, a lock is just like a lake, right? Yeah, like a lake. Yeah, no, you're not. It's like a lake, right? Yeah, like a lake. Yeah, no. You're not. It's like a lake. Like, you know, lockness. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.

So this was just not a like spontaneous lock that happened. They made it. They made it because they basically what they wanted to do is they wanted it to act as a deterrent against invaders at Edinburgh Castle. Okay. So there was already a giant volcanic rock face surrounding the castle. Oh, you know, there still is. Oh, shit.

It's badass, but like, you got to protect your castle. So they were like, let's put a giant body of water in front of it. Just take a fucking volcano. We need this water too. Every castle needs a boat. So and it did. It stopped people for quite a bit, but then it would like freeze over in the winter. And they'd spade on over and invade.

Slip slide and right over. Oh my god. So that's not awesome. But then Norlock became something very sinister. A massacre. It gave me it among other things. So it's a super dark place, like super dark. People often used to, this was one of the places, the most popular places to commit suicide.

Oh, so we're going to get sad now. Yeah. And there was also a lot of public executions by drowning here, because that happened for a long time. This was also the case where they used to dunk witches for the swimming test. Oh my God, yes, but like no, obviously, yes, but no. So in 1628, this is crazy. In 1628, a man by the name of Mr. George Sinclair was sentenced to death and he was sentenced to death for having an incestuous relationship with his two sisters. Well, then that's not okay. Yeah, he was real gross. So like by Mr. Sinclair. Now his two sisters were also brought along for punishment because what the hell, right? Yeah, and it's like one of them was younger.

Pretty sure, like it's like pretty sure it wasn't like he was just molesting them, but like, okay, yeah murder them too. That's right. Great, great, great. So his younger sister's sentence was commuted by the clergy right before so she was saved. Oh good. But the other one, not the lucky, not the lucky. Now what they did wasilled holes in the chest and then threw the chest into Norlock. Wow. What a way to go. They gave no fucks, not one. Zero fucks, cause it's like not only are you browning, slowly, but you're cramped into a chest with your brother who's probably been molesting you. Oh, wow.

Holy shit. No thanks. Like no thank you. Oh, wow. Yeah, holy shit. No thanks. Like, no, thank you. I'd be like, you got us here. And what's crazy is two centuries later in like the 1800s, workers were building over this disgusting norlock. And they found the chest.

They were making what is now the Princess Street Gardens, which is like beautiful. Oh great. And they were building a drain, because they got drained great soil. Yeah, it really did. They came across a chest that contained two skeletons. Oh my god. That's like horrific and kind of horrible. It's like really cool. It is. Because I'm like, imagine finding that. I can't imagine that. That must have been bonkers. So that's crazy. and I mentioned the witch dunkings and this was before obviously the Scottish

A, Scottish Age of Enlightenment, but this was one more than 300 witches were tried on the banks of the lock or nearby. So they're just trying them like on the beach? Oh yeah, because they would, what they would do is they'd bring you down, they'd drag you down, then they would tie them thumb to toe. Oh, drag them down the banks, throw them into the water, and then here's the rub. If they sank, then they were like, oh, good, you're free of evil spirits. You're in a dead.

Whoops, guess you died, but at least you're not a witch. Right. That's that. And if you floated, it was seen as witchcraft, and they quickly burned you at the stake to cleanse you of cleanse your soul of the evil spirits. That's a catch 22. You're real fuck to either way. If you literally die, either way. So as soon as they're like, we're going to try you for which you're like, oh, well, okay, but goodbye family. Right. That's that's that. Oh, that's that's so that's how fucked up Scottish Scotland actually Killed more witches than I think anyone in your early than anyone in Europe because of like the crazy leadership at the time That was a guy which I want to do a whole episode on that. Oh, that'd be fun. It's crazy It'll be a Scottish madness episode. Oh, well, because we got it. So so that's crazy

So so many witches Cused witches look so many witches so many accused, I'm like so many witches. So many accused witches were thrown in this water and just died at the bottom. And then the luck was also a dumping ground for waste and it just like became polluted. It was like a cesspool of like poisonous, marsh shit, like it was just awful.

Right. And this started creating noxious gases that would cause hallucinations and also like feelings of sickness to all these people in Mary King's clothes. Oh no. Yeah. So hallucinations. Yeah, it would like fuck with you. Oh my god. It's like no joke. What is this place? It's crazy. It's insane. That's why I couldn't stop. Also, it's nuts. This is fucked, but isn't the word noxious? Like, it's so cool. Oh, I love the feeling of that word, right? I say it.

Certain words just feel good coming out of you. That's one of them. So back to Mary King's Close. It was called Mary King's Close because closes were usually named after really important or really well-respected residents of that close. Okay. So Mary King was a resident who in 1603 made her own, she was like a fabric merchant and she made her own business all by herself after she became a widow, which was nuts for ladies at the time. Right. So she was just like a bad bitch.

Mary King was that bitch. She was. And it was just like a huge sign of respect and status to have a close Named after you so like she was Mary. She was one of the only women to have it happen Like usually it was named after men. I mean bummer that it was this one. Yeah, I mean it's not an awesome one But I don't really know if a lot of closes were really great, but this one just had these shoes notorious for being haunted Yeah, and I mean I think she's still down there. So that's cool. Oh, so we'll get to that. Now, the plague really messed shit up when it came to Edinburgh.

They typically do. Yeah. And that was in like 1644, but then it like really hit its stride in like 1645. You know what I'm talking about? It's like the black plague, the bubonic plague. We all know what it is. Right, right, right. Black death. It's the about. It's like the black plague, the bubonic plague. We all know what it is. Black death.

Get your masks. It's the worst. It was, and it's very thinking about it now and like hearing two real little, two scary, little two scary. But it was actually from the fleas that hitched on the rats. And rats are often blamed for causing this, but it's actually the fleas that were on the rats. Oh, see, I never knew that.

Yeah, rats get like a bum rat. No, so what happened was like the fleas will hit your ride on the rat. The rats are all down there, don't you? They'll hit your ride and the fleas will either jump off into like hay or like fabric or on people. It's not like people are taking tons of baths down there. Right. So they're just immediately getting infected by it.

Ew. And so what the black plague is, or the bubonic plague, it's a lymphatic infection. So it makes all of your lymph nodes swell up. And sometimes they would burst and rupture skin and shit. Holy fuck. And it's like under your armpits and you're groin, like those kind of things, it's really bad.

They're called boobos. So that's what those swollen glands are. So that's where the name boobonic plague comes from. And you would also, if you got this plague, because we all know the black plague is really bad. Correct. You know, but when you actually look at what it did to you, you're like, holy shit. Hit me up.

There was muscle cramps, seizures, gangrene, necrosis of the extremities, high fevers, chills, continuous aggressive vomiting, which would become so bad it could rupture your intestines. Oh my God. Yep. Oh, and also delirium and coma sometimes too. Oh, just toss those in for a little sprinkle.

It was a bad trip. That's like a bottom trip. Yeah, that's not okay. And when you think about like thousands of people getting this, all suffering from this shit, you're like, what the fuck? Like, yeah. I mean, we're just thinking of COVID-19 right now, which is horrific in and of itself, but it's like,

when you think of, you think of people like, this is so fucking gross, but you think of people using the bathroom and like, bopping, like, there wasn't plumbing. So where did your barf go just over the fucking window? Well, that's the thing you would just do it in a chamber pot, and then you would just just throw that out the window So that's how it's spread. Exactly, and it's like what they didn't have then and what we have now and look at how bad COVID-19 is and what we have to fight it. And it's like you look back then they had nothing. So the closest were literally the perfect breeding ground for this kind of thing.

Right. Uh, shit was rough down there. Especially underground. You would think. Oh yeah. Yeah. Because there's no ventilation. Right. There's sewage everywhere. People are just emptying their waste exactly how you're thinking about it. Open the window, splash it out. And they would literally just call out like, it's common, and then they would just throw it out the window. And if you happen to be walking by, you're just doused in vomit. Get doused in somebody's shit.

You know, we all have bad days, but if you're having a bad day, just think at least you didn't walk by somebody's fucking bomb. For real? Bomb throw. And honestly, thinking about this, it's like, and now I'm thinking about like some people getting upset, we have to wear masks. And I'm like, at least you're not covered in somebody else's vomit.

She was so bad back then. You know what? At least you don't live underground, okay? Exactly. Oh boy. What if you were trafficked into a cult over shot nine times, or fell in love with a vampire, or went into a minor surgery and woke up one week later, paralyzed? What would you do? I'm Whit Missildine, the creator of this is actually happening, a podcast from Wondry that brings you extraordinary

true stories of life-changing events, told by the people who lived them. From a young man that dooms his entire future with one choice, to a woman who survived a notorious serial killer, you'll hear their first-person account of how they overcame remarkable circumstances. Each episode is an exploration of the human spirit and personal discovery. These haunting accounts sound like Hollywood movies, but I assure you this is actually happening. Followed this is actually happening wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad-free on the Amazon Music or Wondery app. Hi, I'm Lindsay Graham, the host of Wondries Podcast American Scandal.

We bring to life some of the biggest controversies in U.S. history, presidential lies, environmental disasters, corporate fraud. In our newest series, we look at the Kids for Cash Scandal, a story about corruption inside America's system of juvenile justice. In Northeastern Pennsylvania, residents had begun noticing an alarming trend. Children were being sent away to jail in high numbers, and often for committing only minor offenses. The FBI began looking at two local judges, and when the full picture emerged, it made

national headlines. The judges were earning a fortune, carrying out a brazen criminal scheme, one that would shatter the lives of countless children and force a heated debate about punishment and America's criminal justice system. Follow American scandal wherever you get your podcasts. You can listen ad free on the Amazon music or wonder app. So, yeah, so you might just get hit with somebody's chamber butt while you're walking by. So, it was basically a festering P2 dish of nightmares down there.

Good band name I call it. Festering P2 dish of nightmares, I love it. There was bugs and rats carrying the infected fleas and other not-so-fun things just living alongside you down there and it was just becoming overrun with disease. But that sounds like today because there's murder hornets and aggressive rats. But you know what, where there's murder hornets and aggressive rats. But you know what, where did the murder hornets go?

I have some theory. Somebody fucked up the simulation somewhere, and they were like, oh shit, we said that we were gonna do the murder hornets, but like, that is true. Maybe they'll all just forget about it. It's like, where did they go? Like, I wanna know.

Maybe it's too hot for them. I don't know. Maybe it is. Maybe they all turned into bad guys. Maybe they took one look at all of us, and we're like, you guys aren't worth it. Well, that shit. I wanna know. Maybe it's too hot for them. I don't know. Maybe they all turned into bad guys. Maybe they took one look at all of us and we're like, you guys aren't worth it. Well, that shit. I'm good. You guys actually are murder-horned.

Yeah. So we're out. I see our job here is unnecessary. You are your own murder-horned. So we do not need to do this for you. No, thank you. So back then, Dr. George Ray alongside Dr. I'm gonna say it wrong probably and I apologize. Johannes Politas. Sometimes that's Johans or Johan.

Johan. Johan. Yeah, that sounds better. I went to squint the camera. The guy's name was like everybody would be like, Johan is. And he'd be like, it's just fucking Johan. And then honestly, it's all I said it like phonetically, I was like, that's not how you say names ever. Like you never say names phonetically. It's always something you said. My name phonetically, it would be Ashley. God. Exactly.

Alayana. So we're not okay. So Johan. So yeah, so you know, the two plague doctors, we're going to talk mostly George Ray is like the most known They were the city of Edinburgh's official plague doctors and they were true Angels. Oh, I mean plague doctors are fucking angels. Obviously. They put themselves directly on the front line They set to saving lines and they lines

Lives and they did this by Lansing they would go into people's homes during the plague and they lines. It was lives. And they did this by lancing. They would go into people's homes during the plague and they would lance the infected lymph nodes and glands to rid the infection out of your body. Like where do you put it though? And they would use this like, well, they would do it in like to a pot.

Oh, okay. But they would use like a red hot thing to like, so it would also cauterize the wound kind of thing. It hurt you really bad. It would hurt, but at least you were getting the fucking bubotic plague out of you accurate. So they did this while wearing, just because I'm like, plague doctor outfits, the shit. I am forever jealous.

Forever. Every time I gown up to go into an autopsy, I'm like, but why don't I look like a plague doctor? Because I don't know why you do. They were full leather, black leather cloaks. I mean, that's metal as fuck. I'm already in, like I'm already in, sign me up. And then they wear those infamous plague doctor masks that look like a,

a bird beak. And what was in that beak part was it would be filled with a mixture of like pleasant smelling plants and herbs And that was just to block out the smell of like your patients. Were there like some kind of leaves in there too that were supposed to like fight against the plague? Yeah, I think it was all based into mostly it was to keep the smell up. Yeah, I mean that makes sense. But it was also to protect them. Right, right.

But they would wear like the cool glasses. Do you think they were top-pops too? Like, and we just say that they did. Yeah, they did. Even if they didn't, they did. Like, they don't worry about it. They wore pop hats. Obviously. Yeah. So the poor were, so I mean, obviously this close was just full of porous, the unfortunate, like the porous, the the poor. Now there's like hundreds of people in these closes that are just overrun with plague. I mean, this place is just a festering place right now. So they got out who they could, they saved who they could. But then it came time that they were like, you know what, you're too ravaged down there. So they just

left them in there and they pricked it up and let them all die down there. The fuck up. Yep. And they just either way, and there are things that say, you know, that didn't happen and that they let them quarantine kind of down there or whatever. But then either way, they were left down. Right. Like, with no help and like like no way to get out. And that's the other thing I'm like when people get upset and are like I you know it's quarantine is like taking away my freedom

at least no one bricked you in your house and let you die. Right. Like there's that. So yeah so you know what just I'm trying to give people perspective here. Right. Anytime you feel like you're like wow my freedom's being taken away by being asked to stay inside and not infect the rest of the human race. And they didn't break you into your house. Really having your freedom taken away is the government literally coming and breaking up your whole. You know what, how are we really not far from that?

Because I'm just waiting. We're really not. So yeah, so it officially became abandoned in 1645. But it had a resurgence. It didn't get abandoned, that was it. Like it came back. People moved back down there. So obviously a lot of suffering and death occurred in this underground city.

Yes. It's often referred to as like I said earlier, the most haunted place in the world. And people tend to see a woman in black. A lot of people see this woman dressed in black who they think might be Mary King. They said she doesn't seem like a dark energy. She doesn't give any aggression off.

She's just kind of like walking around almost like. She's just she goes fuck. She's just like surveying her clothes. She's just wearing Coco Chanel bed. That's all she's doing, obviously. There's also a worried-looking man wandering around that a lot of people see. I mean, why do you think he's worried? They're about to brick him in.

Yeah, he's just worried as fuck. Say, I mean, I feel bad. There's also a lot of disembodied floating heads that people see. Wow. Okay. Which can you imagine being in like an underground cavernous city and a floating, disembodied head just like, I don't mind being a dairy potter they're the best driver or like nearly headless neck. Yeah Yeah, it's just it's very. Why do they call you nearly headless?

It's nearly headness. Why are you nearly headness? So most sadly though there is often sightings of a little girl named Annie. Oh I'm saying. Little orphan Annie. Now, it's said that Annie was a victim of the plague and that she was abandoned there by her parents to die of it. Well, fuck them. I know that's real shitty. Now a well-known Japanese psychic. I found her name to be Ico, which I'm hoping that's what her name is, but she's well known. She's a Japanese psychic. She came there with a whole crew from Japan to investigate this place. She went down there, immediately started speaking with Annie.

She was like, yeah. And she was like, okay, this little girl is about eight years old. She's dressed in raggy clothing. She has a dirty face. That's like streaked with tears. She's crying. Oh my God. She's upset.

And apparently Annie told her, I lost my favorite doll. And I just want a doll so I don't feel lonely. Oh my God. I just got like goosebumps. I know. I know. I know. Well, so this site, if her doll was like, okay, I'm going to be right back Annie.

And she like went, she bought a doll with like a tartan skirt And she brought it back to Annie's room and she placed it on a shelf and she was like this is your doll So now in something referred to as Annie's room where she had put the doll Visitors have left hundreds of dolls stuffed stuffed animals, notes, teddy bears. Oh my God. Tons, they're just piled up there. They're cheering up the afterlife. And the good news is that people say that when they do see her now, she's happy.

Oh my God, stop. She's not crying anymore. Stop. Yeah. That's the most beautiful haunting story I've ever heard. And when we go, I'm going to bring Annie like five dolls. Literally, I want to bring Annie like all the dolls all of them all take everything I have I'm gonna buy her so I'm gonna buy her American

Girl dolls yes that's a ridiculous waste of money but okay everyone should have the American girl that's true guys American Girl dolls were the shit I wouldn't know because I never had one I wasn't loved as a child. You know what? I had the books. I got the books. The books were awesome. And I think you had the books because I'm pretty sure they were your books to be honest with you. They fucking asked 100% were by books. Yeah, whatever. Dude, those books were great. I have some of those books still and I would have the girls out of shit Some of them were they were tough, but they told you shit about history Yeah, I'm not about American girls. I know about all your fucking dolls Alina. Yeah, I love those dolls

So people will walk by a room down there and they will claim to see a lot of people have claimed to see a stack of dead bodies in a room. That's what you want to wander upon. And it's like you're going down there, you're on a tour and you're like, what was that? Did you guys just like stack a bunch of dead people? You guys go clean that up. And then they're just gone when they go to show them to somebody. That's spooky as well. And what they think is it must have been like, there was clearly had to have been temporary morgues set up in like some of the rooms, so it's not far off. People will also not just see the disembodied floating heads.

They'll just see random limbs, like infected limbs. Oh. Just like scattering the streets. That's what's so weird. It's like, so you'll just walk down by something and just be like, oh, that's like a gangrenous, like fucking leg. Right, just that in a corner.

Like just that, that right there. Right. And then it's just gone. That's weird. There's nothing attached to it. And then it's like, there's nothing attached to it. And then it's just like,

there's nothing attached to it. And then it's just like, there's nothing attached to it. And then it's just like, there's nothing attached to it. And then it's just like, there's nothing attached to it. And then it's just like, there picturing like this like hallway where the floor is dirt and then there's just like streets like everywhere with just like yucky That's basically it. I'm gonna post photos of it. It's wild. I'm so excited to see pictures I can't I want to go here so badly. Let's do a live show there We really need to there was two college students who actually stayed the night there and like recorded and the shit they heard and saw

It's like pretty spooky. I barely survived Lazy Borden's house. Oh, yeah, I don't think you could So I watched a documentary by Haunted Scotland and they visited the close and did an investigation like a full investigation They picked up some terrifying sounds. Oh, this is, there is like clear audio at one point of a man just wailing. Oh, like very clearly a man just down the hallway wailing. That's horrific. Screaming. It's the most off, like just upsetting thing.

It's so weird to be like, we were there and that was happening, but we didn't hear it, but this picked it up I know it's so weird. Yeah, and that's well, then they also do EVP and they get EVP They get a ton of EVP and some of the scariest ones were come back get her. That's the baby. Oh No, and then there was hello. I'm trying to get through So it was like somebody being like hello. I'm trying to talk to you guys. I'm trying to get through. So it was like somebody being like, hello, I'm trying to talk to you guys, I'm trying to get through. Oh my God, that's kind of cool. And what's hilarious about these? And I found myself like, I was like, wow,

this was a very American moment for me. Oh, God, what'd you do? Because I'm listening to it and I'm like, holy shit, they're all have Scottish accents. Like the EVPs have Scottish accents, which like blew my mind for some way to reason. What? Wait, what? Like isn't that weird to think about?

Like you're like, why do I always think that ghosts are just going to be like American accent? Did you really think what, what a filthy, you just said it and I was like, wait, why are you so, like, yeah? Yeah, well, I just wasn't expecting it. Like when you hear, I've only heard mostly evils where it sounds like an American accent. Yeah, you know that is a good point. And hearing a ghostly voice with this voice with a Scottish brogue is like, I was like, that's awesome.

Well, when you were saying about Annie earlier, I like heard, like when you were saying it, I like in my head, I was like, oh, and she probably had like a cute little bro. Little Scottish brogue. And it's like, I, hearing it is very cool. I was like, oh my God, that's Scottish ghost. Right.

That's really cool. Mainly because I just love Scottish brooks. I know. Love Scottish brooks. I love a Scottish brook and an Irish brook. Yeah. I worked at an Irish pub for a weekend long time and I like miss that sound.

Yeah, they have the best. Irish and Scottish have like the best, just like, you can just listen to them talk on. And I love that they just say the seawird, like it's bitch. Like they're just like, you fucking coned. Oh, I love it. It's like a term of endearment it's so much they just know they get it they get it they just get it the real ones remember when everybody got

mad at me for saying can't no I was like I'm Irish it's fine like we have Irish in scotties exactly I was raised on a pub exactly so they go um but yeah I was very American of me to just assume that all ghosts have American I know that was funny and I never, that was funny. And I never knew that I thought that until I heard a Scottish accent on a TV TV. And suddenly I was like, oh shit. That's really funny. I wish I'd been with you when you had that realization.

It was a real revelation. Sorry, if you just heard my phone be. Why is that popular? I got a CNN notification. But I know, I don't even want to look at it. So I'm just going to live in this spooky moment. Live in the now. So during a spirit box session in the Chesney house, which the Chesneys were the last ones to leave the close. Okay. They are the holdouts. And Andrew Chesney was the last one to go and like 1902. Yeah. So they picked up someone

saying chase away patty and then someone said you in Oh, it's like love that name and when I heard the name I was like that's literally what we would have named a boy if we had one you in you in And when I heard it I was like oh, you're like my future babe Because you're totally gonna have one more. No, thank you. Yep. They also said you listen here. You must leave here Okay, bye and I'd be like, cool, cool, by Uber has been leaning. Speaking of the seaword, somebody does say it. Yes, I do. Which I love that even the ghosts are like, you're cool. You're fucking cool. So somebody said, you must leave here. Then somebody said, Julie, hear me. Then one man whispers

aggressively, keep them here. And he says it just like that. It's like, no, no, no, it's literally like he's whispering to like his friend, like, keep them here. Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh Because it's like when we were at the house and we heard somebody say hello. It's like they it's like sometimes You don't realize that they're here and they don't realize that we're there like they don't realize that they're the ghosts They're just like oh, we're just having a conversation. Do you hear that like right? So and then they heard Yeah, I won't ask her then a woman says what is that cut through? Cut through yeah, and then a few voices did say Annie. They said Annie. Um, and then one clear is day says, Annie, come. It's like a woman saying, Annie, come. Oh my God, I'm getting chills. I know. And then a man says, David, you can't. Yes, I love

him. That reminds me of shit. And then when they asked if Andrew Chesney, the father, the last one to leave, they said, is Andrew Chesney here with us? Immediately, you hear him say, he is. Oh my goodness. And then someone else says, he's with us. Oh my God. Like full blown answer. And then a woman yells, Paul, are you here? Like screams it. Like she's nervous. And then somebody says, can we see Alfie? And they keep mentioning Alfie. It gets like Alfie. It gets mentioned a lot. It's the cutest name.

That is a really cute name. I would name one of my kids Alfie. But the one that like really fucked me up was to like keep them here. Yeah, fuck that. I like David Yaconte. Yaconte. So now during another session,

a couple of members of the group, like all of a sudden, started feeling this overwhelming sickness and they couldn't breathe. It's the noxious gas. It might be. And that's the thing, like a lot of people pointed to like, oh, it's paranormal that they feel that. And it's like, no, it just might be this methane gas. That'll do it.

Maybe it's a combo. It's probably still fucking them up. And it was between two specific rooms that these people were feeling this. So this person started doing a spirit box recording right there. They were like, what the fuck's going on right here? Right.

And they said they heard a woman humming. Like she was just like doing the laundry. Absent mindedly, like just going about her day, just humming. And then they turned it on. And they ended up catching her on camera humming. Like you can hear the humming. Oh my goodness. And they didn't think they were going to be able to keep like hearing. Like they might just be hearing this. Then there's the last story of the Mary Klaus, Mary Kings close is there was a story about a woman who I believe her name was Alison

Ruff. Okay. Or Alison Rowe, I'm not exactly sure. And she murdered her son-in-law down there. I mean, was he a coon? And his name was Alexander Kant. Oh, my goodness. And I think those names are correct. I've seen them a couple of places, but... They probably are.

Either way, in 1530, Alison Ruff or murder, Alexander, can't do we know for why? They don't know, but they said that he was, she was the mother-in-law. So we know those can be top relationships. It can be tough. Right. And she was caught. She was and executed very close to the close. So his ghost is seen and heard a lot of the time and it seems like he's in like this time loop of the day That of like the time he was murdered. Oh god like I've murdered groundhog day Yeah, like he just keeps leaving his death over and over again. No, thank you And so this place that this happened in the close is called the murder house. I mean why wouldn't it be like fuck that so People see him they don't I don't think there's a lot of sightings of her.

Sometimes people see her coming up behind him while he's like running away. Oh no. Which is crazy. But they opened Mary King's Close back up in 2003 and they created a full blown tour where people dress in period clothing and take on personas from the time. Who are you going to be?

And we'll lead your sorry ass through this close. And I want to do it so bad. I need to go. And I need to hear David Eucolon. David Eucolon, I just need to hear that. It's what I need. I need it. In my bones, I just need it.

It's what I live for. And these people who work there too have said that like It's what I need. I need it. In my bones, I just need it. It's what I live for. And these people who work there too have said that there's parts of the close that they will not go into by themselves because I just won't do it. It's too much. And then there was tons of stories and interviews I saw with staff members that work in the gift shop or work doing the tour that have all bought it at the gift shop. I don't know, but it must be awesome.

Like just fucking limbs. I hope so. Just like a pan. Just a chronic limb. Right. Just hands. But I need to go here. And all these staff members gave all these different stories of like I was down here.

I saw boots walking down the hallway. I heard this. I heard that like we have to go we have to go we're gonna go Scottish listeners so stoked right now we're coming for you we're doing it as soon as the cove cove is over we're going to the close close as soon as the the vid is over so yeah that's Mary King's close and a little bit about Norlock. That's like a brief overview too. I was gonna, like that was really good.

It blew my mind that I didn't know this existed. A whole underground city like that's so cool. I saw this thing on Twitter the other day where this like underwater place was coming up because the water is like sinking there. And it's like, it's basically like a house. Whoa. Yeah, I should send it to you.

It's so weird. That's just so bonkers. Also now that we're done, I was Yeah, I should send it to you. It's so weird. That's shit's so bonkers. Also, now that we're done, I didn't want to interrupt with another stupid thing, but I totally forgot to tell you and because we were talking about people without heads and people that don't have bodies on my way here. I've been moving all day, but when I was driving here in the town that I was moving from, there was a dude,

I shit you not, I swear on ma. There was a dude, I shit you not, I swear on Ma. There was a dude riding his bike and he was wearing a costume where it was like his head was cut off, so I couldn't see the stewed's head or woman on it. So he looked like the headless horseman on a bike? Yes, and he was fucking playing either a guitar or ukulele. I shit you not, I swear on my life.

That is the single greatest thing I've ever heard. I love it. I've ever heard. I love it. So hard and I waived. I was like, I swear on my life. That is the single greatest thing I love ever heard. So hard and I waived. I was like, I love you. I need to know who it is. What motivation he had this morning, where he was like, here's what I'm gonna do today. I think he was like, the world is legitimately on fire and everybody hates each other.

So I'm gonna play a tune on my bicycle, but I'm gonna be of a headless hero. I'm gonna put on my headless horseman cape. I'm gonna bust out my ukulele. I had to do a double town. I had to do a double take because I thought that maybe I was suffering from like noxious gas hallucinations before I even knew about what you were going to talk about. But I literally whipped my head around and he was there and I laughed and I waived. I wish you could have taken a picture. I hope that maybe when I go back tomorrow to get a few more things, I see him again. I am a horror.

I am a horror. Oh my god, I just said him a horror. Him a horror. If you're listening, him a horror. Him a horror, if you're there. Right. Oh, you know what? That actually reminds me really quick. I should have said this in the beginning, but hopefully this person or her if you're there. Oh, you know what? That actually reminds me really quick.

I should have said this in the beginning, but hopefully this person sticks around if they're listening. Oh, what? Oh, God. So the other, and I told you about this, the other day I ran, I was walking with my kids in the town that I live in. I'm fucking so angry that I wasn't with you because I'm always with you. Yeah. I'm fucking so angry that I wasn't with you because I'm always with you. Yeah, I'm so mad.

I happen to run into somebody that listens to the podcast, like a listener. That is the Polish, never. And they recognize me, which like blew my mind apart. And I just wanted to apologize to them because I didn't ask their name because I was so awkward. And they've now seen like how awkward I have in real life.

You are pretty awkward in real life. And I was also like sweating. I was pulling. Well, it's hot out. I was pulling the twins in like this giant like wagon and I was pulling them like uphill in this person and her family had just like parted for me to like get through and I was like, thank you so much.

And then they were so nice and she was like, I listened to the podcast like holy shit. And I was like, oh my God. So nice to meet you. And then I was like, thank you so much. And they were so nice. And she was like, I listened to the podcast, like holy shit. And I was like, oh my God. So nice to meet you. And then I was like, and then we left, we parted ways. And I was like, I didn't ask her her name or anything. I feel like such a dick. And Elena was like genuinely embarrassed.

She texted me, I was like, she was like, she was like the coolest thing just happened. But I forgot to ask who this person's name was. And I feel like an asshole. I felt like such a dick. Like I seriously contemplated getting in my car and driving down that street. That would have been really weird.

Just to be like, I'm so sorry. Oh my gosh, she would have been like, well you're a fucking actual weirdo. She'd be like, she's like, I'm actually unsubscribing. But I just wanted to say, if that person's listening, thank you for being so sweet and for moving out of the way so I could bring my big giant weapon through. You have now been recognized twice because you also got recognized at the Starbucks that I also frequent. Probably I'm there

more than you. It's a strange thing and I'm just very I'm very awkward anyway so I'm pissed. I'm sure I'll be awkward but I want someone to know me. No me. Just no me. Just buggy no me. It's the Gemini in me that wants to be recognized. And it's the cap record of me that's like, I was like, get away from me. But I just, I, she was so sweet and it was very cool that she recognized me and like said, I listed to your podcast and I'm so sorry to ask your name.

And if you're listening and you want to shoot me an email or DM and be like, I was the one who went into, please do, because then I will show you out here. Maybe you're like, so sorry. Dustin, to me, neighborhood friends. I hope so. We'll meet with each other.

We'll be friends now. I love that. Yeah, we love new friends. Yeah, we do. So I just wanted to throw that out there. I meant to do it in the beginning of the episode, but hopefully you hung in there until now. Exactly.

So yeah, so that was cool. Mary King's close is crazy. I can't wait to go. We need to set the date. Nor lock is insane. It's not there anymore, but the grounds that it was on located in is there. And when we go, when we go, we should wear a plague mask

so that we aren't affected. But it's just gas. Yes. I want to wear a plague mask. And just like just anyway for the spirit. Yeah, just for the spirit. I don't know why you didn't get one for COVID-19. I feel I honestly I feel remiss.

I feel crazy that I didn't do it. Like I'm still I feel very embarrassed that I didn't think of it until today. Oh, but so maybe I'll get one just while we're going to need it for a little while. So honestly, if you want to see pictures of this place, you go and you can go ahead and follow us on Instagram at morbidpodcast. You can hit us up on Twitter at a morbidpodcast. You can send us a Gmail, especially if you're the lovely person that'll lean around into the other day.

Please do at morbidpodcast.gmail.com. And if you're feeling so inclined, donate to the Patron. Okay, Trion.com slash morbid podcasts. We hope you keep listening. And we hope you keep it weird. But that's the way that you live in a clothes and you live underground and then your headless

and then all of your limbs are everywhere and you get the boob on a plane. And they have to, what is it called? Lance it. I was gonna say stamp it. And they have to. And they have to lance you open. And then that's really bad.

And then they just throw your head over somewhere, and then you just live the rest of your life with no head in them. But at least you get some dolls, Annie. I love you so much. I'm gonna get what you bring you a doll. I'm like, yeah, just don't give it that weird, because it's sad.

Oh, it really is. Bye, David. You're cool. You're cool. So. Hey, Prime members, you can listen to morbid, Early, and Add Free on Amazon Music. Download the Amazon Music app today, or you can listen Add Free with Wondery Plus and Apple podcasts. Before you go, tell us about yourself by completing a short survey at Wondery.com slash survey. at Wondery.com slash survey.