Edinburgh's Lauriston Castle launches programme featuring body-snatching and Whisky Galore

The story of body-snatching, muder and anatomy, the real-life events behind Whisky Galore and the mysterious life of Agatha Christie are among the topics to feature in the newly-launched programme of events at Edinburgh’s Lauriston Castle.

The council-run 16th century castle, near Cramond, which has breath-taking views of the Firth of Forth, will play host to an eclectic series of events over the coming months, including lecture mornings, adult craft workshops and costumed performances.

The lectures include one on June 26 which will use archive records to explore the events which inspired Compton MacKenzie’s classic Scottish tale Whisky Galore and look behind the scenes of the comedy film classic.

Another, on July 2, will focus on the private anatomy schools which flourished in Edinburgh in the early 19th century and the “dark underbelly” of the quest for more knowledge about the human body.

Others will consider the early days of photography, the history of the Usher Hall and the first decade of Agatha Christie’s detective-writing career as well as her own disappearance and personal tragedy.

The castle’s programme also includes themed tours, theatre performances, atmospheric film screenings and garden events.

The adult crafts workshops include sessions on watercolour painting, crocheting and more. The costumed performances allow visitors to experience re-enactments of Edinburgh life from days gone by. And there are family events ranging from ghost tours to workshops on space.