Halloween, or All Hallows Eve, the day before All Saints Day (hallow being an old word for saint), has been observed in Scotland since ancient times.

Its origins can be traced to an old Celtic festival called Samhain which was celebrated by the Druids on November 1 as a culmination of the end of summer, the harvest and the start of winter. The November festival also marked the Celtic New Year.

Regarded as the feast of the dead, Samhain commemorated those who had passed and ridiculed Death to keep him at bay as they believed the ghosts of the dead walked among them on October 31.

Traditionally associated with ghosts, the sighting of an apparition near Tait's Tomb has intrigued generations.

The site, erected by local landowner Craufurd Tait in the 19th century, is situated between Dollar and Tillicoultry.

When first built it stood next to the River Devon surrounded by trees but with the coming of the railway, the river was re-routed leaving the open horseshoe shaped mausoleum stranded in the middle of a marshy field. It was later blocked up to prevent vandalism.

During the long winter nights, people passing the tomb have often seen a man wearing odd clothing who on approach seems to disappear.

There does seem to be some credibility to this ghostly spectre as during World War I, a bus driver making his way past the tomb stopped to pick up a passenger. What struck him was his strange outfit, but he dismissed it as he pulled up.

The gentleman got on the bus and sat down. There was no conductress on this particular occasion so the driver started the engine and looked in his mirror to check on his passenger. He could not see him so he turned round. The bus was empty.

He checked outside but the road was deserted, the only noise coming from an owl hidden in the trees. Quickly he drove to Dollar and the safety of the lamp lights.

Mystery surrounded the events of that night, as some years before, Craufurd's son Archibald Tait the Archbishop of Canterbury, died in December 1882 in debt so his body was transported at night.

It is said an estate worker waited at the tomb for his arrival; however, the Archbishop was actually buried in Buckinghamshire.

Does the worker still await the body? Or is it Craufurd Tait, who died in 1832, and who frequently walked this road during his lifetime?

Over the years there have been many recorded sightings of ghosts at Tait's Tomb.