A Prank Too Far At Aberdeen University

The University of Aberdeen is one of the oldest and most prestigious schools in Scotland, created in 1495 by Bishop Elphinstone. With permission from King James IV, King's College was founded to cure what the bishop saw as the ignorance of the north by providing teachers, clergy and doctors to the surrounding area.

As a Bishop, it's no surprise that Elphinstone's new university would include an elaborate chapel and it was a prime target during the Reformation. Religious unrest was moving closer, but the principal refused to let his university suffer the fate that so many abbeys and cathedrals did. Knowing what students are like, it’s said that he armed them with both weapons and drink and the rowdy group managed to scare off the attacking mob.

Boisterous students aren’t always so beneficial though and one dark chapter still hangs over The University of Aberdeen. Back in the 18th century, the University supposedly employed a sacrist called George Downie. It was his job to turf the students out of bed for their 5am prayers and generally keep order around the halls. Downie was said to be particularly strict with the rules and known to lock students out in the cold if they missed curfew.

Needless to say, the young students weren't fond of the sacrist and one night decided to get their revenge. They kidnapped and dragged him into a mock trial, laying out the "crimes" Downie had committed against them. The sentence was death and if Downie hadn't taken them seriously before then that changed when a hooded figure bearing a large axe walked in.

They placed his head on a block as he begged for forgiveness. His plea fell on deaf ears and he heard the whoosh of the axe through the air. However, instead of a blade, it was just a wet cloth that they whipped across his neck. The students roared with laughter, until they noticed that Downie wasn't getting back up.

The old man had died of fright and it’s said that the students were left to hide the body. There’s a cairn at the edge of Seaton Park that supposedly marks where Downie was buried, but there’s no mention of him in the university records. Maybe it’s all just an urban legend or maybe the university did a great job in covering their tracks.