Tradition: Scottish Mythology
Alternative Names: Powrie, Redcomb, Bloody Cap, Robin Redcap
Category: Goblin
The Myth
The Redcap is a malevolent goblin from the folklore of the Anglo-Scottish border, known for its murderous nature and distinctive blood-red cap. It is described as a short, thickset old creature with long, prominent teeth, large fiery-red eyes, and grisly hair streaming over its shoulders. Its thin fingers end in sharp talons like those of an eagle, and it wears iron boots while carrying a pikestaff in its left hand. Its most striking feature is the red cap on its head, which it keeps crimson by soaking it in the blood of its victims.
Redcaps inhabit ruined castles and ancient fortresses, particularly places associated with tyranny, cruelty, and wicked deeds. When travellers seek shelter in these ruins, the goblin attacks them by hurling enormous stones. If it kills someone, it dips its cap in the victim’s blood. Ordinary human strength cannot overcome a Redcap, making it a particularly dangerous presence in abandoned buildings along the border.
Despite its strength and ferocity, the Redcap can be defeated through religious protection. Reciting Scripture or brandishing a crucifix causes the creature to let out a dismal scream before vanishing in flames, leaving behind one of its large teeth. This weakness makes Christian faith a powerful defence against the otherwise formidable goblin.
One famous Redcap is Robin Redcap, the supernatural familiar of William de Soulis, a Scottish nobleman associated with Hermitage Castle. According to legend, Robin Redcap helped his master commit terrible deeds and protected him against weapons. The creature was said to live inside a chest secured by three strong padlocks. In the tale of William de Soulis, the nobleman was eventually taken to Ninestane Rig, wrapped in lead, and boiled to death. Although the story differs from the historical account of de Soulis’s imprisonment and death, it helped establish the Redcap’s association with the dark legends surrounding Scotland’s ruined castles.
Not every figure called a Redcap is murderous. A tradition from Perthshire describes a more benevolent little man living in a room high inside Grantully Castle, whose appearance or sounds bring good fortune to those who encounter him. In Cornwall, the term was also applied more broadly to fairies wearing scarlet caps, including some benevolent fairy folk. These variants differ from the blood-soaked goblin of the Anglo-Scottish border, whose name is inseparable from violence and the haunted ruins it inhabits.
Sources
“Redcap.” Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Wikimedia Foundation. Accessed October 17, 2026. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redcap