Castle Fraser
Castle Fraser is a castle in Scotland . It stands south of Kemnay in the Aberdeenshire region . It is surrounded by over 1.2 km² of open forest and farmland. There is archaeological evidence of an older square tower below the current structure.
The castle was used as a backdrop for some scenes in the film The Queen with Helen Mirren . The property is open to visitors from Easter to October and can also be rented for weddings and social events.
history
The castle has a z-shaped floor plan on which five floors rise. Construction was started by Michael Fraser of Muchall in 1575 and completed in 1636 by his son Andrew, 1st Lord Fraser . The basis was an older tower from around 1400. A plaque on the north side of the castle bears the inscription "I Bel", which suggests that the master mason John Bell von Midmar built the castle together with the master masons Thomas Leiper and James Leiper.
Castle Fraser was built at the same time as other nearby famous castles such as Craigievar Castle , Crathes Castle and Muchalls Castle .
The castle was modernized in the late 1700s and at the same time equipped with a new entrance on the south side and sliding windows. The work was under the supervision of Elyza Fraser, the wife of the then Lord . She was also responsible for redesigning the surrounding palace gardens.
The interior of the building was completely renewed once again between 1820 and 1850 by Charles Fraser and architects John Smith and William Burn.
owner
Castle Fraser became the home of the "Frasers of Muchall", later "Frasers of Castle Fraser". In 1897 Frederick, the last male Fraser from the direct line, died childless. Because a suitable heir was lacking and due to financial difficulties, his widow Theodora sold the property to Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray in 1921. The Pearson family had the building restored as a hunting lodge and handed it over to the National Trust for Scotland in 1976 .
The stone circle of Castle Fraser is located on the premises.
Ghost legend
Legend has it that a young princess was brutally murdered while staying at the castle, while in the open space (English: Green Room ) was sleeping. Her body was dragged down the stone stairs, leaving a trail of blood. The castle residents tried unsuccessfully to remove the blood stains and so they were forced to cover the steps with wood, which still adorns the stairs to this day. It is said that the spirit of the princess still wanders the halls of the castle at night. But it is certainly more likely that the stone staircase was clad to make it easier to climb, as was the case with servant stairs in the 19th century.
Individual evidence
- ^ Castle Fraser (accessed September 26, 2008)
- ↑ Scottish Castles Photo Library - Castle Fraser, Aberdeenshire (accessed September 26, 2008)
Web links
- History of Castle Fraser and information on the spirits (English)
- Castle Fraser on the National Trust for Scotland website
Coordinates: 57 ° 12 ′ 10.8 " N , 2 ° 27 ′ 38" W.