Crathes Castle
| Crathes Castle | ||
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 Crathes Castle, view from the garden |
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| Creation time : | Mid 16th century | |
| Conservation status: | Receive | |
| Place: | Banchory | |
| Geographical location | 57 ° 3 '41.4 " N , 2 ° 26' 23.3" W | |
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Crathes Castle originally as a tower house built castle in the Scottish region of Aberdeenshire . It is located around three kilometers east of Banchory on the northern edge of the Deetal , surrounded by extensive gardens . Crathes Castle was owned by the Burnett of Leys family for almost 400 years and has been owned by the National Trust for Scotland since 1951 .
history
Crathes Castle was built in the second half of the 16th century by the then landowners, the Burnett of Leys family . The family had resided in the area since the time of Robert the Bruce , who had granted Alexander de Burnard land at Banchory and the office of royal forester in 1323 . This was symbolized by the Horn of Leys , an ivory horn with carvings and jewelery, which can be seen in the High Hall of Crathes Castle. Until the mid-16th century, the family lived on a crannog in the now drained Loch of Leys north of Banchory. In 1553 the construction of Crathes Castle began as a new family seat under Alexander Burnett of Leys , 9th Lord of Leys. The complex was completed in 1596 under his great-grandson of the same name, the 12th Lord of Leys. The Burnett family avoided getting involved in the various Scottish conflicts of the 16th to 18th centuries, so Crathes Castle remained largely unmolested by military actions. Only in 1644 did the owner at that time have to open the gates to the approaching James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose .
The original Tower House was expanded by a three-story east wing under Sir Thomas Burnett, 3rd Baronet of Leys, in the 1680s to provide enough space for his large family - he and his wife Margaret had 21 children. After a fire in 1966, the wing was only rebuilt on two floors. The last owner of the family, Sir James Burnett, 13th Baronet of Leys, transferred Crathes Castle and the accompanying property to the National Trust for Scotland in 1951.
description
The original Tower House is six stories high. At the end of the 17th century, it was supplemented by a simpler east wing, which is now also the entrance. The Tower House has on its top floor cantilevered round towers at the corners, the roof is crowned by various chimneys and a clock from Victorian times. Inside, ceiling paintings from the time of origin at the end of the 16th century have been preserved in various rooms. The central room is the large hall, which can be reached from the ground floor via spiral stairs. Most of the rooms still have old furniture from the original Burnetts of Leys family property.
Crathes Castle has extensive gardens and parks. The walled garden has large yew hedges ; the oldest plants date from the beginning of the 18th century. The National Trust operates a visitor center and café for visitors.
Web links
- Entry on Crathes Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
- Crathes Castle in the pages of the National Trust for Scotland (English)
- Crathes Castle on undiscoveredscotland.co.uk (English)