Braemar Castle
| Braemar Castle | |
|---|---|
| Braemar, Aberdeenshire, Scotland | |
 Braemar Castle | |
  Braemar Castle | |
| Coordinates | 57°00′53″N 3°23′29″W / 57.0147°N 3.3914°W |
| Site information | |
| Website | https://www.braemarcastle.co.uk |
Braemar Castle is situated near the village of Braemar in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a possession of the chief of Clan Farquharson and is leased to a local charitable foundation. It is open to the public.
History
From the
An important garrison after the
Rebuilding started under the command of John Adam, Master Mason to the Board of Ordnance.[2]
In 1831 the military garrison was withdrawn and the castle returned to the Farquharson clan. Restoration to provide a family home began under the 12th Laird of Invercauld who entertained Queen Victoria there when she attended the Braemar Gatherings in the grounds of the castle. In 1800 Braemar Castle was documented to have its moat intact.[6]
It has also featured in the video to Andy Stewart's "A Scottish Soldier".
Since 2006 the castle has been leased to the local community. It is run on behalf of the community by local charity, Braemar Community Ltd and staffed by local volunteers, and an ambitious restoration programme has been started. It reopened to the public in 2008.[7]
Structure
The building is a five-storey
On the ground floor are stone-vaulted rooms which contained the guardroom, ammunition store and original kitchen. These are built out into the salients of the outer wall, and in Victorian times a second kitchen was added adjoining the staff rooms. In the floor of a passage, an iron grill provided access to the Laird's Pit, a dark hole used as a dungeon.
On each of the upper floors a large room and a small room occupied the two arms of the tower. On the first floor are the Dining Room and Morning Room, whilst on the floor above is the Laird's Day Room, entered by a curved door. Opposite is the Rose Room, and between the two is a small bathroom installed in 1901. In the main wing at this level is the Drawing Room, containing graffiti incised on the window shutters by government troops. The words "John Chestnut, Sergeant, 1797" can be clearly seen. On the third floor is the Four Poster Bedroom, whilst on the fourth floor lie the Ladies Guest Bedroom, Gentlemans Guest Bedroom and the Principal Bedroom. These upper floors were used by the Farquharson family in the latter years of their visits.[2]
References
- ^ Francis Hindes Groome, Ordnance Gazetteer of Scotland, 1882
- ^ ISBN 0-900594-60-8
- ^ C. Michael Hogan, Elsick Mounth, Megalithic Portal, editor: Andy Burnham
- ^ Alex Inkson McConnochie, Alexander Inkson McConnochie, J G Murray, The Royal Dee: A Description of the River from the Wells to the Sea, 1898, Jolly Publishers, Scotland, 161 pages
- ^ Scottish Garden Buildings by Tim Buxbaum p.11
- ^ John Leyden and James Sinton, Journal of a Tour in the Highlands and Western Islands of Scotland in 1800, 1903, W. Blackwood and Sons, 318 pages
- ^ Braemar Guide : Braemar Castle Archived May 9, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
External links
- Castle website
- Braemar Castle on Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 6 October 2017.
- Braemar Castle Grounds Winter Virtual Tour
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