Aberdour Castle
Encyclopedia
Aberdour Castle is located in the village of Easter Aberdour
, Fife
, Scotland
. Parts of the castle
date from around 1200, making Aberdour one of the two oldest datable standing castles in Scotland, along with Castle Sween
in Argyll
, which was built at around the same time.
The earliest part of the castle comprised a modest hall house, on a site overlooking the Dour Burn. Over the next 400 years, the castle was successively expanded according to contemporary architectural ideas. The hall house became a tower house
in the 15th century, and was extended twice in the 16th century. The final addition was made around 1635, with refined Renaissance
details, and the whole was complemented by a walled garden
to the east and terraced
gardens to the south. The terraces, dating from the mid-16th century, form one of the oldest gardens in Scotland, and offer extensive views across the Firth of Forth
to Edinburgh
.
The castle is largely the creation of the Douglas
Earls of Morton
, who held Aberdour from the 14th century. The earls used Aberdour as a second home until 1642, when their primary residence, Dalkeith House
, was sold. A fire in the late 17th century was followed by some repairs, but in 1725 the family purchased nearby Aberdour House, and the medieval castle was allowed to fall into decay. Today, only the 17th-century wing remains roofed, while the tower has mostly collapsed. Aberdour Castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland
, and is open to the public all year.
. There is no record of what happened to the de Mortimers, but in the early 14th century, King Robert the Bruce
granted Aberdour to his kinsman, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray (d. 1332). Moray's grandson granted the barony in turn to Sir William Douglas of Liddesdale
(c. 1300-1353), in 1342.
In 1351, Sir William Douglas gave the lands of Aberdour to his nephew, Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith
, although he retained the castle for himself until his death two years later. The grant was confirmed by King David II
in 1361. In 1386 Aberdour and Dalkeith were combined to form a single barony, with the principal seat at Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, and Aberdour as a secondary residence. James, fourth Lord Dalkeith
, succeeded to the joint barony in 1456, and was created Earl of Morton in 1458, prior to his marriage to Joanna
, the deaf-mute daughter of James I
. The newly-created earl expanded the existing hall house, heightening and rebuilding the structure to suit his elevated status. The second earl carried out extensions to Aberdour Castle around 1500, building a new stair tower and south block.
In 1538 James V
summoned the 3rd Earl of Morton
before the Privy Council
, accusing him of non-payment of his feudal dues, and in 1540 he banished the Earl to Inverness
. Morton reached Brechin
, in Angus
, where he signed a deed resigning his lands to his kinsman Robert Douglas of Lochleven
. Lochleven was compelled to resign the lands in turn to James V, although he was permitted to keep Aberdour Castle. After James V's death in late 1542, George Douglas of Pittendreich
and the Earl of Arran
assisted Morton in reclaiming his lands, including Aberdour. In return their sons were to marry two of Morton's three daughters. Pittendreich's son James (1525-1581) married the heiress, Elizabeth, and succeeded, in 1553, as 4th Earl of Morton.
Aberdour Castle was reserved to his mother-in-law, Countess Katherine, until 1564, when Mary, Queen of Scots, confirmed Morton's right to the whole barony of Dalkeith and Aberdour. In 1566, Morton was involved in planning a rebellion against the Queen, which resulted in the murder of Queen Mary's secretary, David Riccio, but failed to gain further momentum, and Morton was forced to flee to England. However, by the end of the year he had returned, and by July the following year, Mary was imprisoned and had been forced to abdicate
by the Scottish noblemen. Morton was appointed Regent
of Scotland, for the child King James VI
in 1572. He undertook extensions to the castle in the 1570s, rebuilding the south block of c. 1500, and extending it further south to form the present central range. He also drew inspiration from contemporary gardens in England, such as Hampton Court, in laying out the terraced gardens. The Privy Council met at Aberdour Castle in August 1576, but Morton's regency came to an end in 1578. He was later implicated in the 1567 murder of Queen Mary's husband, Lord Darnley
, and executed in 1581 on the orders of the young King.
While Morton was in prison, his lands were given to his nephew, Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus
, but were granted to the Earl of Lennox
after Morton's execution. In 1587, Lennox returned the Morton lands to Angus, who was now acknowledged as the 5th Earl of Morton. On Angus' death, in 1588, the earldom of Morton passed to another kinsman, William Douglas of Lochleven
(d. 1606). William's son predeceased his father, but his widow, Jean Lyon, continued to live at Aberdour with her second husband, Alexander Lindsay, Lord Spynie
(d. 1607).
(1582-1648), sometimes numbered as the 6th Earl, inherited Aberdour from his grandfather in 1606. He was Treasurer of Scotland
from 1630-36, and a strong supporter of the Stewart dynasty during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
(1639-1651). However, he was compelled to spend much of his fortune in the royal interest, leading him into financial difficulty, and forcing him to sell Dalkeith to the Earl of Buccleuch
in 1642. Earl William built the Renaissance east wing at Aberdour, probably around 1635. It was certainly standing in 1647, when an inventory records luxurious furniture, carpets, and tapestries. The walled garden was also built in the 1630s, and improvements made to the terraces. Aberdour was therefore a suitable principal residence for the Earls after the sale of Dalkeith.
The Earls of Morton continued to live at Aberdour, although they never regained their earlier high status. In 1688 the castle was badly damaged by fire, and in 1690 the 11th Earl consulted the architect James Smith
. Smith surveyed the damage and drew up proposals for repairing and extending the castle with another wing north of the east range. The Earl also sought estimates for the demolition of the tower house and central range. Nothing ever came of these proposals, although repairs were carried out to the east range, being completed in 1703.
. During their stay, a second fire again caused extensive damage. In 1725, the Mortons bought an adjacent property, Cuttlehill House, which they renamed Aberdour House, and the castle ceased to be a residence. The east range was again repaired, and was used for various purposes, including a school room, a barracks, and a masonic hall
. In 1924 the castle and gardens were placed in state care, and continue to be managed by Historic Scotland as a visitor attraction. The south-east wing was initially restored as a home for the custodian, and now houses a cafe. The castle is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
, and the castle, dovecot and walled garden are Category A listed buildings, the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland. The grounds, and surrounding former parks, are listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the national register of significant gardens.
at the north-east, and the splaying, or widening, of the base of the walls, are all indicative of this date. The collapsed part of the south wall also formerly contained an early 13th-century style double-lancet window
. The original structure, of a type known as a hall house, was probably of two or three storeys, comprising a first-floor hall over an unvaulted basement, and may have been surrounded by a defensive timber stockade
or enclosure. The 15th-century rebuilding added two upper floors, and rearranged the interior. Vaulted
basements, including a kitchen, and a spiral stair were inserted, and the heightened wall was topped by a parapet with machicolation
s; spaces through which objects could be dropped on attackers at the base of the wall. The tower suffered major collapses in 1844 and 1919, and today just the basement survives, with only a small section of the south-east wall standing to its full height.
s, or privies. The west apartment is accessed from the terraced garden, via another stair to the south-west, and has a private stair which led up to another chamber above, suggesting that these were the Earl and Countesses apartments. The upper storey, whose timber floor is now missing, comprised three more apartments, including one over the stair. The exterior of the block is decorated with a horizontal decorative strip of masonry known as a string course. One first-floor window is decorated with carved stone pilaster
s and strapwork
, in a similar style to windows at Edinburgh Castle
and Drochil Castle, in the Borders
, both of which were built under Morton's Regency.
, accessed from the central range, with stables and storerooms below. The long gallery was used for entertaining, and, in 1647, is recorded as containing 46 pictures and a harpsichord
, among other furniture. In the south-east wing are three chambers, one on each floor, linked by a spiral stair. The first-floor room has a 17th-century painted ceiling
, decorated with fruit, foliage, and heraldic emblems. The south-east wing has crow-step gables, and a sundial
on one corner. The east window of the long gallery is decorated with pilasters and a pediment. The roof is of 18th-century date, and is lower than the original, resulting in the loss of the triangular pediments which once topped each of the side windows.
. Archaeological investigations were undertaken between 1977 and 1980, to determine whether the lower terraces, which were depicted on a map of 1740, had indeed existed. Although the foundations of the terraces were found, the remains could not be precisely dated, but are thought to have been constructed in the second half of the 16th century. The high retaining walls were rebuilt in 1981, and the terraces were laid with grass, since the excavations had not revealed any evidence of historic planting schemes.
A 16th-century "beehive" shape doocot, or pigeon house, is located to the south, containing around 600 nesting boxes. The 9 metres (29.5 ft) structure rises in four steps, divided by "rat courses"; projecting ribs which prevented rats from climbing inside.
The 17th-century walled garden covers around 5000 square metres (1.2 acre), with walls up to 4 metres (13.1 ft) high. It lies to the west of the outer courtyard, and was originally entered from doors in the south-west and north-east corners. These doors have carved pediments, with strapwork and the Douglas heart emblem over the west door, which led to the terraces. The east door led to St. Fillan's Church, and is carved with the date 1632, together with a monogram
of the initials of the Earl and Countess. A kitchen garden was located across the Kirk Lane, and bee bole
s are located in the walls. A summer house was built into the south-east garden wall in 1675, but was demolished in the 18th century. In 1691, botanist James Sutherland supplied exotic plants, including Persian jasmine
, tamarisks and figs
, to Aberdour from the Physic Garden in Edinburgh, the forerunner of the Royal Botanic Garden
. The later entrance in the west wall dates from around 1740. During the Second World War
, the garden was in use as a market garden and for pig rearing. In the centre of the garden, an early 17th-century polygonal sundial
is mounted on a 19th-century base. The sundial was brought here in the 1970s, possibly from Castle Wigg in south-west Scotland.
. The Earl of Morton purchased it in 1725, finally moving out of the dilapidated castle. In 1731 the 12th Earl consulted James Gibbs
on improvements. It is uncertain how much of Gibbs' proposals were executed, although the doorway has a surround in Gibbs' style. By the 20th century the house was disused, and was redeveloped as private flats in the 1990s. The house is Category A listed, and formerly had its own extensive gardens, which included the surviving 12 metres (39.4 ft) high obelisk
of 1744–45, built by the 13th Earl to be visible from his estate at Dalmahoy
, across the Firth of Forth.
Aberdour
Aberdour is a scenic and historic village on the south coast of Fife, Scotland. It is on the north shore of the Firth of Forth, looking south to the island of Inchcolm and its Abbey, and to Leith and Edinburgh beyond. According to the 2006 population estimate, the village has a population of...
, Fife
Fife
Fife is a council area and former county of Scotland. It is situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with inland boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. Parts of the castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
date from around 1200, making Aberdour one of the two oldest datable standing castles in Scotland, along with Castle Sween
Castle Sween
Castle Sween is located on the eastern shore of Loch Sween, in Knapdale, on the west coast of Argyll, Scotland. Castle Sween is thought to be one of the earliest stone castles built in Scotland, having been built sometime in the late twelfth century...
in Argyll
Argyll
Argyll , archaically Argyle , is a region of western Scotland corresponding with most of the part of ancient Dál Riata that was located on the island of Great Britain, and in a historical context can be used to mean the entire western coast between the Mull of Kintyre and Cape Wrath...
, which was built at around the same time.
The earliest part of the castle comprised a modest hall house, on a site overlooking the Dour Burn. Over the next 400 years, the castle was successively expanded according to contemporary architectural ideas. The hall house became a tower house
Tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
in the 15th century, and was extended twice in the 16th century. The final addition was made around 1635, with refined Renaissance
Renaissance architecture
Renaissance architecture is the architecture of the period between the early 15th and early 17th centuries in different regions of Europe, demonstrating a conscious revival and development of certain elements of ancient Greek and Roman thought and material culture. Stylistically, Renaissance...
details, and the whole was complemented by a walled garden
Walled garden
A walled garden is specifically a garden enclosed by high walls for horticultural rather than security purposes, though traditionally all gardens have been hedged about or walled for protection from animal or human intruders...
to the east and terraced
Terrace (gardening)
In gardening, a terrace is an element where a raised flat paved or gravelled section overlooks a prospect. A raised terrace keeps a house dry and provides a transition between the hard materials of the architecture and softer ones of the garden.-History:...
gardens to the south. The terraces, dating from the mid-16th century, form one of the oldest gardens in Scotland, and offer extensive views across the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
.
The castle is largely the creation of the Douglas
Clan Douglas
Clan Douglas is an ancient Scottish kindred from the Scottish Lowlands taking its name from Douglas, South Lanarkshire, and thence spreading through the Scottish Borderland, Angus, Lothian and beyond. The clan does not currently have a chief, therefore it is considered an armigerous clan.The...
Earls of Morton
Earl of Morton
The title Earl of Morton was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1458 for James Douglas of Dalkeith. Along with it, the title Lord Aberdour was granted. This latter title is the courtesy title for the eldest son and heir to the Earl of Morton....
, who held Aberdour from the 14th century. The earls used Aberdour as a second home until 1642, when their primary residence, Dalkeith House
Dalkeith Palace
Dalkeith Palace in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland, is the former seat of the Duke of Buccleuch.Dalkeith Castle was located to the north east of Dalkeith, and was originally in the hands of the Clan Graham in the 12th century and given to the Douglas family in the early 14th century. James Douglas...
, was sold. A fire in the late 17th century was followed by some repairs, but in 1725 the family purchased nearby Aberdour House, and the medieval castle was allowed to fall into decay. Today, only the 17th-century wing remains roofed, while the tower has mostly collapsed. Aberdour Castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
, and is open to the public all year.
Origins
The barony of Aberdour was acquired in 1126, by Sir Alan de Mortimer, on his marriage to Anicea, daughter of Sir John de Vipont. Sir Alan built St Fillan's Church, which still stands, next to the castle, in around 1140, and his family probably built the original hall house in around 1200, or possibly even earlier. In 1216, another Alan de Mortimer is recorded granting land to the monks of Inchcolm AbbeyInchcolm Abbey
Inchcolm Abbey is a medieval abbey located on the island of Inchcolm in the Firth of Forth in Scotland. The Abbey, which is located at the centre of the island, was founded in the 12th century during the episcopate of Gregoir, Bishop of Dunkeld. Later tradition placed it back in the reign of King...
. There is no record of what happened to the de Mortimers, but in the early 14th century, King Robert the Bruce
Robert I of Scotland
Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...
granted Aberdour to his kinsman, Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray (d. 1332). Moray's grandson granted the barony in turn to Sir William Douglas of Liddesdale
William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale
Sir William Douglas, Lord of Liddesdale was also known as the Knight of Liddesdale and the Flower of Chivalry. He was a Scottish nobleman and soldier active during the Second War of Scottish Independence.-Family:...
(c. 1300-1353), in 1342.
In 1351, Sir William Douglas gave the lands of Aberdour to his nephew, Sir James Douglas of Dalkeith
Dalkeith
Dalkeith is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, lying on the River North Esk. It was granted a burgh of barony in 1401 and a burgh of regality in 1540...
, although he retained the castle for himself until his death two years later. The grant was confirmed by King David II
David II of Scotland
David II was King of Scots from 7 June 1329 until his death.-Early life:...
in 1361. In 1386 Aberdour and Dalkeith were combined to form a single barony, with the principal seat at Dalkeith, near Edinburgh, and Aberdour as a secondary residence. James, fourth Lord Dalkeith
James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton was created Earl of Morton in 1458. He was a descendant of Agnes Dunbar, 4th Countess of Moray . He married Princess Joan Stewart , daughter of James I, King of Scots. His wife was buried in Dalkeith Church, Dalkeith...
, succeeded to the joint barony in 1456, and was created Earl of Morton in 1458, prior to his marriage to Joanna
Joan of Scotland, Countess of Morton
Joan Stewart, Princess of Scotland was a daughter of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort. She married James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton....
, the deaf-mute daughter of James I
James I of Scotland
James I, King of Scots , was the son of Robert III and Annabella Drummond. He was probably born in late July 1394 in Dunfermline as youngest of three sons...
. The newly-created earl expanded the existing hall house, heightening and rebuilding the structure to suit his elevated status. The second earl carried out extensions to Aberdour Castle around 1500, building a new stair tower and south block.
16th century
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
summoned the 3rd Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton
James Douglas, 3rd Earl of Morton was a son of John Douglas, 2nd Earl of Morton and a grandson of James Douglas, 1st Earl of Morton and Joan of Scotland, a daughter of James I of Scotland. He married Catherine Stewart, an illegitimate daughter of King James IV of Scotland by his mistress Marion...
before the Privy Council
Privy Council of Scotland
The Privy Council of Scotland was a body that advised the King.In the range of its functions the council was often more important than the Estates in the running the country. Its registers include a wide range of material on the political, administrative, economic and social affairs of Scotland...
, accusing him of non-payment of his feudal dues, and in 1540 he banished the Earl to Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
. Morton reached Brechin
Brechin
Brechin is a former royal burgh in Angus, Scotland. Traditionally Brechin is often described as a city because of its cathedral and its status as the seat of a pre-Reformation Roman Catholic diocese , but that status has not been officially recognised in the modern era...
, in Angus
Angus
Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...
, where he signed a deed resigning his lands to his kinsman Robert Douglas of Lochleven
Loch Leven
Loch Leven is a fresh water loch in Perth and Kinross council area, central Scotland.Roughly triangular, the loch is about 6 km at its longest. The burgh of Kinross lies at its western end. Loch Leven Castle lies on an island a short way offshore...
. Lochleven was compelled to resign the lands in turn to James V, although he was permitted to keep Aberdour Castle. After James V's death in late 1542, George Douglas of Pittendreich
George Douglas of Pittendreich
George Douglas of Pittendreich was a member of the powerful Douglas family who struggled for control of the young James V of Scotland in 1528. His second son became James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton and Regent of Scotland. Initially, George Douglas promoted the marriage of Mary, Queen of Scots and...
and the Earl of Arran
James Hamilton, 2nd Earl of Arran
James Hamilton, Duke of Châtellerault and 2nd Earl of Arran was a Scottish nobleman.-Biography:He was the eldest legitimate son of James Hamilton, 1st Earl of Arran....
assisted Morton in reclaiming his lands, including Aberdour. In return their sons were to marry two of Morton's three daughters. Pittendreich's son James (1525-1581) married the heiress, Elizabeth, and succeeded, in 1553, as 4th Earl of Morton.
Aberdour Castle was reserved to his mother-in-law, Countess Katherine, until 1564, when Mary, Queen of Scots, confirmed Morton's right to the whole barony of Dalkeith and Aberdour. In 1566, Morton was involved in planning a rebellion against the Queen, which resulted in the murder of Queen Mary's secretary, David Riccio, but failed to gain further momentum, and Morton was forced to flee to England. However, by the end of the year he had returned, and by July the following year, Mary was imprisoned and had been forced to abdicate
Abdication
Abdication occurs when a monarch, such as a king or emperor, renounces his office.-Terminology:The word abdication comes derives from the Latin abdicatio. meaning to disown or renounce...
by the Scottish noblemen. Morton was appointed Regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
of Scotland, for the child King James VI
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
in 1572. He undertook extensions to the castle in the 1570s, rebuilding the south block of c. 1500, and extending it further south to form the present central range. He also drew inspiration from contemporary gardens in England, such as Hampton Court, in laying out the terraced gardens. The Privy Council met at Aberdour Castle in August 1576, but Morton's regency came to an end in 1578. He was later implicated in the 1567 murder of Queen Mary's husband, Lord Darnley
Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley
Henry Stewart or Stuart, 1st Duke of Albany , styled Lord Darnley before 1565, was king consort of Scotland and murdered at Kirk o'Field...
, and executed in 1581 on the orders of the young King.
While Morton was in prison, his lands were given to his nephew, Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus
Archibald Douglas, 8th Earl of Angus and 5th Earl of Morton was the son of David, 7th earl. He succeeded to the title and estates in 1558, being brought up by his uncle, James Douglas, 4th Earl of Morton, a Presbyterian....
, but were granted to the Earl of Lennox
Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox
Esmé Stewart, 1st Duke of Lennox, 1st Earl of Lennox was the son of John Stewart, 5th Lord of Aubigny who was the younger brother of Matthew Stewart, 4th Earl of Lennox...
after Morton's execution. In 1587, Lennox returned the Morton lands to Angus, who was now acknowledged as the 5th Earl of Morton. On Angus' death, in 1588, the earldom of Morton passed to another kinsman, William Douglas of Lochleven
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton
William Douglas, 6th Earl of Morton was the son of Sir Robert Douglas of Lochleven and Margaret Erskine, a former mistress of James V of Scotland. Sir William's half-brother from his mother's liaison with the king was James Stewart, Earl of Moray, Regent of Scotland from 1567 until his...
(d. 1606). William's son predeceased his father, but his widow, Jean Lyon, continued to live at Aberdour with her second husband, Alexander Lindsay, Lord Spynie
Lord Spynie
The Lordship of Parliament of Spynie was created once in the Peerage of Scotland on 4 November 1590 for Sir Alexander Lindsay. On the death of the third lord in 1671, the lordship became dormant.-Lords Spynie :...
(d. 1607).
The later Earls
William Douglas, 7th Earl of MortonWilliam Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton
William Douglas, 7th Earl of Morton was a grandson of the 6th Earl of Morton. He was Lord High Treasurer of Scotland, and a zealous Royalist, who, on the outbreak of the Great Rebellion in 1642, provided £100,000 for the cause by selling his Dalkeith estates to the Earl of Buccleuch...
(1582-1648), sometimes numbered as the 6th Earl, inherited Aberdour from his grandfather in 1606. He was Treasurer of Scotland
Treasurer of Scotland
The Treasurer was a senior post in the pre-Union government of Scotland, the Privy Council of Scotland.The full title of the post was Lord High Treasurer, Comptroller, Collector-General and Treasurer of the New Augmentation, formed as it was from the amalgamation of four earlier offices...
from 1630-36, and a strong supporter of the Stewart dynasty during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
Wars of the Three Kingdoms
The Wars of the Three Kingdoms formed an intertwined series of conflicts that took place in England, Ireland, and Scotland between 1639 and 1651 after these three countries had come under the "Personal Rule" of the same monarch...
(1639-1651). However, he was compelled to spend much of his fortune in the royal interest, leading him into financial difficulty, and forcing him to sell Dalkeith to the Earl of Buccleuch
Francis Scott, 2nd Earl of Buccleuch
Francis Scott, 2nd Earl of Buccleuch was the son of Walter Scott, 1st Earl of Buccleuch.On 25 July 1646, he married Lady Margaret Leslie, daughter of John Leslie, 6th Earl of Rothes and they had three children:...
in 1642. Earl William built the Renaissance east wing at Aberdour, probably around 1635. It was certainly standing in 1647, when an inventory records luxurious furniture, carpets, and tapestries. The walled garden was also built in the 1630s, and improvements made to the terraces. Aberdour was therefore a suitable principal residence for the Earls after the sale of Dalkeith.
The Earls of Morton continued to live at Aberdour, although they never regained their earlier high status. In 1688 the castle was badly damaged by fire, and in 1690 the 11th Earl consulted the architect James Smith
James Smith (architect)
James Smith was a Scottish architect, who pioneered the Palladian style in Scotland. He was described by Colen Campbell, in his Vitruvius Britannicus , as "the most experienced architect of that kingdom".-Biography:...
. Smith surveyed the damage and drew up proposals for repairing and extending the castle with another wing north of the east range. The Earl also sought estimates for the demolition of the tower house and central range. Nothing ever came of these proposals, although repairs were carried out to the east range, being completed in 1703.
Final decline
Government troops were stationed at Aberdour Castle during the Jacobite Rising of 1715Jacobite Rising of 1715
The Jacobite rising of 1715, often referred to as The 'Fifteen, was the attempt by James Francis Edward Stuart to regain the British throne for the exiled House of Stuart.-Background:...
. During their stay, a second fire again caused extensive damage. In 1725, the Mortons bought an adjacent property, Cuttlehill House, which they renamed Aberdour House, and the castle ceased to be a residence. The east range was again repaired, and was used for various purposes, including a school room, a barracks, and a masonic hall
Freemasonry
Freemasonry is a fraternal organisation that arose from obscure origins in the late 16th to early 17th century. Freemasonry now exists in various forms all over the world, with a membership estimated at around six million, including approximately 150,000 under the jurisdictions of the Grand Lodge...
. In 1924 the castle and gardens were placed in state care, and continue to be managed by Historic Scotland as a visitor attraction. The south-east wing was initially restored as a home for the custodian, and now houses a cafe. The castle is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument
Scheduled Ancient Monument
In the United Kingdom, a scheduled monument is a 'nationally important' archaeological site or historic building, given protection against unauthorized change. The various pieces of legislation used for legally protecting heritage assets from damage and destruction are grouped under the term...
, and the castle, dovecot and walled garden are Category A listed buildings, the highest level of protection for a historic building in Scotland. The grounds, and surrounding former parks, are listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes, the national register of significant gardens.
Description
The castle originally comprised the 12th- or 13th-century hall house, which was extended in the 15th century. In the 16th century the central range was built to the south of the tower house, and new inner and outer courtyard walls were constructed. The east part of the inner courtyard wall is reduced to foundations, but the base of a round tower and a porter's lodge survive. To the west, the inner courtyard wall remains, enclosing the former service courtyard, which comprises a brewery and bakehouse, with ovens. The east range was added in the 17th century, along the south edge of the outer courtyard. The castle was originally approached from the north, with the entrance moved to the west, along with the 17th-century gate, when the Aberdour railway line was constructed in 1890.The tower house
The tower house measures 16 metres (52 ft) by 11 metres (36 ft) on a skewed rectangular plan. The lower two storeys comprise the oldest part of the castle, which can be dated to around 1200, while the upper parts are of the 15th century. The date for the original building is based on several pieces of evidence. The cubical blocks of masonry, the flat buttressButtress
A buttress is an architectural structure built against or projecting from a wall which serves to support or reinforce the wall...
at the north-east, and the splaying, or widening, of the base of the walls, are all indicative of this date. The collapsed part of the south wall also formerly contained an early 13th-century style double-lancet window
Lancet window
A lancet window is a tall narrow window with a pointed arch at its top. It acquired the "lancet" name from its resemblance to a lance. Instances of this architectural motif are most often found in Gothic and ecclesiastical structures, where they are often placed singly or in pairs.The motif first...
. The original structure, of a type known as a hall house, was probably of two or three storeys, comprising a first-floor hall over an unvaulted basement, and may have been surrounded by a defensive timber stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
or enclosure. The 15th-century rebuilding added two upper floors, and rearranged the interior. Vaulted
Vault (architecture)
A Vault is an architectural term for an arched form used to provide a space with a ceiling or roof. The parts of a vault exert lateral thrust that require a counter resistance. When vaults are built underground, the ground gives all the resistance required...
basements, including a kitchen, and a spiral stair were inserted, and the heightened wall was topped by a parapet with machicolation
Machicolation
A machicolation is a floor opening between the supporting corbels of a battlement, through which stones, or other objects, could be dropped on attackers at the base of a defensive wall. The design was developed in the Middle Ages when the Norman crusaders returned. A machicolated battlement...
s; spaces through which objects could be dropped on attackers at the base of the wall. The tower suffered major collapses in 1844 and 1919, and today just the basement survives, with only a small section of the south-east wall standing to its full height.
The central range
The central range was begun around 1500, possibly as a two-storey building containing a great hall, although only fragments of this building remain. The south entrance to the tower house was blocked up, and replaced with a ground floor entrance from the east. A new stair tower, with a broad spiral stair, was built at the south-east corner. Originally topped by a conical roof, this stair gave access to the upper floors in the tower, and to the central range. Around 1570, the 4th Earl of Morton rebuilt the block, extending it further south to form new apartments. This block, forming the present three-storey central range, includes a vaulted kitchen and cellar in the basement, with suites of rooms above. The two bedrooms on the first floor each have their own closets and garderobeGarderobe
The term garderobe describes a place where clothes and other items are stored, and also a medieval toilet. In European public places, a garderobe denotes the cloakroom, wardrobe, alcove or an armoire. In Danish, Dutch, German and Spanish garderobe can mean a cloakroom. In Latvian it means checkroom...
s, or privies. The west apartment is accessed from the terraced garden, via another stair to the south-west, and has a private stair which led up to another chamber above, suggesting that these were the Earl and Countesses apartments. The upper storey, whose timber floor is now missing, comprised three more apartments, including one over the stair. The exterior of the block is decorated with a horizontal decorative strip of masonry known as a string course. One first-floor window is decorated with carved stone pilaster
Pilaster
A pilaster is a slightly-projecting column built into or applied to the face of a wall. Most commonly flattened or rectangular in form, pilasters can also take a half-round form or the shape of any type of column, including tortile....
s and strapwork
Strapwork
In the history of art and design, the term strapwork refers to a stylised representation in ornament of strips or bands of curling leather, parchment or metal cut into elaborate shapes, with piercings and often interwoven...
, in a similar style to windows at Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
and Drochil Castle, in the Borders
Scottish Borders
The Scottish Borders is one of 32 local government council areas of Scotland. It is bordered by Dumfries and Galloway in the west, South Lanarkshire and West Lothian in the north west, City of Edinburgh, East Lothian, Midlothian to the north; and the non-metropolitan counties of Northumberland...
, both of which were built under Morton's Regency.
The east range
The east range, of c.1635, comprises a long, narrow building, with a short projecting wing to the south-east. It is the only part of the castle still roofed. The first floor of the wing is occupied by a long galleryLong gallery
Long gallery is an architectural term given to a long, narrow room, often with a high ceiling. In British architecture, long galleries were popular in Elizabethan and Jacobean houses. They were often located on the upper floor of the great houses of the time, and stretched across the entire...
, accessed from the central range, with stables and storerooms below. The long gallery was used for entertaining, and, in 1647, is recorded as containing 46 pictures and a harpsichord
Harpsichord
A harpsichord is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It produces sound by plucking a string when a key is pressed.In the narrow sense, "harpsichord" designates only the large wing-shaped instruments in which the strings are perpendicular to the keyboard...
, among other furniture. In the south-east wing are three chambers, one on each floor, linked by a spiral stair. The first-floor room has a 17th-century painted ceiling
Scottish Renaissance painted ceilings
A number of Scottish houses and castles built between 1540 and 1640 have painted ceilings. This is a distinctive national style, though there is common ground with similar work elsewhere, especially in France, Spain and Scandinavia. Most surviving examples are painted simply on the boards and...
, decorated with fruit, foliage, and heraldic emblems. The south-east wing has crow-step gables, and a sundial
Sundial
A sundial is a device that measures time by the position of the Sun. In common designs such as the horizontal sundial, the sun casts a shadow from its style onto a surface marked with lines indicating the hours of the day. The style is the time-telling edge of the gnomon, often a thin rod or a...
on one corner. The east window of the long gallery is decorated with pilasters and a pediment. The roof is of 18th-century date, and is lower than the original, resulting in the loss of the triangular pediments which once topped each of the side windows.
The gardens
There were gardens at Aberdour Castle from at least 1540. The terraced garden dates from the time of the 4th Earl of Morton, who succeeded in 1553, and comprises four broad L-shaped terraces. At the bottom of the terraces was an orchard, laid out in 1690, and recently replanted. The extent of the terracing was only rediscovered following excavations in the 1970s, after parts of the garden had been in use as a market gardenMarket garden
A market garden is the relatively small-scale production of fruits, vegetables and flowers as cash crops, frequently sold directly to consumers and restaurants. It is distinguishable from other types of farming by the diversity of crops grown on a small area of land, typically, from under one acre ...
. Archaeological investigations were undertaken between 1977 and 1980, to determine whether the lower terraces, which were depicted on a map of 1740, had indeed existed. Although the foundations of the terraces were found, the remains could not be precisely dated, but are thought to have been constructed in the second half of the 16th century. The high retaining walls were rebuilt in 1981, and the terraces were laid with grass, since the excavations had not revealed any evidence of historic planting schemes.
A 16th-century "beehive" shape doocot, or pigeon house, is located to the south, containing around 600 nesting boxes. The 9 metres (29.5 ft) structure rises in four steps, divided by "rat courses"; projecting ribs which prevented rats from climbing inside.
The 17th-century walled garden covers around 5000 square metres (1.2 acre), with walls up to 4 metres (13.1 ft) high. It lies to the west of the outer courtyard, and was originally entered from doors in the south-west and north-east corners. These doors have carved pediments, with strapwork and the Douglas heart emblem over the west door, which led to the terraces. The east door led to St. Fillan's Church, and is carved with the date 1632, together with a monogram
Monogram
A monogram is a motif made by overlapping or combining two or more letters or other graphemes to form one symbol. Monograms are often made by combining the initials of an individual or a company, used as recognizable symbols or logos. A series of uncombined initials is properly referred to as a...
of the initials of the Earl and Countess. A kitchen garden was located across the Kirk Lane, and bee bole
Bee bole
A bee bole is a cavity or alcove in a wall or a separate free-standing structure set against a wall . A skep is placed inside the bee bole...
s are located in the walls. A summer house was built into the south-east garden wall in 1675, but was demolished in the 18th century. In 1691, botanist James Sutherland supplied exotic plants, including Persian jasmine
Jasmine
Jasminum , commonly known as jasmines, is a genus of shrubs and vines in the olive family . It contains around 200 species native to tropical and warm temperate regions of the Old World...
, tamarisks and figs
Common fig
The Common fig is a deciduous tree growing to heights of up to 6 m in the genus Ficus from the family Moraceae known as Common fig tree. It is a temperate species native to the Middle East.-Description:...
, to Aberdour from the Physic Garden in Edinburgh, the forerunner of the Royal Botanic Garden
Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh
The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh is a scientific centre for the study of plants, their diversity and conservation, as well as a popular tourist attraction. Originally founded in 1670 as a physic garden to grow medicinal plants, today it occupies four sites across Scotland — Edinburgh,...
. The later entrance in the west wall dates from around 1740. During the Second World War
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the garden was in use as a market garden and for pig rearing. In the centre of the garden, an early 17th-century polygonal sundial
Scottish sundial
Scottish sundials of the renaissance period are not just more numerous than in any other country, they are also stylistically unique. This is particularly notable when the size and wealth of Scotland at the time are taken into account. They are free standing stone sculptures of the 17th and 18th...
is mounted on a 19th-century base. The sundial was brought here in the 1970s, possibly from Castle Wigg in south-west Scotland.
Aberdour House
Originally named Cuttlehill, the house was built in the 17th century, and is dated 1672. It was enlarged in 1715 by its then owner, the Earl of MorayCharles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray
Charles Stuart, 6th Earl of Moray was the son of Alexander Stuart, 5th Earl of Moray and his wife, Emilia Balfour. He acceeded to his father's titles in 1701 and died, unmarried, in 1735. He was succeeded by his brother, Francis.-Notes:*http://www.thepeerage.com/p2510.htm#i25097...
. The Earl of Morton purchased it in 1725, finally moving out of the dilapidated castle. In 1731 the 12th Earl consulted James Gibbs
James Gibbs
James Gibbs was one of Britain's most influential architects. Born in Scotland, he trained as an architect in Rome, and practised mainly in England...
on improvements. It is uncertain how much of Gibbs' proposals were executed, although the doorway has a surround in Gibbs' style. By the 20th century the house was disused, and was redeveloped as private flats in the 1990s. The house is Category A listed, and formerly had its own extensive gardens, which included the surviving 12 metres (39.4 ft) high obelisk
Obelisk
An obelisk is a tall, four-sided, narrow tapering monument which ends in a pyramid-like shape at the top, and is said to resemble a petrified ray of the sun-disk. A pair of obelisks usually stood in front of a pylon...
of 1744–45, built by the 13th Earl to be visible from his estate at Dalmahoy
Dalmahoy
Dalmahoy is hotel and former country house near Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland. It is located off the A71 road, south of Ratho. The house is protected as a category A listed building, while the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national...
, across the Firth of Forth.
External links
- Images from RCAHMS, including aerial views and historic photographs