Myres Castle
Encyclopedia
Myres Castle is a Scottish castle
situated in Fife
near the village of Auchtermuchty
. Its history is interleaved with that of nearby Falkland Palace
with present day castle construction dating to 1530. The castle and magnificent Scottish garden are now operated as a private conference centre with lodging.
s and Sergeants of Arms of Falkland. The word "myres" is associated with a boggy place; in fact, Myres Castle is located within fields and policies with marginal drainage. Further drainage improvements to the fields were made as late as the 1970s. There exists an attractive pond in front of the Castle, which also serves to collect runoff. The lands of the present Myres estate originally part of the extensive properties of the Earl of Fife
, the Myres portion being converyed by marriage to Robert, Duke of Albany
. In the year 1425, Murdoch, the son of Robert, forfeited the holding to the crown. From that time until the 16th century, the tenant farmers rents are recording in the rolls of the Royal Exchequer, indicating continuing ownership of the king. The first recorded tenant of the south quarter of Auchtermuchty, known as "the myres", was Robert Coxwell who resided at the Scottish Royal Court.
, and has an ochre
harl
ed exterior with some exposed grey ashlar
stonework on its square tower added in 1616. The tower is adorned with garland stonework, heraldic relief with carved initials and a parapet. The basement course appears to be an older, possibly 14th century piece, due to its barrel vaulted construction, and clear architecture of a medieval kitchen. Further modifications took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. At the property entrance there is a detached Victorian
stone gatehouse
, which was inhabited as a residence up to at least 1997. The prize of Myres is a spectacular walled garden featuring gigantic topiary
yew
trees, elaborate herbacious borders and a small fishpond. The garden walls exceed three metres in height and are probably of 17th century origin.
to His Majesty, resident of Myres was killed in action in World War I
. His son was the distinguished Scot architect Reginald Fairlie
. The castle was the home of the Fairlie
family up until 1997; moreover, the policies, or wooded perimeter, were augmented with the prudent planting by Captain Reginald Rairlie in the early 1980s. At present Myres serves as a conference centre with nine deluxe bedrooms.
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...
situated in 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...
near the village of Auchtermuchty
Auchtermuchty
Auchtermuchty is a town in Fife, Scotland, situated beside Pitlour Hill nine miles north of Glenrothes. Until 1975 it was a royal burgh, established under charter of King James V in 1517. There is evidence of human habitation in the area dating back over 2,000 years, and the Romans are known to...
. Its history is interleaved with that of nearby Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace
Falkland Palace in Falkland, Fife, Scotland, is a former royal palace of the Scottish Kings. Today it is in the care of the National Trust for Scotland, and serves as a tourist attraction.-Early years:...
with present day castle construction dating to 1530. The castle and magnificent Scottish garden are now operated as a private conference centre with lodging.
Name derivation and early history
Its history is intertwined with the nearby Falkland Palace, since Myres was the heritary home of the MacerMacer
Macer may refer to:* Gaius Licinius Macer , was an official and annalist of ancient Rome;* Lucius Clodius Macer was a legatus of the Roman Empire in Africa in the time of Nero.* Aemilius Macer was a Roman poet of the late Republic....
s and Sergeants of Arms of Falkland. The word "myres" is associated with a boggy place; in fact, Myres Castle is located within fields and policies with marginal drainage. Further drainage improvements to the fields were made as late as the 1970s. There exists an attractive pond in front of the Castle, which also serves to collect runoff. The lands of the present Myres estate originally part of the extensive properties of the Earl of Fife
Earl of Fife
The Earl of Fife or Mormaer of Fife referred to the Gaelic comital lordship of Fife which existed in Scotland until the early 15th century....
, the Myres portion being converyed by marriage to Robert, Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany
Duke of Albany is a peerage title that has occasionally been bestowed on the younger sons in the Scottish, and later the British, royal family, particularly in the Houses of Stuart and Hanover....
. In the year 1425, Murdoch, the son of Robert, forfeited the holding to the crown. From that time until the 16th century, the tenant farmers rents are recording in the rolls of the Royal Exchequer, indicating continuing ownership of the king. The first recorded tenant of the south quarter of Auchtermuchty, known as "the myres", was Robert Coxwell who resided at the Scottish Royal Court.
Architectural history from 1530
The castle itself originated circa 1530 as a Z-plan fortress, perhaps designed by its owner John ScrimgeourJohn Scrimgeour of Myres
John Scrimgeour of Myres Castle near Falkland, Fife was Master of Work for royal buildings for James V and Mary, Queen of Scots, and Precentor of the Scottish Chapel Royal....
, and has an ochre
Ochre
Ochre is the term for both a golden-yellow or light yellow brown color and for a form of earth pigment which produces the color. The pigment can also be used to create a reddish tint known as "red ochre". The more rarely used terms "purple ochre" and "brown ochre" also exist for variant hues...
harl
Harl
Harling is a Scottish term describing an exterior building surfacing technique. The theory of harling is to produce a long-lasting weatherproof shield for a stone building. A pigment can be embedded in the harled material, thus obviating the need for repainting...
ed exterior with some exposed grey ashlar
Ashlar
Ashlar is prepared stone work of any type of stone. Masonry using such stones laid in parallel courses is known as ashlar masonry, whereas masonry using irregularly shaped stones is known as rubble masonry. Ashlar blocks are rectangular cuboid blocks that are masonry sculpted to have square edges...
stonework on its square tower added in 1616. The tower is adorned with garland stonework, heraldic relief with carved initials and a parapet. The basement course appears to be an older, possibly 14th century piece, due to its barrel vaulted construction, and clear architecture of a medieval kitchen. Further modifications took place in the 17th and 18th centuries. At the property entrance there is a detached Victorian
Victorian architecture
The term Victorian architecture refers collectively to several architectural styles employed predominantly during the middle and late 19th century. The period that it indicates may slightly overlap the actual reign, 20 June 1837 – 22 January 1901, of Queen Victoria. This represents the British and...
stone gatehouse
Gatehouse
A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...
, which was inhabited as a residence up to at least 1997. The prize of Myres is a spectacular walled garden featuring gigantic topiary
Topiary
Topiary is the horticultural practice of training live perennial plants, by clipping the foliage and twigs of trees, shrubs and subshrubs to develop and maintain clearly defined shapes, perhaps geometric or fanciful; and the term also refers to plants which have been shaped in this way. It can be...
yew
Taxus baccata
Taxus baccata is a conifer native to western, central and southern Europe, northwest Africa, northern Iran and southwest Asia. It is the tree originally known as yew, though with other related trees becoming known, it may be now known as the English yew, or European yew.-Description:It is a small-...
trees, elaborate herbacious borders and a small fishpond. The garden walls exceed three metres in height and are probably of 17th century origin.
20th century events
Myres is embedded among 44 acres (178,061.8 m²) of gardens, farmlands and policies. The Fairlie family has been associated with Myres for some time. There are Fairlie memorabilia at Myres including shooting diaries as far back as 1903. A recording is noted in the year 1915 that James Olgilvy Reginald Fairlie, ChamberlainChamberlain (office)
A chamberlain is an officer in charge of managing a household. In many countries there are ceremonial posts associated with the household of the sovereign....
to His Majesty, resident of Myres was killed in action in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. His son was the distinguished Scot architect Reginald Fairlie
Reginald Fairlie
Reginald Francis Joseph Fairlie was a Scottish architect.Born at Kincaple, Fife, he was educated in Birmingham....
. The castle was the home of the Fairlie
Fairlie
A Fairlie is a type of articulated steam locomotive that has the driving wheels on bogies. The locomotive may be double-ended or single ended...
family up until 1997; moreover, the policies, or wooded perimeter, were augmented with the prudent planting by Captain Reginald Rairlie in the early 1980s. At present Myres serves as a conference centre with nine deluxe bedrooms.