Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate
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Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate Summary
- Address: Banchory, AB31 3QJ (Map)
- Tel: +44 (0)1330 844525
- Fax: +44 (0)1330 844797
- Owner: The National Trust of Scotland
- Administrator: The National Trust of Scotland
- E-mail: Click here to contact
- Website: Go to the Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate website
Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate Description
Crathes Castle can trace its history back directly to King Robert the Bruce, who gave the Burnett of Leys family a piece of land on 1323, upon which they built their first recorded home on the new acquisition. A fascinating relic of this association is the jewelled ivory Horn of Leys, part of the King’s benevolence to the family, which can be seen still in the Great Hall. Their new home was not a strong stone defensive structure as one might expect, but a crannog, or fortress of timbers which relied upon water as both its foundation and its defence. The site for this was the middle of a bog, not far from the location of the present castle.
This they seem to have endured for some 230 years, at which point the basis of the present castle was started, but encountering difficulties of a political nature was not completed until 1596, by Alexander Burnett of Leys. An additional wing was added in the time of Queen Anne. In 1951 Sir James Burnett, 13th Baronet of Leys, presented the Castle to the National Trust for Scotland, and it has remained as one of their key properties ever since. It is one of those properties where house and garden are well balanced and compliment each other. Fifteen years later disaster struck in the form of a fire which caused quite extensive damage, especially to the Queen Anne wing.
Nowadays the castle is open all the year round, closing earlier than usual on the short winter days. The Aberdeenshire arm of the Trust’s Ranger Service is based at the castle and provides a comprehensive coverall for the various facets of this attractive property. This involves providing stewardship for the wildlife and flora of the estate, as well as an education service. A notable attraction for the young children is the nature detective’s programme and Rangers also lead the Guided Walks, a much appreciated part of the events programme. A podcast facility also takes visitors on a scenic walk round the property. One wonders whether it has been possible to incorporate the green lady, said to haunt her eponymous room in the castle as often as not accompanied by a cloud of green vapour.
The Castle estate covers some 530 acres of fields and woodland, four acres of which include a magnificent and renowned walled garden, for many a source of regular pilgrimage such is the wealth of planting and variety. Labelling of plants is often a source of controversy but here it has been done with restraint and discretion that compliment the connoisseur and inform the less knowledgeable. A well-tended croquet lawn is maintained in a higher section of the walled garden.
With easy access to Aberdeen the Trust has not been slow to develop an events programme, and whilst most of these are of the less grand variety this is very much part of their appeal, and can include displays of falconry, a celebration of calendar events such as Christmas, St Andrew’s Day and Halloween. There is an adventure playground, a climbing wall, an educational programme that is popular with schools, the Courtyard shop and refreshments.
The castle interior varies from the poky to the grandiose. Amongst the latter are some exceptionally fine painted Jacobean ceilings, mostly still in their original form. With rooms like the Chamber of the Muses and the Chamber of the Nine Worthies there is little chance of the curiosity not being roused. A number of the Burnett family portraits survive. As a tower house, with additions, it strikes a remarkably exact note of what many people expect to see.
The whole presentation at Crathes can be tackled comfortably in a day, making it an absolute must for those touring in the area. To find out more details about visiting Crathes Castle and what you can do there, visit their Website.
Opening Times - 2012
Castle:
- January - March: Saturday & Sunday, 10.30 am - 3.45 pm (last entry 3 pm)
- April - October: Daily, 10.30 am - 4.45pm (last entry 4 pm)
- November - December: Saturday & Sunday, 10.30 am - 3.45 pm (last entry 3 pm)
- December 27th - 31st: Daily, 10.30 am - 3.45 pm (last entry 3 pm)
Shop:
- January - March: Tuesday - Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm
- April - October: Daily, 10 am - 5 pm
- November - December: Tuesday - Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm
Cafe:
- January - March: Tuesday - Sunday, 10 am - 4 pm
- April - October: Daily, 9.30 am - 5 pm
- November - December: Tuesday - Sunday, 10 - 4 pm
Garden & Grounds:
- All year: daily, 9 am - sunset
Admission Prices - 2012
Castle & Garden:
- Adult - £11.000
- Concession - £8.00
- Family (2 adults) - £27.00
- Family (1 adult) - £21.00
- Groups Welcome (minimum 20 people)
- Car parking £2.00
All Images Copyright National Trust for Scotland.
Further information including opening times and pricesImage Gallery
Your Reviews of Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate
Christopher Wali (30 April 2007)
I find this house fantastically splendid. I hate it with a passion!
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Additional Info for Crathes Castle, Garden & Estate
Groups- Playgrounds
- Dogs allowed
- Weddings
- Disabled Access
- Education
- Accommodation
- Refreshments
- Picnics
- Guides
- Filming
- Gifts
- Nursery
- Live Entertainment
- Shop
- Car Parking
Heritage Groups
- National Trust for Scotland
Credit Cards Accepted
- Mastercard
- Visa
- Switch
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