|
|
Brodie Castle
|
|
|
| Description: |
Brodie Castle is a typical fortified Scots house built in the 16th Century with later additions. It is a large and impressive building. The original house was built by the 12th Brodie of Brodie dating from 1567.
The original structure was a tower house built on a 'Z' plan with two towers set at opposite corners of a rectangular central keep. This provided excellent defences with a possible field of fire along all four walls.
A western extension was added in the early 17th Century but apart from this, little building was done until the 19th century when William Burn was commissioned to build the eastern wing of the house.
The grounds of the castle were extensively remodelled in the 1730s with radiating avenues of trees, a wilderness and an ornamental canal and basin.
The earliest records of Brodies at Brodie date from over 800 years ago. The Thanes of Brodie inhabited the area and it is possible they obtained their lands from King Malcolm IV in about 1160. The 10th Laird who lived in the 16th century, is the first one we have substantial records about. It was his grandson Alexander who started building the present house.
The Brodies lives were dominated by the religious events in the 17th century, the 15th Brodie signing the first National Covenant. This led to the castle being partially burnt in 1645 by Lords Gordon and Huntly.
The 18th century saw the accumulation of considerable debt which later generations were to partially recoup by service in India.
This burden of debt was to rear its head again in the 19th century when William Brodie (22nd) commissioned the eastern extension to the house. His marriage in 1838 to Elizabeth Baillie of Redcastle helped to pay for that.
The 24th Brodie of Brodie was an authority on daffodils and raised at Brodie, many of the varieties we grow today. The house was renovated in 1980 after passing to The National Trust for Scotland, although it is still occupied by the Brodies. |
| Time
Line: |
Coming
Soon |
| Notes: |
The castle is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is open to the public daily from 1 April or Good Friday (whichever is sooner) to September; then weekends only in October. The grounds are open all year. You can telephone 01309 641371 for more information.
|
|
|
|
|
