|
Drummond Castle
is located in Perthshire, Scotland. The castle is known for its
gardens.
The lands of Drummond were the property of the Drummond family
from the 14th century, and the original tower house was built
over several years by John Drummond, 1st Lord Drummond of
Cargill, from about 1490. In 1605 the 4th Lord Drummond was
created Earl of Perth, and added to the castle. The 2nd Earl of
Perth laid out the first terraced garden around the castle in
the 1630s.
The castle was sacked by the army of Oliver Cromwell in 1653,
during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. The 4th Earl of Perth was
Lord Chancellor of Scotland under King James VII. He began the
mansion house in 1689, before being imprisoned following the
deposition of King James by William of Orange. He later fled to
the exiled Jacobite court in France. The Drummonds continued to
support the Jacobite cause in the Jacobite uprisings of 1715 and
1745. The family retained control of the estate until 1750 when
the Drummond properties were declared forfeit and seized by the
state. The estate was managed by the Commissioners for Forfeited
Estates until 1784, when it was sold to Captain James Drummond
(later created 1st Baron Perth). He began a number of
improvements that were continued by his daughter Sarah and her
husband, The 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby (1782–1865). These
included the formal gardens and terraces in the 1830s. Queen
Victoria visited the gardens in 1842.
Drummond Castle passed to The 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby
(1809–1888), and then to her son, The 1st Earl of Ancaster
(1830–1910). The upper stories of the tower house were rebuilt
and heightened in pseudo-medieval style in 1842–53. The mansion
was renovated in 1878, to designs by George Turnbull Ewing. The
3rd Earl of Ancaster and his wife, Nancy Astor (1909–1975; she
was the daughter of The 2nd Viscount Astor and The Viscountess
Astor), replanted the gardens in the 1950sThe castle is now the
seat of The Rt Hon. The 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, the
daughter and heir of The 3rd Lord Ancaster.
The tune is attributed to Robert Meldrum. Meldrum, who was fond
of the polka form, was for some years piper to the Earl of
Ancaster at Drummond Castle. The laundry concerned is situated
beside a burn in a wooded glade below the castle.
|
