Crathes Castle

Crathes Castle stands in Aberdeenshire, a harled 16th-century tower house near Banchory. Built by the Burnetts of Leys, it remained in their hands for nearly four centuries. The family first received the land from King Robert the Bruce in 1323. The present stone castle was begun in 1553 and finished in 1596 by Alexander Burnett. An 18th-century wing was later added to the completed structure. The castle survived political delays during Mary, Queen of Scots’ reign and a major fire in 1966. After the fire, architect Schomberg Scott rebuilt the Queen Anne wing to its original height. The Great Hall was stripped back to stone in 1953, revealing earlier painted ceilings. Original furnishings include a carved bed and two caquetoire chairs from 1597 bearing the family’s initials. Visitors find the Chamber of the Muses and the Chamber of Nine Worthies with their renaissance ceilings. The 240-hectare estate includes a walled garden with herbaceous borders and labelled plants. Ancient Irish yew hedges from 1702 divide the garden into eight themed areas. A grass croquet court sits on a higher terrace within the walls. The site also holds the world’s oldest known lunar calendar, discovered in 2004.