18 August 2015 - Fyvie Castle

And who would have thought the rain would be back…ALL DAY!  Tempted to graffiti the village sign from Kirkton of Rayne to Kirkton of Rain but of course I wouldn’t!  Besides which I didn’t expect the weather to be nice all of the time in Scotland.  They tell us that this is the drier side of Scotland….

Surely these aren't autumn leaves already.

 Although it is nicer to sight see in sunshine, there is something sort of cosy about driving down little one lane roads in the pouring rain passing little cottages and wet cows looking hopeful over the fence at us.  We saw a grouse running along the muddy edge of a little lane.  We followed  the directions of our trusty Tom Tom but couldn’t seem to find a legitimate entrance to Fyvie Castle, our National Trust destination for this afternoon.  We came across what looked like a private road and in the end headed down there.  Before long it became a small cluster of houses and with a few twists and turns we got to the main car park for Fyvie Castle.  It is a huge castle so we were surprised that we had not been able to find the sign and that there were quite a few cars in the car park!

Approach to Fyvie Castle

 The rain continued as we went up the gravel path to the magnificent castle, the first part of which was built in 1390!  The Leith-Forbes family bought it in 1885 helped by Alexander Leith marrying an heiress – Karl reckons he married the wrong girl! Heiresses seemed to have played a pivotal role in the purchase of these grand properties but if they are poorly managed the properties end up with the National Trust and we benefit from their “hardship”.  The castle had been owned by five families over the 800 years, each seemed to manage it for 5 generations of so before they hit hard times financially.  Following the Battle of Otterburn in 1390, the castle was bought by the Preston family. Each family added a bit to the castle, the last tower was added in 1890 and is furnished with 17^th century tapestries and a pulpit from a 16^th church and a beautiful organ!

Part of the castle built in 1390

The castle has been lived in by Robert the Bruce, Edward I and Charles I.  Charles I has his portraits all over the walls and is said to have lived with the Seton family when he was a little boy.

Magnificent armour and weaponry

 The walls are adorned with Raeburns and Gainboroughs but the most valuable painting of William Gordon by Pompeo Batoni, insured for 22 Million Pounds!!  The armour display and weapons were amazing as were the stuffed animals: bison, moose, polar bear to name a few!

Henry Raeburn's portraits adorn the walls

Fyvie Castle is reputedly one of the most haunted castles in UK!  Can’t say we saw a ghost today!

A lovely Raeburn of Isabella McLeod

Writing on the window ledge apparently occurred one night - the name of a past lady here

Dumfermline Bedroom

More weaponry - in the Seton wing with Seton Coat of Arms on wall

Great Hall in the Leith tower, added 1890 - note tapestries and church pulpit hiding maid's stairs

Karl checking security

One of the entrances

The owners all liked to add their mark!

The castle from another angle

The rain was still pelting down when we finished our tour but we wanted to see the garden as well.  The walled vegetable garden was aromatic in the rain and the berries were AMAZING!  We just had to help ourselves to a few ready to drop raspberries and tayberries (hybrids variety of raspberries and blackberries).  We were privileged to see a rare red squirrel today, just leaping along a wall and we also saw a grouse!

Raspberries, ripe for picking