Brodie Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Brodie Castle |
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Brodie Castle, showing the 16th-century tower on the left, and William Burn's extensions to the right
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 Brodie Castle
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| Coordinates | 57°35′54″N 3°42′32″W / 57.59833°N 3.70889°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | National Trust for Scotland |
| Open to the public |
Yes |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1567 Rebuilt in 1824-1845. |
| Demolished | Burned in 1645 |
Brodie Castle is a very old and well-kept castle located in Moray, Scotland. You can find it about 5.6 kilometers (3.5 miles) west of Forres, near the village of Brodie. This castle is a special type of building called a Z-plan tower house, which means it has a unique shape with towers at opposite corners. It's also recognized as a very important historical building in Scotland.
The Brodie Family and Castle History
The original part of Brodie Castle, a Z-plan tower house, was finished in 1567. It was built by the Clan Brodie, a powerful Scottish family. However, in 1645, a part of the castle was burned during a conflict by Lewis Gordon of the Clan Gordon.
Later, in 1824, a famous architect named William Burn was hired to make the castle bigger and more like a grand mansion. He designed it in a style called Scots Baronial, which looks like old Scottish castles. These new parts were not fully finished at first, but they were later updated around 1845 by another architect, James Wylson.
It is believed that the Brodie family has lived on this land for a very long time, possibly since around 1160. This was when King Malcolm IV is thought to have given the land to the family.
The last member of the Brodie family to live in the castle was Ninian Brodie of Brodie, who passed away in 2003. Today, you can even rent one part of the castle for holidays!
Brodie Castle Today
Architecturally, Brodie Castle is quite special. It still has its main 16th-century central tower, which is called a keep. On opposite corners of this keep, there are two other towers, each five stories tall.
Inside the castle, you can see many beautiful old pieces of furniture, interesting items from Asia, and amazing ceilings. Most of these date from the 17th to the 19th centuries.
Today, the National Trust for Scotland owns Brodie Castle and its surrounding lands. This means it's open for everyone to visit throughout the year. The castle grounds are also home to a national collection of daffodils, which are beautiful flowers. You can even rent the castle for special events like weddings.
In the castle grounds, there is an ancient stone monument called Rodney's Stone. It was created by the Picts, who were an ancient people living in Scotland a long time ago.
See also
