Callendar House facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Callendar House |
|
|---|---|
The south façade of Callendar House
|
|
| Location | Callendar Road, Falkirk FK1 1YR, Scotland, United Kingdom |
| Founded | 14th century |
| Built | 1877 |
| Built for | Forbes family |
| Architect | Brown and Wardrop |
| Architectural style(s) | French Renaissance Revival Châteauesque |
|
Listed Building – Category A
|
|
| Official name: Callendar Park, Callendar House | |
| Designated | 21 March 1960 |
| Reference no. | LB31236 |
|
Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
|
|
| Official name: Callendar Park | |
| Criteria | Architectural Archaeological |
| Designated | 31 March 2007 |
| Reference no. | GDL00078 |
| Lua error in Module:Location_map at line 420: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value). | |
Callendar House is a grand mansion located in Falkirk, central Scotland. It sits within the beautiful Callendar Park. In the 1800s, the house was updated to look like a French Renaissance castle, mixed with parts of traditional Scottish baronial architecture. But at its heart, the building is actually a much older tower house from the 1300s.
Over its 600-year history, Callendar House has welcomed many important people. These include Mary, Queen of Scots, Oliver Cromwell, Bonnie Prince Charlie, and Queen Victoria. Today, it is the biggest historical building in the area, with a front that is about 300 ft (91 m) long. The house is a protected building, and its grounds are part of a national list of important gardens in Scotland.
Contents
History of Callendar House
The house is built right on the line of the Antonine Wall. This wall was built by the Romans in the 100s AD, stretching across Scotland. In the 1100s, a place called Thanes Hall was nearby. It was home to the Callander family, who were important local leaders. In the 1300s, Sir Patrick Callander supported a different king for Scotland. Because of this, his lands were taken away.
The Livingston Family at Callendar House
In 1345, King David II gave the Callander lands to Sir William Livingston. He was married to Christian Callander, Sir Patrick's daughter. The Livingston family became very important in Scotland over the next few centuries.
Sir Alexander Livingston was a "Regent" of Scotland in the 1440s. This meant he ruled the country while the king, James II, was still a child. Later, Alexander, 5th Lord Livingston, was the guardian of Mary, Queen of Scots, when she was young. An important agreement for Mary to marry the French prince was signed right here at Callendar House.
Mary, Queen of Scots, and her husband Lord Darnley even visited Callendar House in 1565.
Later, Alexander Livingston, 1st Earl of Linlithgow and his wife were given a special job by King James VI & I. They were in charge of raising and educating his daughter, Princess Elizabeth.
The Livingston family became very powerful, with some members becoming "Earls." But their time at Callendar House ended in the 1700s. James Livingston, 5th Earl of Linlithgow, had to leave Scotland. He had supported the "Old Pretender," who wanted to be king. Because of this, the Callendar estates were taken away.
However, the Earl's daughter, Lady Anne Livingston, was allowed to rent the house back. On September 14, 1725, Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed at the house. He convinced Lady Anne and her husband to join his cause. Lady Anne welcomed Bonnie Prince Charlie again before the Battle of Falkirk in 1746. After his defeat, Lady Anne's husband was punished for supporting him. Lady Anne stayed at Callendar House until she passed away in 1747.
The Forbes Family Takes Over
.jpg)
.jpg)
In 1783, the estate was sold at an auction. A businessman named William Forbes bought the house and land. He was a coppersmith from Aberdeen who supplied the Royal Navy. William Forbes paid a lot of money for the estate.
Forbes made big changes to the house. His son and grandson added the French-château-style roofs. The Forbes family owned Callendar House for almost 200 years.
When the Union Canal was planned, William Forbes did not want it to pass near his house. So, a long tunnel, about 696 yd (636 m), had to be built through a nearby hill instead.
The dovecote, a building for pigeons, was built in the 1850s. It cost £84, and the kennels below it were even heated!
Callendar House in the 1900s
In 1963, the local council bought Callendar House and some of its parkland. Since 2011, Callendar House has been managed by the Falkirk Community Trust. Most of the estate is still owned by the Callendar Estate company, which is the biggest landowner in Falkirk. In the late 1960s, some tall apartment buildings were built on a part of the estate, quite close to Callendar House.
Callendar House Today
.jpg)
In July 2011, the Falkirk Community Trust took over running Callendar House. It has become a very popular place to visit! In 2006, about 28,000 people came to Callendar House. This number went up a lot, possibly because of the nearby Falkirk Wheel, which also saw more visitors.
The Museum at Callendar House
.jpg)
.jpg)
Callendar House is now a major heritage center. The inside of the house has been beautifully restored to how it looked in the Georgian period. It is the main museum in the Falkirk area, showing art, history, and what life was like in a historic house.
You can see two amazing rooms, the Pink Room and the Green Room. There's also a fully working Georgian kitchen with a huge fireplace. Here, staff in old-fashioned costumes show visitors what it was like to work in the house long ago. They even prepare the same kinds of food that were eaten at grand parties there!
The museum has permanent displays like "William Forbes' Falkirk" and "The Antonine Wall." Other galleries host different exhibitions from all over the world throughout the year. There is also a special history research center in the old Victorian library. Here, you can find all of Falkirk's historical records.
Callendar Park and Grounds
The park around Callendar House is huge, covering about 500 acres (2.0 km2). It has lots of fun things to do! You can find a pitch and putt course, crazy golf, and a children's playground. There's also a lake where you can go boating. The ancient Antonine Wall even runs through the park!
Inside Callendar House, you can also find the Park Gallery, which shows modern art. The grounds are also home to the Forbes family mausoleum, a large, round building where many members of the Forbes family are buried.
Many events happen in the park all year. These include a big annual firework display, which attracts over 70,000 people. Other events include a street arts festival, cycling races, and cross-country running championships. Behind the house is Callander Wood, which has many paths perfect for walking and dog walking.
See also
- List of places in Falkirk council area
- Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes
