Carberry Tower facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Carberry Tower |
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West front of Carberry Tower
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| General information | |
| Location | Carberry, East Lothian GB |
| Coordinates | 55°54′57″N 3°01′14″W / 55.9159°N 3.0206°W |
Carberry Tower is a very old and important house in East Lothian, Scotland. It is located about 2 miles (3.2 km) south-east of Musselburgh. Carberry Tower is a special building. It is protected as a Category B listed building. This means it is historically important.
Contents
Carberry Tower: A Historic Scottish Home
A Long History Begins
The land where Carberry Tower stands was first mentioned in the 11th century. King David I of Scotland gave the land, then called "Caerbairin," to the monks of Dunfermline Abbey. The first known owner was John de Crebarrie. However, the Johnstone family were the first to own Carberry Tower itself. The first building was a simple, strong square tower house. It was built more for safety than for looking fancy.
The Battle of Pinkie and a Clever Plan
In 1541, Hugh Rigg, who was the King's lawyer, leased the land from the abbey. He had an agreement to lease it until 1585. There is an old story about Hugh Rigg. It says he gave advice to Regent Arran during the Battle of Pinkie in 1547. This battle happened nearby. Hugh Rigg told the Scottish army to change its position. Some people said he did this to keep the English army away from Carberry Tower.
Mary, Queen of Scots, and Carberry Hill
A very important event happened at Carberry. In June 1567, Mary, Queen of Scots, faced an army of her lords on Carberry Hill. This hill is part of the Carberry Estate. She quickly gave herself up to the lords. After this, she was taken away and imprisoned. Today, there is a monument called the Queen's Mount. It stands nearby to remember this moment in history.
New Owners and Big Changes
After the Scottish Reformation in 1587, the lands of Carberry became part of the Crown. New powerful families, the Maitlands of Lauderdale, took charge. In 1600, the Riggs family received a special document called a charter. This allowed them to stay at Carberry for longer.
Later, in 1659, the estate went to Sir Adam Blair. His family lived there for only 30 years. Then, the property was sold to Sir Robert Dickson. His son, also named Robert, was an important local official in Musselburgh. This was in 1745. At that time, rebel Jacobite troops marched past Carberry. They were on their way to the Battle of Prestonpans.
In 1760, John Fullerton moved into Carberry Tower. He started making big changes and adding to the tower. It looked like new parts were being built, bit by bit, all around the old tower. John's niece, Elizabeth, married William Elphinstone in 1774. The house then became part of the Elphinstone family in 1801. More changes were made to the old tower starting in 1830.
Royal Connections
William Elphinstone, 15th Lord Elphinstone, took over the estate in 1861. He was responsible for completely redesigning the estate. A special garden for growing plants, called an arboretum, was started during his time. His son, Sydney Herbert, 16th Lord Elphinstone, married Lady Mary Bowes-Lyon. Lady Mary was the sister of Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. The young Princess Elizabeth, who later became Queen, visited her sister at Carberry Tower. She even helped at a Red Cross event there in 1915.
Sydney and Lady Mary made many improvements to the house and the estate. They created a beautiful formal garden in 1911. They also planted many special trees and plants in the park. Sydney Elphinstone passed away in 1955. Lady Mary died six years later in 1961. Lady Mary left Carberry Tower to the Church of Scotland. The church used the tower as a place for meetings and events. They built a new building and a chapel in the park. Much of the estate was sold off in smaller pieces. Most of it is now owned by the Buccleuch Estate.
Carberry Tower Today
In 2004, a charity called the Gartmore House trust bought the tower. In 2008, it had a big makeover. In 2011, a company called Clarenco LLP bought the property. They are known as AmaZing Venues. After a huge renovation, Carberry Tower is now a hotel. It is also a popular place for weddings and other events. In 2015, Carberry Tower was sold again for £3 million. It was bought by Kingsland Estate LDT.
The Carberry Festival
The Carberry Festival was a Christian arts festival. It took place at Carberry Tower every year from 1986 to 2008. Jock and Margaret Stein, who lived at the tower, created this festival. It was a place for people to come together for worship and activities. The festival was most popular in the 1990s. It offered a peaceful place for families, especially young ones, to relax.
Music was a very important part of the festival. Artists from many countries were invited to perform concerts in the small chapel. Some of the Christian artists who performed included Fischy Music, Suzanne Adam, and Albert Bogle. The festival also had a special program for children. This allowed parents to enjoy other activities. The Carberry Festival stopped when the tower was sold to the Gartmore House trust.
