Craigend Castle facts for kids
Craigend Castle is an old, ruined country house in central Scotland. You can find it north of Milngavie, in an area called Stirlingshire. It's a cool place to explore history!
Contents
The Castle's Early Days
The land where Craigend Castle stands was once part of a larger area called the Barony of Mugdock. This was way back in medieval times. In the mid-1600s, the estate was sold to the Smith family.
The Smith Family's Home
A man named John Smith was born at Craigend in 1724. He grew up to be a successful merchant. In 1751, he even started his own bookshop called John Smith & Son. John Smith built a simple house on the estate. After he passed away in 1812, his son, James Smith, took over.
James Smith wanted a grander home. In 1816, he used his father's house as part of a much fancier mansion. An architect named Alexander Ramsay helped build it. The style was called Regency Gothic, which means it looked like old castles but was built in a newer time.
New Owners and a Famous Ambassador
In 1851, Craigend Castle was sold to Sir Andrew Buchanan, 1st Baronet. He was a very important person who used to be an Ambassador. An ambassador is like a country's representative in another country. Sir Andrew worked for the British government in Vienna, which was the capital of the Habsburg empire.
Later, in the early 1900s, a man named James Outram rented the Castle. He was a chartered accountant and related to George Outram, who owned the Glasgow Herald newspaper.
The Castle's Zoo and Today
In 1920, Sir Harold E. Yarrow lived at Craigend Castle. He was the head of a big company called Yarrow Shipbuilders.
A Short-Lived Zoo
In 1949, a businessman from Glasgow named Andrew Wilson and his son, William, bought part of the Craigend Estate. William was a zoologist, someone who studies animals. They decided to open a zoo at Craigend Castle! They had many different kinds of exotic animals. However, not enough people came to visit, so the zoo closed in 1955.
Craigend Castle Now
Today, the stables and the land where the zoo used to be are part of Mugdock Country Park. The main castle building, however, has become a ruin. The old stable block, which is north of the house, is now the visitor center for the country park. The rest of the Craigend Estate is still privately owned. It is used as a farm for cattle and sheep.
Images for kids
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Another view of the ruins
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The former stable block
