Dunimarle Castle facts for kids
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Dunimarle Castle is a cool old place found about 1 kilometer west of the village of Culross in Fife, Scotland. Its name, 'Dunimarle', means 'castle by the sea'. But long ago, it was called 'Castlehill'.
Today, Dunimarle is actually two main parts: a grand house and the ruins of an even older castle. Both are protected as important historic sites. The beautiful gardens around them are also special and listed in the national list of important gardens.
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Exploring Dunimarle Castle's Past
The original Dunimarle Castle is now mostly ruins. But right next to it, you'll find a grand house built in the 1700s. This house took on the castle's name.
Who Built the House?
The Erskine family built the newer house. Later, in 1839, a company called R & R Dickson rebuilt and updated it. The house has a wonderful library filled with books. It also used to have many beautiful artworks. These artworks are now on display at a museum called Duff House, near Banff, in North East Scotland.
The Castle's Coal Mine
Imagine a castle with its own coal mine! From 1575, Sir George Bruce ran a coal mine at Dunimarle Castle. This mine was very clever. It had a long tunnel that went down to the nearby River Forth. The river is about 30 meters (almost 100 feet) below the castle! This tunnel allowed coal to be loaded directly onto ships. The mine stopped working in the early 1600s, and the tunnel was filled in.
Dunimarle Castle on Screen
You might have seen Dunimarle Castle before and not even known it! The outside of the castle was used as a filming location for the movie The Little Vampire in 2000. However, the inside scenes of the movie were filmed at a different house in Edinburgh.
