Earlshall Castle facts for kids
Earlshall Castle, Leuchars, Fife
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Quick facts for kids General information |
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| Architectural style | Courtyard castle |
| Town or city | Leuchars, Fife |
| Country | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°22′44″N 2°52′06″W / 56.3788698°N 2.8683990°W |
Earlshall Castle is a beautiful old castle in Scotland that was built a long time ago, in the 1500s. It's located near a town called Leuchars in Fife. People say it's a perfect example of a grand house from the 16th or 17th century.
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History of Earlshall Castle
Earlshall Castle was built in 1546 by Sir William Bruce. He was a brave knight who survived a big battle called the Battle of Flodden. Over the years, the castle stayed in the Bruce family for a long time.
However, as time passed, the castle became empty and started to fall apart. But in 1892, a famous architect named Sir Robert Lorimer helped bring it back to life. He restored it for a man named R. W. R. Mackenzie. Since then, the castle has had a few different owners, but it is still a home today. Some of its original treasures, like old tapestries and paintings, have been moved to other places.
What Does Earlshall Castle Look Like?
Earlshall Castle has a main building that is three stories tall, plus an attic. It has a large tower at one corner. There's also a smaller tower with a staircase tucked into another corner. Another round stair tower starts round but becomes square higher up, with a small lookout room at the very top.
Cool Carvings and Decorations
Look closely at the castle's windows! The stone decorations above the windows are called pediments. They are carved with special family symbols, known as heraldic devices. You can also see the initials "W.B." and "S.A.C." carved into them. These stand for Sir William Bruce and his wife, Sibylla Arnot.
Inside the Castle
To get inside, you enter through the stair-tower. The ground floor has vaulted ceilings, which means they are curved like an arch. On the first floor, you'll find the main hall. This room has wooden walls and a huge fireplace that is about 9 feet (2.7 meters) wide!
The second floor has a very special ceiling. It was painted in 1620 with amazing designs. You can see paintings of animals like an ostrich and an armadillo. There are also old sayings painted on the ceiling, like "A NICE WYF AND A BACK DOORE OFT MAKETH A RICH MAN POORE." When the castle was restored, this ceiling was carefully taken down and fixed up, with any missing parts replaced.
The Courtyard and Gardens
The main part of the castle and a slightly taller section form two sides of a courtyard. There's also a separate three-story tower and some other buildings from the 1600s. You enter the courtyard through an archway that has the year 1546 carved on it, along with Sir William Bruce's family crest.
Outside the castle, there is a beautiful formal garden. It was replanted after the 1892 restoration. This garden is famous for its tall, trimmed yew hedges and topiary, which are plants shaped into fun designs. Earlshall Castle is considered a very important historical building in Scotland. As of August 2020, the castle was for sale.
