Ethie Castle facts for kids
Ethie Castle is an old and interesting castle in Scotland. It was built way back in the 1300s! You can find it about 3 miles north of a fishing town called Arbroath, in an area of Scotland known as Angus. The castle is quite large, covering about 15,091 square feet (which is about 1,402 square meters).
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History of Ethie Castle
Ethie Castle was first built around the year 1300. It started as a strong stone tower, called a keep. Monks from the nearby Arbroath Abbey built this first part of the castle.
Famous Owners and Visitors
Over the years, many different families owned Ethie Castle. One of its most famous owners was David Beaton. He was a very important church leader, known as a Cardinal, and was the last Cardinal in Scotland. He lived at Ethie Castle before he passed away in St. Andrews in 1546. You can still see parts of the castle that remind people of him, like a small chapel and a special room called the Cardinal's Sitting Room. This room even has a secret staircase that leads up to the Great Hall!
Later, in 1665, the Carnegie family bought the castle. They became known as the Earls of Northesk. A famous member of this family was the 7th Earl. He was a Vice Admiral in the navy and fought alongside Admiral Nelson in a very important sea battle called the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. To honor his bravery, he was allowed to add the word "Trafalgar" to his family's coat of arms. You can still see this special symbol carved into a window at Ethie Castle.
In 1927, a man named William Cunningham Hector bought the castle and its land. He was an artist and loved collecting old things.
Ethie Castle in Books
Ethie Castle is thought to be the real-life inspiration for a fictional castle in a famous book. The author, Sir Walter Scott, wrote a novel called The Antiquary. He was a good friend of the 8th Earl of Northesk and often stayed at Ethie Castle. It's believed he used the castle as a model for his story.
Today, Ethie Castle is owned by the chief of the Forsyth Clan, Alistair Forsyth. It serves as the main home for the clan.
Ghosts of Ethie Castle
Like many old castles, Ethie Castle is said to have ghosts! People say that a "Grey Lady" ghost walks through the castle. Also, the spirit of David Beaton, the Cardinal who once lived there, is believed to haunt the castle too.
