Floors Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Floors Castle |
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| General information | |
| Type | Estate house |
| Location | Kelso, Scottish Borders, Scotland |
| Current tenants | Dukes of Roxburghe |
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| Built | 18th century |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Designated | 16 March 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB10480 |
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Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
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| Designated | 1 July 1987 Amended 20 June 2011 |
| Reference no. | GDL00181 |
Floors Castle is a grand country house in Roxburghshire, Scotland. It is the home of the Duke of Roxburghe and his family. Even though it is called a "castle," it is more like a very large, fancy house. It was built a long time ago, in the 1720s.
The famous architect William Adam designed it. Later, in the 1800s, it was made even grander. Turrets and battlements were added by another architect, William Playfair. Floors Castle sits by the River Tweed and has amazing views of the Cheviot Hills.
Today, Floors Castle is a special historic building. Its beautiful gardens are also protected. You can visit Floors Castle and explore its history and grounds.
Contents
History of Floors Castle
Who lived at Floors Castle?
The Ker family has owned land in Roxburghshire since the 1100s. They are the Earls and Dukes of Roxburghe. Their family name changed to "Innes-Ker" in 1812. This happened when Sir James Innes became the Duke.
The name "Floors Castle" might come from the word "flowers." Or it could be from the "floors," which means the flat terraces where the castle stands.
What was here before the castle?
The current Floors Castle was not built for defense. It was made when old fortresses were no longer needed in Scotland. However, there might have been an older tower house on this spot. Tower houses were strong, tall buildings common in the Scottish Borders.
The Borders region was a wild place long ago. Gangs called Reivers often raided farms and stole cattle. Floors Castle is also near the site of Roxburgh Castle. This was an important medieval fortress. King James II of Scotland died there during a battle in 1460.
The land where Floors Castle stands once belonged to the monks of Kelso Abbey. After the Reformation, King James VI gave the land to Robert Ker of Cessford. He later became the first Earl of Roxburghe.
Building the grand country house
John, Earl of Roxburghe, helped join England and Scotland in 1707. Because of this, he was made the first Duke of Roxburghe. He hired William Adam to design a new mansion. Adam was a famous Scottish architect.
The castle was built between 1721 and 1726. It started as a simple building with towers at each corner. There were also smaller buildings on the sides for stables and kitchens.
Later, around 1837, the 6th Duke wanted to update the castle. He asked William Henry Playfair, another popular architect, to redesign it. Playfair added the turrets and battlements you see today. This gave the castle its grand, fairytale look.
In 1903, Duke Henry married Mary Goelet. She was an American heiress. Mary brought beautiful tapestries from her home. These were put in the ballroom in the 1930s. She also added modern paintings by artists like Walter Sickert and Henri Matisse.
On July 19, 2022, the area around Floors Castle experienced a record-breaking temperature. It reached 35.1°C, which was Scotland's hottest temperature ever recorded.
