Menstrie Castle facts for kids
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| Established | 1560 |
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| Location | Menstrie, Scotland |
Menstrie Castle is an old, three-story house in Menstrie, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. It's close to Stirling. This castle was once home to important people. In the 1600s, Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling lived here. He helped start the colony of Nova Scotia in North America.
Later, the Holborne family owned the castle. They were given the special title of Baronets of Menstrie in 1706. The castle was fixed up in the 1900s. It even won an award for its restoration. Today, Menstrie Castle has holiday homes, private apartments, and a museum. The museum is open by asking the Menstrie Community Council.
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History of Menstrie Castle
Menstrie Castle was built around 1560. The Alexander family, a branch of the Clan MacAlister, built it. They changed their family name to Alexander.
The Alexander Family's Story
Sir William Alexander was born here around 1577. He became a famous poet. He got a job working for King James VI of Scotland. William Alexander became a member of the King's special group of advisors in 1615. This group was called the Privy Council of Scotland. He later became the King's main secretary for Scotland in 1626. In 1633, he was given the title of Earl of Stirling.
In 1621, William Alexander was made governor of Nova Scotia. This was a large area in North America. It included parts of modern Canada, like Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. To get people to move there, he created a plan in 1624. He sold special titles called baronetcies to help pay for colonists. But the plan didn't make enough money. In 1632, Nova Scotia was given back to the French. They had claimed the area first. William Alexander, Earl of Stirling, died without money in London in 1644.
The Holborne Family Takes Over
During the English Civil War, Menstrie Castle was burned. This happened in 1645 by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose and his Royalist army. The castle was sold to James Holborne of Menstrie in 1648. He was a major general in the Scottish army.
The Holborne family owned the castle for a long time. They also had another house nearby called Windsor House. This house was later torn down. A stone panel with a family symbol was saved from Windsor House. It had the words DECUS MEUM VIRTUS. This means "Virtue is my honor." The last person from the Holborne family to own the castle was Miss Mary Anne Holborne. She gave money to the church in Menstrie in 1882.
Later Years of the Castle
In 1719, George Abercromby bought the castle. His family owned it until 1924. But the castle started to fall apart around 1750. George's son, Ralph Abercromby, was born here in 1734. He became a very important British military leader.
After 1740, the family only used the castle in the summer. They moved to another house in winter. The castle slowly became damaged. After the Second World War, the castle was in very bad shape. A Scottish actor named Moultrie Kelsall helped save it. He started a campaign to get money to fix it. In 1960, the castle was given a special status. It was called a Category A listed building. This means it's a very important building that needs protection.
Restoring Menstrie Castle
In March 1957, actor Moultrie Kelsall started raising money. He wanted to restore Menstrie Castle. The local council, Clackmannanshire County Council, fixed the building. They followed the advice of architect William Higgins Henry.
The castle won a Scottish Civic Trust award in 1962 for its great restoration. The building was changed into four apartments. New houses were also built next to it. The restoration was finished by 1964. During the work, they kept the beautiful 16th-century entrance arch. The National Trust for Scotland looks after two of the ground floor apartments. You can visit them by making an appointment.
Exploring the Castle
Menstrie Castle was first a small, L-shaped tower house. This means it had a main building with a wing sticking out. In the 1600s, it was made bigger. It became a U-shaped house. A wall connects the two ends of the U, making a courtyard.
Inside the castle, two rooms have an exhibition. This exhibition tells the story of Menstrie. It also explains the connection between William Alexander and Nova Scotia. One room shows the symbols of all the Baronets of Nova Scotia. The National Trust for Scotland manages these rooms.
You can even stay overnight at Menstrie Castle! Two of the rooms have been turned into self-catering accommodation.
