Location: Forfar, Angus Map
Tel. 01307 840393
Open:
Mar- Oct: 10:30am- 4:30pm daily
Nov& Dec: 10am- 6pm daily
Last tour at 4pm
Official site
Glamis Castle is a castle near the village of Glamis in Angus,
Scotland. It is the home of the Earls of Strathmore who opened
it to the public. Unlike many other Scottish castles, it is not
run by the National Trust for Scotland. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon,
better known as the 'Queen Mum', grew up here and her daughter
Princess Margaret was born here.
Noteworthy are the
ceiling paintings of the interiors of Glamis Castle, which are
very detailed and well preserved. Along with Muchalls Castle and
Craigievar House, they are considered the finest in Scotland.
The castle features in numerous sagas and, if local legends
are to be believed, holds more dark secrets than any other
castle in the UK. It was also mentioned in the literature. In
William Shakespeare's play Macbeth, Macbeth is the thane of
Glamis and Cawdor.
Glamis lies between gently rolling hills about 20 kilometers from the
North Sea. This region of Scotland is known for its early Pictish
culture as well as several medieval events. Nearby is the Stone of
Eassie, one of the finest examples of early Pictish stonework. To the
south is Scone Palace, the historic coronation site of the Scottish
kings. About 30 kilometers north is Dunnottar Castle.
The grounds
of the castle cover an area of 5,700 hectares (14,000 acres) and include
lush gardens and walking paths as well as agricultural land, including
for timber and cattle. Two rivers flow through the estate, one of which
is known as the Glamis Burn. An arboretum, located at Glamis Burn,
contains many rare species of trees from around the world, many of which
are a few hundred years old. Birds and other small wild animals can also
be found in the area.
There is a tea room in the castle and parts
of the gardens and grounds are open to the public. Glamis Castle can
also be used for dinners and weddings.
The most famous legend about the castle is that of the Monster of
Glamis, a hideously deformed child born to the Bowes-Lyon family.
According to legend, the monster was imprisoned in the castle all his
life and his chamber was walled up after his death.
An old story
tells that once guests staying at Glamis Castle hung towels out of the
windows of each room to find the monster's walled-up room. When they
looked at the castle from the outside, they noticed that there were no
towels hanging out of a number of windows.
The monster legend may
have been inspired by the true story of the Ogilvie family. Somewhere in
the almost five meter thick walls is the Bone Room. The Ogilvies had
once sought protection from their enemies, the Lindsays, in this, but
were betrayed and walled up alive.
According to the castle's
official website, King Malcolm II was mortally wounded in a nearby
battle in 1034 and taken to a royal hunting lodge that stood on the site
of the present castle, where Malcolm II also died.
There is a
small chapel in the castle that seats 46 people. Castle guides tell
visitors that a seat in the chapel is always reserved for the "Gray
Lady," a spirit that haunts the castle. According to the guide, the
chapel is still used regularly by the Bowes-Lyon family. Despite this,
no one is allowed to sit in this seat.
The late Sir David
Bowes-Lyon is said to have seen a young woman at one of the castle's
windows while taking a late-night stroll on the estate's lawn. He
reportedly saw the girl clutching the bars of a window while staring
absently out into the night. He was about to speak to the girl when she
suddenly disappeared, as if someone had snatched her away from the
window.
Earl Beardie was a guest at Glamis Castle. One night,
when he was drunk, he asked to play dice. Since it was the Sabbath, his
hosts refused him this request. Lord Beardie was so upset he screamed
that he was playing with the devil himself. A stranger then appeared at
the castle and asked if Lord Beardie wanted to play dice and they
started playing in one of the rooms. Later, servants heard screams and
curses coming from the room. One of the servants peered through the
keyhole, and it is reported that a ray of light shining through the
keyhole blinded him. The stranger disappeared. Many visitors reported
hearing screams and the clatter of dice, and not a few say the earl
still gambles with the devil for his soul.