Drum Castle

Drumoak, United Kingdom

Drum Castle was for centuries the seat of Clan Irvine. The original 13th-century tower of Drum Castle has been suggested as the work of medieval architect Richard Cementarius, who built the Bridge of Don in Old Aberdeen. It is believed to be one of the three oldest tower houses in Scotland (and notably unaltered). A large wing was added in 1619 by the 9th laird, and further alterations were made during the Victorian era.

The castle and its grounds were granted to William de Irwyn in 1325 by Robert the Bruce, and remained in the possession of Clan Irvine until 1975. William de Irwyn was armour bearer/secretary to King Robert the Bruce. Drum played a role in the Covenanting Rebellion leading to its being attacked and sacked three times.

The castle is surrounded by late 18th-century gardens, including a rose garden and arboretum containing trees from all regions of the 18th century British Empire.

Today, the castle is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is open during the summer months. The chapel, dining hall and estate may be hired for weddings and corporate functions. A variety of local events such as classic car rallies and musical fetes also occur here. There is also a small shop and tearoom within the castle.

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Address

Unnamed Road, Drumoak, United Kingdom
See all sites in Drumoak

Details

Founded: 13th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

www.nts.org.uk
en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.5/5 (based on Google user reviews)

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User Reviews

a easson (2 years ago)
Beautiful place the park in the woods and woodland walks are truly wonderful. The castle itself is also cool
Lydia Cutler (2 years ago)
Amazing Castle but the walks are brilliant. 100% recommended.
Ian Elliott (2 years ago)
A fabulous place to visit with the family or to walk your dogs. There is a nice little walk about the grounds and then a further 3 routes to take around the area either by the river or around the forest. There's a little play park for kids to enjoy too. Get yourself there and you won't be disappointed
Mandy Cole (3 years ago)
Delightful Place. Great walks. Excellent play area for children. Cool boards to put you head in for photo opportunities. Walled garden is very well maintained; it has more than roses and topiary inside.
Sarah Kiboi (3 years ago)
Such a lovely day spent in the summer. The guided tours are fantastic with so much history to learn. The tea shop is really nice and cozy with an amazing pastry selection. I highly recommend visiting the Rose garden whether or not you visit the castle itself. Side note: You can stay at the castle in a room located above the arch at the entrance of the castle. For a small fortune I believe.
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Glimmingehus

Glimmingehus is the best preserved medieval stronghold in Scandinavia. It was built 1499-1506, during an era when Scania formed a vital part of Denmark, and contains many defensive arrangements of the era, such as parapets, false doors and dead-end corridors, 'murder-holes' for pouring boiling pitch over the attackers, moats, drawbridges and various other forms of death traps to surprise trespassers and protect the nobles against peasant uprisings. The lower part of the castle's stone walls are 2.4 meters (94 inches) thick and the upper part 1.8 meters (71 inches).

Construction was started in 1499 by the Danish knight Jens Holgersen Ulfstand and stone-cutter-mason and architect Adam van Düren, a North German master who also worked on Lund Cathedral. Construction was completed in 1506.

Ulfstand was a councillor, nobleman and admiral serving under John I of Denmark and many objects have been uncovered during archeological excavations that demonstrate the extravagant lifestyle of the knight's family at Glimmingehus up until Ulfstand's death in 1523. Some of the most expensive objects for sale in Europe during this period, such as Venetian glass, painted glass from the Rhine district and Spanish ceramics have been found here. Evidence of the family's wealth can also be seen inside the stone fortress, where everyday comforts for the knight's family included hot air channels in the walls and bench seats in the window recesses. Although considered comfortable for its period, it has also been argued that Glimmingehus was an expression of "Knighthood nostalgia" and not considered opulent or progressive enough even to the knight's contemporaries and especially not to later generations of the Scanian nobility. Glimmingehus is thought to have served as a residential castle for only a few generations before being transformed into a storage facility for grain.

An order from Charles XI to the administrators of the Swedish dominion of Scania in 1676 to demolish the castle, in order to ensure that it would not fall into the hands of the Danish king during the Scanian War, could not be executed. A first attempt, in which 20 Scanian farmers were ordered to assist, proved unsuccessful. An additional force of 130 men were sent to Glimmingehus to execute the order in a second attempt. However, before they could carry out the order, a Danish-Dutch naval division arrived in Ystad, and the Swedes had to abandon the demolition attempts. Throughout the 18th century the castle was used as deposit for agricultural produce and in 1924 it was donated to the Swedish state. Today it is administered by the Swedish National Heritage Board.

On site there is a museum, medieval kitchen, shop and restaurant and coffee house. During summer time there are several guided tours daily. In local folklore, the castle is described as haunted by multiple ghosts and the tradition of storytelling inspired by the castle is continued in the summer events at the castle called "Strange stories and terrifying tales".

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