Brodie Castle
Brodie Castle is a castle near Forres, in Moray, Scotland. This castle is currently owned by its legal heir Lord James Brodie who lives in London.
The Brodie Family
The original Z-plan castle was built in 1567 by Clan Brodie but destroyed by fire in 1645 by Lewis Gordon of Clan Gordon, the 3rd Marquess of Huntly. It was greatly expanded in 1824 by the architect William Burn who turned it into a large mansion house in the Scots Baronial style.
The Brodie family called the castle home until the late 20th century. It's widely accepted that the Brodies have been associated with the land the castle is built on since around 1160, when it is believed that King Malcolm IV gave the land to the family.[1]
Ninian Brodie of Brodie (The Brodie of Brodie) died in 2003, and his son shortly after. Unfortunately, as his family had been unhappy with the transfer of the castle to the National Trust for Scotland, no Brodie now lives in the castle. The former family wing is being prepared for holiday letting.
Brodie Castle today
Architecturally, the castle has a very well preserved central keep with two 5-storey towers on opposing corners. As with many fortified stately homes of the time it has no wall. It does, however, contain a guardroom and secret passages to help the occupants escape assassination attempts. The interior of the castle is also well preserved, containing fine antique furniture, oriental artifacts and painted ceilings.
Today the castle and surrounding policies, including a notable daffodil collection, are owned by the National Trust for Scotland and open to tourists throughout the summer months. The castle may be hired for weddings and indoor or outdoor events. An ancient Pictish monument known as Rodney's Stone can be seen in the castle grounds.
References
- ↑ "Brodie Castle". National Trust for Scotland. Retrieved 2009-10-22.
See also
Coordinates: 57°35′54″N 3°42′32″W / 57.59833°N 3.70889°W