The
fascination of Crathes lies not only in the fact that it is one
of the most beautiful and best preserved sixteenth-century castles
in Scotland, but also that it was lived in by a single family
for over 350 years.
Leading
up to the Castle, the drive runs through magnificent woodland,
typical of Royal Deeside, the colours varying and exquisite at
all times of the year.
The
drive carries on up the hill, past the lake, and to the Castle
gate. The foundations of some older outbuildings are also to be
seen, which were largely swept away for the building of the Queen
Anne wing.
You
can also see the magnificent gardens around the northwest corner
of the castle, a stunning sweep of lawns with redwood and cypress
trees.
Now
the traditional L-shaped design of the Scottish tower house is
obvious, but Crathes is one of the most beautiful and skillfully
built of its type. It was the work of a remarkable family of master
masons, and their skill is evident in the walls of Crathes, which
slope in three inches between ground level and the roof to give
it added stability. The Castle is built of roughly finished granite
with harling to keep out wind and rain, and at the base the walls
are some five feet thick.
The
first impression is one of height and authority. The reason why
the Scots built such tower houses in the 16th Century was not
so much to do with defence, but more for prestige, out of habit
and also because, although stone was plentiful for building walls,
wood for floors and roofing was extremely scarce.
A
tower house could be built with stone floors for at least the
first two storeys, and a very small roof, in proportion to the
number of rooms included.
Whatever
the practical considerations, one glance upwards is enough to
see the master masons enjoyed themselves when it came to finishing
off the castle. The exuberance of the little round towers with
their conical roofs alternating with square overhanging turrets
is what gives Crathes its romantic character.
To add to this fairytale quality there is the vigour of the stone
decoration round the eaves and where the turrets jut out, plus
the cannon spouts which thrust rainwater well clear of the walls
below. A cunning unpredictability makes each facet of Crathes
completely different.
For
more information on Highland Weddings at Crathes Castle in the
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