Fyvie Castle: Difference between revisions

Fyvie Castle
Fyvie Castle
Near Turriff in Aberdeenshire
Coordinates	57°26′36″N 2°23′42″W / 57.4433°N 2.3949°W
Site information
Website	Castle Website
Site history
In use	13th Century

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Location of Fyvie Castle within Aberdeenshire

Fyvie Castle by James Giles — Fyvie Castle - painting by James Giles

Fyvie Castle is a castle in the village of Fyvie, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

History

The earliest parts of Fyvie Castle date from the 13th century – some sources claim it was built in 1211 by William the Lion. Fyvie was the site of an open-air court held by Robert the Bruce, and Charles I lived there as a child. Following the Battle of Otterburn in 1390, it ceased to be a royal stronghold ^{[clarification needed]}. Instead, it fell into the possession of five successive families – Preston, Meldrum, Seton, Gordon and Leith – each of whom added a new tower to the castle. The oldest of these, the Preston Tower (located on the far right as one faces the main facade of Fyvie), dates to between 1390 and 1433. The impressive Seton tower forms the entrance, and was erected in 1599 by Alexander Seton. He commissioned the great processional staircase several years later. The Gordon Tower followed in 1778 , and the Leith in 1890.

Inside, the castle stronghold features a great wheel stair, a display of original arms and armour, and a collection of portraits.

Manus O'Cahan and Montrose fought a successful minor battle against the Covenant Army at Fyvie Castle on 28 October 1644. The battlefield was added to the Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland in 2011.^[1] Anne Halkett stayed at the castle from 1650 to 1652 with the Countess of Dunfermline, she treated wounded soldiers and the illnesses of local people, and negotiated with the English major of a company of Commonwealth soldiers, and with three Colonels, Lilburne, Fitts, and Overton.^[2]

Following Victorian trends, the grounds and adjoining Loch Fyvie were landscaped in the 19th century. The Scottish industrialist Alexander Leith (later Baron Leith of Fyvie) bought the castle in 1885. His descendants sold it to the National Trust for Scotland in 1984.

To the East, there is a walled garden which is currently a garden where Scottish fruits are cultivated.^[3] There is evidence for two other walled gardens closer to the castle itself to its West and South.^[4] The one to the west appears on an estate plan of 1768.^[5]

Ghostlore

The castle (like many places in Scotland) has ghostlore associated with it.^[6] A story is told that in 1920 during renovation work the skeleton of a woman was discovered behind a bedroom wall. On the day the remains were laid to rest in Fyvie cemetery, the castle residents started to be plagued by strange noises and unexplained happenings. Fearing he had offended the dead woman, the Laird of the castle had the skeleton exhumed and replaced behind the bedroom wall, at which point the haunting ceased. It is said that there is a secret room in the south-west corner of the castle that must remain sealed lest anyone entering meet with disaster.^[7] It is unclear if this is the same room in which the skeleton was found. There is also an indelible blood stain, two ghosts and two curses associated with this place.^[8]

One of the curses has been attributed to the prophetic laird, Thomas the Rhymer. The curse is said to have been part of the mysterious three weeping stones. The curse decrees that until all three stones taken from the castle's boundary marks are brought together, the firstborn sons of the families who live at Fyvie will never inherit the castle. Only one weeping stone is known to exist and is kept at the castle. The other two have never been found.

The second curse involves a hidden room in the charter room. The curse is very specific: death to the lord of the castle or blindness to his wife if anyone disturbs it.

In the media

Fyvie Castle has featured in a number of British television programmes, such as Living TV's Most Haunted series 6.^[9] and stv's Castles of Scotland. The castle also played host of the setting of a children's gameshow on CBBC called Spook Squad in 2004. 2009 saw the publication of the children's fantasy novel, The Time-Tailor and the Fyvie Castle Witch Trials, written by Deborah Leslie. The castle was also featured in BBC documentary, Castle Ghosts of Scotland,^[10] narrated by Robert Hardy. Fyvie Castle is the focus of episode 34 of the popular "How Haunted?" podcast.

In recent years, the castle grounds have hosted a Fyvie Live music festival in the summer, which was headlined in 2011 by Beverley Knight and in 2012 by Sophie Ellis-Bextor, then following a gap of several years, by The Shires in 2017. Following the revival, it was announced that the event would take place again in 2018, with Ward Thomas as the headline act.

Today, the castle is open to tourists during the summer months.

References

^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Battle of Fyvie (BTL22)". Retrieved 28 February 2019.
^ John Gough Nichols, Autobiography of the Lady Halkett (London, 1875), pp. 64-71
^ "Fyvie Castle - Scotland's Gardens". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
^ "Plan Of The Lands Of Fyvie And Surrounding Lands, Aberdeenshire | ScotlandsPlaces". scotlandsplaces.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
^ "Ghostly ground: a look at some of the most haunted places in Scotland". Retrieved 30 May 2015.
^ Anthony D. Hippisley Coxe, Haunted Britain, page 177, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 1973
^ The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle
^ "LIVING : Most Haunted". Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2008.
^ www.imdb.com

External links

Fyvie Castle – National Trust for Scotland
Fyvie Castle Grounds Virtual Tour

[1] Historic Environment Scotland. "Battle of Fyvie (BTL22)". Retrieved 28 February 2019.

[2] John Gough Nichols, Autobiography of the Lady Halkett (London, 1875), pp. 64-71

[3] "Fyvie Castle - Scotland's Gardens". Archived from the original on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 21 August 2015.

[4] "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 5 February 2016. Retrieved 21 August 2015.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)

[5] "Plan Of The Lands Of Fyvie And Surrounding Lands, Aberdeenshire | ScotlandsPlaces". scotlandsplaces.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 August 2021.

[6] "Ghostly ground: a look at some of the most haunted places in Scotland". Retrieved 30 May 2015.

[7] Anthony D. Hippisley Coxe, Haunted Britain, page 177, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 1973

[8] The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle

[9] "LIVING : Most Haunted". Archived from the original on 30 August 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2008.

[10] www.imdb.com

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland}}
-[[File:Fyvie Castle, Geograph.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Fyvie Castle]]
+{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
+{{Infobox Castle
+|name=Fyvie Castle
+|location=Near Turriff in Aberdeenshire
+|coordinates={{Coord|57.4433|N|2.3949|W|region:GB|display=inline,title}}
+|image=Fyvie Castle, Geograph.jpg
+|website=[https://www.nts.org.uk/visit/places/fyvie-castle Castle Website]
+|dates=13th Century| image_map =
+}}
 [[File:Grampian Map Fyvie Castle.png|right|thumb|Location of Fyvie Castle within Aberdeenshire]]
+[[File:Fyvie Castle by James Giles - James Giles - ABDAG002423.jpg|alt=Fyvie Castle by James Giles|thumb|Fyvie Castle - painting by James Giles]]
 '''Fyvie Castle''' is a [[castle]] in the village of [[Fyvie]], near [[Turriff]] in [[Aberdeenshire]], Scotland.
 ==History==
-The earliest parts of Fyvie Castle date from the 13th century – some sources claim it was built in 1211 by [[William the Lion]].  Fyvie was the site of an open-air court held by [[Robert the Bruce]], and [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] lived there as a child.  Following the [[Battle of Otterburn]] in 1390, it ceased to be a royal stronghold and instead fell into the possession of five successive families – ''Preston'', ''Meldrum'', ''Seton'', ''Gordon'' and ''Leith'' – each of whom added a new tower to the castle. The oldest of these, the Preston tower (located on the far right as one faces the main facade of Fyvie), dates to between 1390 and 1433. The impressive Seton tower forms the entrance, and was erected in 1599 by Alexander Seton; Seton also commissioned the great processional staircase several years later. The Gordon tower followed in 1778
+The earliest parts of Fyvie Castle date from the 13th century – some sources claim it was built in 1211 by [[William the Lion]].  Fyvie was the site of an open-air court held by [[Robert the Bruce]], and [[Charles I of England|Charles I]] lived there as a child.  Following the [[Battle of Otterburn]] in 1390, it ceased to be a royal stronghold {{clarify|reason=can it cease to be a royalist stronghold if a future king lives there ca200 years later?|date=May 2024}}. Instead, it fell into the possession of five successive families – ''Preston'', ''Meldrum'', ''Seton'', ''Gordon'' and ''Leith'' – each of whom added a new tower to the castle. The oldest of these, the Preston Tower (located on the far right as one faces the main facade of Fyvie), dates to between 1390 and 1433. The impressive Seton tower forms the entrance, and was erected in 1599 by [[Alexander Seton, 1st Earl of Dunfermline|Alexander Seton]]. He commissioned the great processional staircase several years later. The Gordon Tower followed in 1778
 , and the Leith in 1890.
-Inside, the castle stronghold features a [[great wheel stair]], a display of original arms and armour, and a collection of portraits.
+Inside, the castle stronghold features a great wheel stair, a display of original arms and armour, and a collection of portraits.
-[[Manus O'Cahan's Regiment (English Civil War)|Manus O'Cahan]]  and  [[James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose|Montrose]] fought a successful minor battle against the Covenant Army at Fyvie Castle on October 28, 1644. The battlefield is currently under research to be inventoried and protected by [[Historic Scotland]] under the [[Scottish Historical Environment Policy]] of 2009.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/index/heritage/battlefields/battlefieldsunderconsideration.htm |title= Inventory battlefields|publisher=Historic Scotland | accessdate=2012-04-12}}</ref>
+[[Manus O'Cahan's Regiment (English Civil War)|Manus O'Cahan]]  and  [[James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose|Montrose]] fought a successful minor battle against the Covenant Army at Fyvie Castle on 28 October 1644. The battlefield was added to the [[Inventory of Historic Battlefields in Scotland]] in 2011.<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=BTL22|desc=Battle of Fyvie|access-date=28 February 2019}}</ref> [[Anne Halkett]] stayed at the castle from 1650 to 1652 with the [[Charles Seton, 2nd Earl of Dunfermline|Countess of Dunfermline]], she treated wounded soldiers and the illnesses of local people, and negotiated with the English major of a company of Commonwealth soldiers, and with three Colonels, [[Robert Lilburne|Lilburne]], Fitts, and [[Robert Overton|Overton]].<ref>John Gough Nichols, [https://archive.org/details/autobiographyofa00halkrich/page/64/mode/2up ''Autobiography of the Lady Halkett'' (London, 1875), pp. 64-71]</ref>
-Following [[Victorian era|Victorian]] trends, the grounds and adjoining [[Loch Fyvie]] were landscaped in the 19th century.  The Scottish industrialist [[Alexander Forbes-Leith, 1st Baron Leith of Fyvie|Alexander Leith]] (later Baron Leith of Fyvie) bought the castle in 1885. It was sold to the [[National Trust for Scotland]] in 1984 by his descendants.
+Following [[Victorian era|Victorian]] trends, the grounds and adjoining [[Loch Fyvie]] were landscaped in the 19th century.  The Scottish industrialist [[Alexander Forbes-Leith, 1st Baron Leith of Fyvie|Alexander Leith]] (later Baron Leith of Fyvie) bought the castle in 1885. His descendants sold it to the [[National Trust for Scotland]] in 1984.
-To the East there is a walled garden which is currently a garden of Scottish Cultivated Fruits.<ref>http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/gardens/garden/b0c165cf-f672-41af-9322-99fc00b40f22</ref> There is evidence for two other walled gardens closer to the castle itself to its West and South.<ref>http://cameronarchaeology.com/doc/Fyvie_Castle_Environs_Project_final_draft_with_images.pdf</ref> The one to the west appears on an estate plan of 1768.<ref>http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/nrs/RHP11/plan-lands-fyvie-and-surrounding-lands-aberdeenshire/nrs#zoom=2&lat=2591.5&lon=4958.5&layers=B</ref>
+To the East, there is a walled garden which is currently a garden where Scottish fruits are cultivated.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/gardens/garden/b0c165cf-f672-41af-9322-99fc00b40f22 |title=Fyvie Castle - Scotland's Gardens |access-date=2015-08-21 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924095449/http://www.scotlandsgardens.org/gardens/garden/b0c165cf-f672-41af-9322-99fc00b40f22 |archive-date=2015-09-24 |url-status=dead }}</ref> There is evidence for two other walled gardens closer to the castle itself to its West and South.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://cameronarchaeology.com/doc/Fyvie_Castle_Environs_Project_final_draft_with_images.pdf |title=Archived copy |access-date=2015-08-21 |archive-date=2016-02-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160205102556/http://cameronarchaeology.com/doc/Fyvie_Castle_Environs_Project_final_draft_with_images.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> The one to the west appears on an estate plan of 1768.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Plan Of The Lands Of Fyvie And Surrounding Lands, Aberdeenshire {{!}} ScotlandsPlaces|url=https://scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/record/nrs/RHP11/plan-lands-fyvie-and-surrounding-lands-aberdeenshire/nrs#zoom=2&lat=2591.5&lon=4958.5&layers=B|access-date=2021-08-03|website=scotlandsplaces.gov.uk|language=en}}</ref>
-==Hauntings==
-The castle (like many places in Scotland) is said to be haunted.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/ghostly_ground_a_look_at_some_of_the_most_haunted_places_in_scotland.shtml|title=Ghostly ground: a look at some of the most haunted places in Scotland|accessdate=30 May 2015}}</ref> A story is told that in 1920 during renovation work the skeleton of a woman was discovered behind a bedroom wall. On the day the remains were laid to rest in Fyvie cemetery, the castle residents started to be plagued by strange noises and unexplained happenings. Fearing he had offended the dead woman, the Laird of the castle had the skeleton exhumed and replaced behind the bedroom wall, at which point the haunting ceased. It is said that there is a secret room in the south-west corner of the castle that must remain sealed, lest anyone entering meet with disaster.<ref>Anthony D. Hippisley Coxe, ''Haunted Britain'', page 177, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 1973</ref>  It is unclear if this is the same room in which the skeleton was found. There is also an indelible blood stain, two [[ghost]]s and two curses associated with this place.<ref>[http://fairweatherlewis.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/the-green-lady-of-fyvie-castle/ The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle]</ref> One of the curses has been attributed to the prophetic laird, [[Thomas the Rhymer]].
-==In the Media==
+==Ghostlore==
+The castle (like many places in Scotland) has [[ghostlore]] associated with it.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/history/ghostly_ground_a_look_at_some_of_the_most_haunted_places_in_scotland.shtml|title=Ghostly ground: a look at some of the most haunted places in Scotland|access-date=30 May 2015}}</ref> A story is told that in 1920 during renovation work the skeleton of a woman was discovered behind a bedroom wall. On the day the remains were laid to rest in Fyvie cemetery, the castle residents started to be plagued by strange noises and unexplained happenings. Fearing he had offended the dead woman, the Laird of the castle had the skeleton exhumed and replaced behind the bedroom wall, at which point the haunting ceased. It is said that there is a secret room in the south-west corner of the castle that must remain sealed lest anyone entering meet with disaster.<ref>Anthony D. Hippisley Coxe, ''Haunted Britain'', page 177, McGraw-Hill Book Company, New York 1973</ref>  It is unclear if this is the same room in which the skeleton was found. There is also an indelible blood stain, two [[ghost]]s and two curses associated with this place.<ref>[http://fairweatherlewis.wordpress.com/2010/04/18/the-green-lady-of-fyvie-castle/ The Green Lady of Fyvie Castle]</ref>
-Fyvie Castle has featured in a number of British television programmes, such as Living TV's ''[[Most Haunted]]'' season 6.<ref>http://www.livingtv.co.uk/mosthaunted/214.php</ref> and stv's Castles of Scotland.
+One of the curses has been attributed to the prophetic laird, [[Thomas the Rhymer]]. The curse is said to have been part of the mysterious three weeping stones. The curse decrees that until all three stones taken from the castle's boundary marks are brought together, the firstborn sons of the families who live at Fyvie will never inherit the castle. Only one weeping stone is known to exist and is kept at the castle. The other two have never been found.
+The second curse involves a hidden room in the charter room. The curse is very specific: death to the lord of the castle or blindness to his wife if anyone disturbs it.
+==In the media==
+Fyvie Castle has featured in a number of British television programmes, such as Living TV's ''[[Most Haunted]]'' series 6.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.livingtv.co.uk/mosthaunted/214.php |title=LIVING : Most Haunted |access-date=2008-02-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070830064108/http://www.livingtv.co.uk/mosthaunted/214.php |archive-date=2007-08-30 |url-status=dead }}</ref> and stv's Castles of Scotland.
 The castle also played host of the setting of a children's gameshow on CBBC called ''[[Spook Squad]]'' in 2004.
-saw the publication of the children's fantasy novel, ''The Time-Tailor and the Fyvie Castle Witch Trials'', written by [[Deborah Leslie]].
+saw the publication of the children's fantasy novel, ''The Time-Tailor and the Fyvie Castle Witch Trials'', written by [[Deborah Leslie]]. The castle was also featured in [[BBC]] documentary, ''Castle Ghosts of Scotland'',<ref>[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0115843/ www.imdb.com]</ref> narrated by [[Robert Hardy]]. Fyvie Castle is the focus of episode 34 of the popular "How Haunted?" podcast.
-In recent years, the castle grounds have hosted an annual ''Fyvie Live'' music festival in August, which was headlined in 2011 by [[Beverley Knight]] and in 2012 by [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]]. Another annual event was a [[5000 metres|5K fun run]] around the grounds and adjacent loch, held in April, however both of these events were discontinued in 2013.
+In recent years, the castle grounds have hosted a ''Fyvie Live'' music festival in the summer, which was headlined in 2011 by [[Beverley Knight]] and in 2012 by [[Sophie Ellis-Bextor]], then following a gap of several years, by [[The Shires (duo)|The Shires]] in 2017. Following the revival, it was announced that the event would take place again in 2018, with [[Ward Thomas (band)|Ward Thomas]] as the headline act.
 Today, the castle is open to tourists during the summer months.
@@ Line 29: / Line 44: @@
 ==References==
-{{reflist}}
+{{Reflist}}
 ==External links==
 *[https://www.nts.org.uk/Visit/Fyvie-Castle/ Fyvie Castle] – National Trust for Scotland
+*[https://360castles.com/fyvie-castle  Fyvie Castle Grounds Virtual Tour]
 {{Formartine, Aberdeenshire places|state = collapsed}}
+{{Authority control}}
-{{coord|57.4433|-2.3949|type:landmark_region:GB|display=title}}
 [[Category:Castles in Aberdeenshire]]
@@ Line 47: / Line 61: @@
 [[Category:Historic house museums in Aberdeenshire]]
 [[Category:Country houses in Aberdeenshire]]
+[[Category:House of Gordon]]

v t e Settlements and places of interest in Formartine, Aberdeenshire
Primary settlements	Balmedie Cuminestown Ellon Fyvie Newburgh Oldmeldrum Pitmedden Potterton Rothienorman Tarves Turriff
Other settlements	Auchterless Barthol Chapel Belhelvie Blackdog Bogton Cairnorrie Collieston Craigdam Daviot Foveran Garmond Gight Gordonstown Inverkeithny Methlick Udny Green Udny Station Whitecairns Whiterashes Woodhead of Fyvie Ythanbank
Places of interest	Balmedie Country Park Craigston Castle Delgatie Castle Esslemont Castle Formartine and Buchan Way Fyvie Castle Haddo House Knockhall Castle Pitmedden Garden Sands of Forvie Tolquhon Castle Ythan Estuary

Authority control databases
International	VIAF
National	United States