I forgot to include this photo of Glamis Castle’s Billiard Room in my previous post:-

Despite the castle never having been built as a stronghold this intertnal door is still pretty sturdy:-

View through door to china collection:-

Powder Room. I forget now if this was used for storing gunpowder or it was the US meaning. The former I should think:-

After the tour of the castle proper comes a set of exhibition rooms with various exhibits.

Countess of Strathmore’s Wedding Dress:-

Information on Countess of Strathmore’s Wedding Dress:-

Doll’s’ House. I believe this was played with by Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, later to be Queen Consort and Queen Mother:-

During the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion James III, as they knew him, but called the Old Pretender by Hanoverians, spent the night in Glamis Castle. He left his watch behind:-

World’s oldest tartan:-

Dolls in Glamis Castle. The taller one on the right here is in the image of the young Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon:-

As is common with stately homes, Glamis Castle has some sumptuous ceilings.

Drawing room ceiling:-

Dining room ceiling:-

Chapel ceiling and altar:-

Curiously, one of the first rooms on the tour is the Crypt Armoury:-

Stained glass coat of arms:-

Stairs and antlers:-

Glamis Castle is one of Scotland’s most iconic. It’s not a castle in usual sense. It wasn’t built as a stronghold and has never suffered seige. It is perhaps most famous for being the childhood home of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, who married Prince Albert, became Queen Consort on his accession after the Abdication and so Empress of India and of course gave birth to the present Queen of the United Kingdom (and may other territories besides.)

The castle has avery long drivewat up to it from Glamis village.

Glamis Castle from end of driveway approach:-

The car park is round the back. Glamis Castle from Car Park:-

This fountain-like structure is on the grass opposite the castle:-

This photo was taken several yaers ago when we visited the grounds only:-

There are extensive grounds to the side and rear of the castle. Glamis Castle from east:-

In one of the exhibition areas inside there was this model of the castle which also shows its extent:-

I did not include this photo of the main information board at Edzell Castle in my first post about it so here it is now:-

Nor this one for the walled garden:-

This board in the visitor centre exhibition is about the then laird of Edzell Castle, David Lindsay, being a signatory of the National Address which put in motion the sequence of events which led to the Darien Disaster, Scotland’s ill-fated attempt to set up a colony in what is now Panama:-

The furthest corner of Edzell Castle’s garden from the castle’s tower has a summer house built into it.

Summer house at corner of Edzell Castle’s garden walls:-

From inside garden:-

Close up from grounds:-

From beside west wall:-

The box hedging in the garden of Edzell Castle was famous for its intricate topiarised Latin inscriptions but has suffered box blight and is no longer as magnificent as below:-

Window onto garden:-

Garden information board:-

Garden from Tower:-

Garden + tower:-

Garden topiary + box hedging:-

Tower from garden:-

The interior of Edzell Castle is like many such ruined former grand buildings in Scotland – open to the sky, bare floors, sandstone walls.

Internal doorway:-

Staircase:-

Fireplace:-

Arch from a collapsed oven. That was some size of oven:-

We had meant to visit Edzell Castle, which lies just north-west of Brechin in Angus, for some time now. It is famous for its walled garden with box hedging arrangement. Last August we managed to book a visiting slot. The castle is now in the care of Historic Scotland. The present castle is on a site somewhat removed from the old motte and bailey castle.

Edzell Castle from motte and bailey site:-

From the castle grounds:-

A corner tower:-

Entrance and square tower:-

Doorway:-

Castle entrance from east:-

Castle tower from southwest:-

Part of castle with walled garden to left:-

The mound of the old motte and bailey Castle is easily seen from the south wall:-

In july we visited a plant nursery in East Lothian. Right beside it were the remains of Redhouse Castle. Now derelict and not open to the public, it lies just off the B1377 after passing through Longniddry when travelling east.

Redhouse Castle from plant nursery:-

There’s a small gap through from the garden centre to the castle grounds.

Doorway. The lintel reads “Nil Dominus Frustrare” (Nothing will disappoint):-

Then through an arch to the outbuildings:-

Castle from east:-

Barnard Castle is a market town in Teesdale, County Durham. It lies beside the River Tees over which there were at least two bridges.

One of these is a relatively narrow traffic-light controlled bridge which lies just below the ruins of the mediæval castle (of which more later.)

The second I got to by walking along a path by the riverside. Its purpose is more obscure:-

On the way up to it we passed this weir:-

Weir and second bridge through trees:-