Dunrobin Castle
Dunrobin castle is on the east coast of the Northern Highlands over-looking the Moray Firth' just north of the town of Golspie. It is the family home of the Earls and later, the Dukes of Sutherland, they and their forbears have lived there since the 1300's.
The core of the house dates from the 1300's but the bulk of what the visitor sees was built in the 1800's . Designed by Sir Charles Barry, who also built The Houses of Parliament.
The conical spires and ornamentation give the castle the appearance of a French chateau. The garden was designed and laid out soon after the additions to the house by the same architect. The inspiration for the garden was that of Versailles. The garden is formal and is divided into two parterres both laid out around circular pools with fountains.
The design is much as Barry left it but there have been recent exciting refurbishments to the planting and ornamentation. This includes avenues of Tuscan laurel and Whitebeam and the construction of wooden pyramid features. The old method of tree culture, pleaching, has also been re-introduced.
Amongst new features is a vegetable garden and orchard which was begun in 1999, again with French influence to the fore. A visit to Dunrobin Castle Garden is of interest to all and most particularly for the connoisseur of the formally designed Victorian garden. The castle and gardens are open to the public from Easter to the middle of October.
I also have more pictures of the castle and it's gardens.
And also some info and a picture of the Countess of Sutherland.
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