Glamis Castle
"glahms" is an imposing castle - athough no photos are allowed inside, the private rooms are stunning. This is reputed to be one of the most haunted castles in Scotland.
impressive despite the rain - glamis is a tower house + wings
10th century and beyond
LIke many royal castles Glamis started out as a small, central tower and has been expanded and remodeled through the centuries to accomodate royal residences and the demands of state.
The core of the castle is a 14th century keep, which was expanded in the 16th century to a large L-plan castle., with a large round stair tower in the angle. At the same time, additional floors were added to the keep and the defensive battlements wre replace by bartizans. Additional tower wings and halls were continually throughout the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries.
The original kitchen is in the vaulted basement of the keep (and marks the start of the tour. Above, a hall, and on the second floor, a larger, more formal hall and receiving room with a fabulous plaster ceiling
The massive turnpike stair has 143 steps from basement to the wallwalks.
the core of the original tower, flanked by halls and residences
Ownership
Glamis is tradiionally assoiated with Macbeth, but this is probbaly just a literary conceit. The main keep is, however, referredt o as Duncan's Hall.
Robert II granted the lands to Sir John Lyon of Fortviot. By the 15th century, the castle was owned by his descendent Sir John Lyon, Chancellor of Scotland. He married a daughter of Robert II and was subsequently made Lord Glamis in 1445.
The family still holds the castle, in the branch Bowes-Lyons, the family name Elizaeth the Queen Mother (who died in 2002).
the castle is massive but well designed
the fanciful rurrets and bartizans make it look like a fairy-tale castle