Scotland Part 8 - Dunnet Head, Dunrobin Castle, Falconry and a Scottish Wedding.
Today we drove along the far northern coast of Scotland to see Dunnet Head, the northernmost point on the British mainland. We toured spectacular Dunrobin castle and were treated to a falconry demonstration. Tonight we're in the town of Nairn, where a wedding reception is taking place in our hotel, with traditional Scottish dancing.
Music by Troy MacGillivray from his album Eleven.
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Fordell castle
This is a video of inside the grounds of fordell castle
Fordell Castle is a restored 16th-century tower house, located 1.25 miles (2.01 km) north-west of Dalgety Bay and 2 miles (3.2 km) east of Dunfermline, in Fife, Scotland.
Histroy
The lands of Fordell were given to the Henderson family by King James IV in 1511, and the castle was built in 1567 on the site of an earlier structure.[1] Mary, Queen of Scots, stayed here when Marion Scott, one of her ladies-in-waiting, married George Henderson, the laird. The castle was destroyed by fire, but rebuilt c.1580. The castle was damaged again by Oliver Cromwell's army in 1651.[1]
In the 19th century, the family built a new mansion nearby, but kept the castle in good repair. In 1866, the estate passed by marriage to Hew Duncan, second son of the Earl of Camperdown.[1] The mansion was demolished in the 20th century, and there is now little visible evidence of its existence, other than the remains of stonework, foundations and the overgrown detritus of human habitation. Pine woodland has wholly taken over its former location, although a stone bridge over the former railway shows the position of the entrance, from the south-east, and the formal carriage-turning circle is still visible as a clearing.
The ruins of Fordell Castle were purchased by the lawyer and Conservative politician Sir Nicholas Fairbairn (1933--1995)[1] for one hundred pounds sterling.[citation needed] The castle was restored and used as a private residence by Sir Nicholas and his wife Lady Sam Fairbairn, who continued to live there until 1997 when it was sold on to a local veterinary surgeon, before being sold on again to multi-millionaire businessman Andrew Berry.[citation needed] In November 2007, Fordell Castle was sold for £3,850,000 to an undisclosed buyer, making it the fifth-highest-priced home ever sold in Scotland.[citation needed] The Castle remains a private residence, albeit a second home, and is a category A listed building.[2]
Following his death in 1995, Nicholas Fairbairn was laid to rest in the crypt below the Chapel of St Theriot in the castle grounds. Andrew Berry's family initials have been added to the stonework surrounding the Chapel's entrance.
Margaret Thatcher planted the tree beside the castle