Glamis Castle, just outside the village of Glamis, north of Dundee, is probably one of Scotland's finest sights.  Glamis is still the family home of the Earls of Strathmore, but is open to the public. A parkland designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown ca. 1770 surrounds this fairy-tale castle. The L-shaped castle, most of which dates from the 17th century and was built in baronial style, lies at the end of a long avenue of oaks.

 A castle is said to have stood on this site 1,000 years ago and most of the time since then it has been the seat of the earls of Strathmore, ancestors of the Queen Mother. According to Shakespeare, Macbeth, king of Scotland from 1040 to 1057 and laird of Glamis castle was murdered here by his rival Duncan. Up until the 19th century visitors to the castle were shown the bed in Duncan's Hall where the deed was done, but in fact the crime took place near Elgin.

The entrance to the castle grounds is situated to the north, but the main entrance to the castle itself is to be found opposite the drive in a corner tower that was begun by the first Earl of Kinghorn in the 17th century and completed by the third earl. His bust adorns a round niche above the entrance portal with the king's coat-of-arms beneath it. The castle contains a wealth of fine objects d'art including furniture, tapestries, Chinese porcelain, old weapons and paintings, including portraits of Elizabeth I and the Queen Mother when she was the Duchess of York.

The most striking feature in the Victorian Dining Room which dates from the mid-19th century is probably splendid fireplace with a heraldic centerpiece in oak bearing the coat-of-arms of the 12th Earl of Strathmore. The plasterwork ceiling is decorated with Scottish thistles, English roses and lions of the Lyon family. In the Drawing Room, monograms of the second earl can be made out on the old plasterwork in the vaulting. Paintings by Jakob de Wet decorate the richly-ornamented wall and ceiling paneling in the Chapel. The Queen Mother's chambers are open to the public. The Dining Room and 16th century Kitchen may be booked for lunch and dinner parties.

Address:

Glamis Castle
Forfar
Tayside
Dundee DD8 1QJ
United Kingdom