Culzean

Took a trip to Culzean Castle today.  The weather was brilliant, bright sunshine and warm.  We had lunch at the Visitor Centre, and then walked to the walled garden, and had a look, looking really nice.  it was so nice that we sat a while, and then wandered back to the castle and had a tour of the building. 

From the Internet:
Culzean Castle was constructed as an L-plan castle by order of the 10th Earl of Cassilis. He instructed the architect Robert Adam to rebuild a previous, but more basic, structure into a fine country house to be the seat of his earldom. The castle was built in stages between 1777 and 1792. It incorporates a large drum tower with a circular saloon inside (which overlooks the sea), a grand oval staircase and a suite of well-appointed apartments.
In 1945, the Kennedy family gave the castle and its grounds to the National Trust for Scotland (thus avoiding inheritance tax). In doing so, they stipulated that the apartment at the top of the castle be given to General of the Army Dwight D. Eisenhower in recognition of his role as Supreme Commander of the Allied Forces in Europe during the Second World War. The General first visited Culzean Castle in 1946 and stayed there four times, including once while President of the United States.

The interior is magnificent, with Chippendale furniture in some rooms, lots of photos, beautiful carpets which have been ordered especially in India for the castle.......unfortunately the Eisenhower Suite was closed to the public; I believe it is having some work done on it......but we enjoyed the rest of the castle, especially the views over the sea towards Holy Isle and the Isle of Arran.  The view from the Drum Tower is superb, and I loved the Adam staircase..... just stunning.......

After our tour we had coffee in the Stables Coffee Shop, and then headed home.

I added an extra photograph of the castle taken from the archway which I am told was constructed for just that purpose, to give a beautiful view of the castle thru the archway.


Many thanks for putting this image in the Popular pages.