5620 x 3733 px | 47,6 x 31,6 cm | 18,7 x 12,4 inches | 300dpi
Date de la prise de vue:
2007
Informations supplémentaires:
Balvenie is a castle of enclosure, with a massive 13th century curtain wall. First owned by the powerful Comyn Earls of Buchan. The structure was added to in the 15th and 16th centuries. The Castle was visited by Mary Queen of Scots in 1562. This property is managed by Historic Scotland Balvenie Castle is a ruined castle near Dufftown in the Moray region of Scotland. Originally known as Mortlach, it was built in the 12th century by the Comyn Clan (the Black Comyns) and extended in the 15th and 16th centuries. The castle fell into the ownership of the House of Douglas in the early 14th century when the Comyns were reduced by Robert the Bruce. In turn King James II wiped out the Douglases and it was granted to John Stewart, the first Earl of Atholl. Balvenie Castle served as a garrison during the Jacobite rebellion. It was abandoned in 1720s but was last used by the Hanovarian forces of the Crown (under the Duke of Cumberland) leading up to the Battle of Culloden. The castle under Stewart ownership became established as a place of gracious living and in 1550, the Earl of Atholl incorporated an elegant renaissance house into the structure. Mary Queen of Scots was a guest here in September 1562. This is hardly a mark of distinction: there can be few large Scottish structures standing in the mid 1500s in which she does not seem to have spent a night or two. Sadly, Balvenie Castle failed to stand the test of time and the changing needs and fashions of the day. A new house was built nearby and by 1720 the castle was abandoned and had already started to fall into decline. Today, the remains of the castle are owned by Historic Scotland. They are open to the public during the summer months. Balvenie whisky is produced by William Grant & Sons at the Balvenie distillery next to the castle.
