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Earlshall Castle is a restored 16th century courtyard castle, near
Leuchars, Fife, Scotland.
It has been described as “a perfect
example of a 16/17th century mansion”.
The castle was built by
Sir William Bruce, a survivor of the Battle of Flodden, in 1546. One
member of the family died at the battle of Worcester in 1651. Another,
Sir Andrew, gained himself the name “Bloody Bruce” by hacking off the
hands and head of Covenanter Richard Cameron after defeating him at the
battle of Airds Moss during the Killing Time.
The Bruce line was
extinct by 1708. Henderson of Fordell inherited the castle and kept it
until 1824. Due to lack of maintenance, the structure became derelict.
In 1890, the property was purchased by Robert Mackenzie, a bleacher from
Perth, who hired Sir Robert Lorimer to complete a restoration in 1892.
The property has passed through several hands since, and is still
occupied. The tapestries, paintings and Lorimer furniture have been
dispersed.
Earlshall, which stands three-quarters of a mile east of
Leuchars village, was in a ruinous state about 1890, but has since then
been judiciously and carefully restored. The house forms the northern
side and northwest angle of a courtyard, which is now enclosed on the
south by a range of outbuilding, on the west by a screen wall, and on
the east by a modern balustrade opening to the topiary garden. In the
original lay-out of 1546, when Earlshall was built by Sir William Bruce,
the western side of the courtyard was occupied by a range of outbuilding
which terminated in the little tower, still to be seen at the southwest
corner, while on the south and east sides were screen walls. The screen
walls were subsequently replaced by the present south range and by a
range on the east, which has long since been demolished. It was possibly
at that time that the west range of the original lay-out was pulled
down, only its outer wall being left to form the present screen.
The entrance to the courtyard, which is still on the west, is protected
by a gun-loop on its south side. It is an archway, 5 feet 4 ½ inches
wide, heavily splayed at the arris and having a semi-circular head. In
the walling above is a panel, now covered by a growth of creeper, which
is understood to bear Sir William's coat of arms. Above this again are
the remains of a battlement corbelled out in a semi-circular projection
above the entrance. To the south of the archway is the little tower
already referred to. It is L-shaped on plan, and contains three storeys,
the two lower of which are vaulted; its stair gives access to the
parapet walk which passes over the entrance. At the north end of the
screen wall is the gable of the stair-wing with its five storeys, the
uppermost an attic with a dormer window, in the pediment of which are
the initials W.B. and A.L. for William Bruce and Agnes Lindsay.
The house consists of a main block, 59 by 27 ½ feet, with a rectangular
wing 18 by 19 ½ feet, projecting southwards at its west end; in
there-entrant angle is a rounded stair-tower, while at the north-east
corner there is a large oval tower, 16 feet in diameter, between which
and the east wall of the main block a turret staircase is corbelled out.
The main block contains four storeys, the uppermost being a garret, and
the stair-tower is sur- mounted by a look-out within a parapet. The
masonry throughout is of rubble with freestone dressings. The wall-head
cornice returns downward as a sill-course round the upper windows. These
windows, being semi - dormers, have pediments, the western bearing
within a shield arted per pale: dexter, a saltire and chief, for Bruce;
sinister, a fess cheeky between three stars in chief and a hunting horn
in base, for Lindsay. Above the shield is a helm with a horse's head for
crest. On either side are ‘wodehouses' as supporters. The eastern
pediment bears a shield parted per pale: dexter, a saltire and chief;
sinister, a fess cheeky between three stars in chief and a hunting hom
in base. A third pediment on the north-east tower has the initials W.B.
and D.A.L. borne on two hearts intertwined, for William Bruce and Dame
Agnes Lindsay. The lowest windows of this tower are dumbbell shaped.
The entrance in the stair-tower leads to the vaulted basement, the Hall on the first floor has a large carved fireplace and panelled walls. On the second floor is a gallery which has a tempera-painted ceiling from the 1620's.
Amongst the armorials is that of the Earl of Angus. In
1620, this would have been
William Douglas, 11th Earl of Angus (1590–1660),
who was created Marquess of Douglas in 1633, when he resigned the earldom, which was regranted with the marquessate.
However, the design was superceded in 1491, so refers back to an
earlier Earl,
Archibald, the 5th Earl
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