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Drummond Castle

The Drummond family, who hailed from the Drymen area in Stirlingshire, were granted lands in Perthshire by Robert the Bruce as a reward for the support of Sir Malcolm Drummond, the 10th Thane of Lennox, at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314.

In 1491 James IV issued a royal warrant giving Sir John Drummond permission to build a castle on his land. Drummond Castle was built on a rocky outcrop (part of the Gask Ridge) and took the form of a tall, square keep.

Originally it would have been surrounded by a curtain wall, and while there is a massive wall to the north of the castle today, it is unclear to what period it dates.

Drummond Castle

Pont 21: Lower Glenalmond; Strathearn
Timothy Pont, c.1583 – 1596image courtesy of NLS

Around 1630 James Drummond, the 4th Lord Drummond and the 1st Earl of Perth, added a three storey gatehouse to the south side of the keep, stretching to the edge of the rocky ridge and so controlling access to the courtyard beyond. Around the same time a range of ancillary buildings were added to the north east of the tower.

The architect was John Mylne, King Charles’ own Master Mason from Perth. At this time the formal gardens were laid out to the south of the rocky outcrop, and at their centre is a sundial designed by Mylne which tells the time in many of Europe’s capital cities.

In 1653 the castle was damaged during a siege by Cromwell, but it was restored after the English troops left. In the 1690s James Drummond, the 4th Earl of Perth, built a mansion house to the east of the castle, possibly on the site of the original building’s curtain wall.

But following the Drummonds’ support of the Jacobite cause in 1715 and 1745-46, they lost their estates, and while the Duke of Perth followed Bonnie Prince Charlie into exile on the Continent, the Duchess of Perth was imprisoned at Drummond Castle until her death in 1773.

In 1784 the Drummonds were given back their estates, and set about modernising the mansion house, then in 1822 the old keep was restored to its former glory.

Drummond Castle is now the seat of Jane Heathcote-Drummond-Willoughby, the 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, a Willoughby having married a daughter of James Drummond, the 11th Earl of Perth, in the early 19th century. The castle is private but the beautiful gardens are open to the public in summer, approached from the east by a magnificent tree-lined avenue.

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Alternative names for Drummond Castle

Castle Drummond; Dronan; Dronene; Drummane; Drummayne; Drummyne; Drumond Castle; Drwmine

Clans associated with Drummond Castle

Drummond

Surnames associated with Drummond Castle

Drummond

Where is Drummond Castle?

Drummond Castle is in the parish of Muthill and the county of Perthshire.

Grid reference: NN 84404 18031

Lat / long: 56.340514, -3.871582

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Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Drummond Castle

OS map OL47
Crieff, Comrie & Glen Artney (Strathearn & Auchterarder)
OS Explorer map OL47


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Directions to Drummond Castle

Enter a starting point

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Weather at Drummond Castle

14°C
max 14°C / min 14°C
8km/h SW
1009mb
80%
88%
03:27 21:08

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at Crieff at 08:27

References (books)

The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Garden and Designed Landscape record
Canmore
Wikipedia
Drummond Castle Gardens

Castles near Drummond Castle

Balloch Castle (site of)

1.3km away

Pitkellony House

2.4km away

John the Bangster's House (site of)

2.9km away

Strowan (possible) (site of)

4.1km away

Castle Cluggy

5.4km away

Ochtertyre (possible) (site of)

5.6km away

Auchingarrich (possible) (site of)

5.9km away

Innerpeffray Castle

6.1km away

Tosach Castle (site of)

6.1km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Drummond Castle

Concraig standing stone

1.8km away

Bennybeg cursus

2.4km away

Dargill standing stone

2.5km away

Dalchirla Farm standing stone

2.9km away

Dalchirla standing stones

2.9km away

Broich cursus

3.4km away

Dunruchan A standing stone

4.9km away

Dunruchan F standing stone

5.1km away

Dunruchan B standing stone

5.1km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Drummond Castle

Fowlis Wester Class II cross-slab

10.3km away

Fowlis Wester Church Class III cross-slab

10.3km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

11.5km away

Bore Stone of Gask Class II cross slab

12.9km away

Dupplin Cross Class III cross

20.6km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

20.7km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

20.7km away

Tulloch Class I symbol stone

25.4km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

26.0km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Drummond Castle

Norrie's Law hoard

57.3km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

74.9km away

Borland silver chain

75.0km away

Haddington silver chain

80.1km away

Traprain Law silver chain

85.1km away

Whitlaw silver chain

95.4km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

98.1km away

Hoardweel silver chain

110.1km away

Dunnicaer fort

123.8km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Drummond Castle

James Cottage Guest House
hotelCrieff
3.6km away
Merlindale
bed and breakfastCrieff
3.7km away
Galvelbeg House
bed and breakfast, self-catering apartmentCrieff
4.5km away
Knock Castle Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barCrieff
4.7km away
Crieff Hydro Hotel and Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurantCrieff
4.8km away
Murraypark Hotel
hotelCrieff
4.9km away
Crieff Hydro self-catering cottages and chalets
self-catering cottagesCrieff
5.0km away
Comrie Croft SYHA Hostel
hostelComrie
6.5km away
Gleneagles Hotel
hotelAuchterarder
9.7km away
The Rowans
bed and breakfastNew Fowlis
9.8km away

Accommodation search

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Drummond Castle

Knock Castle Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barCrieff
4.7km away
Crieff Hydro Hotel and Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurantCrieff
4.8km away
Famous Grouse Experience
restaurant, café, barCrieff
5.7km away
Torlum Café, Auchingarrich
caféComrie
5.9km away
Sheriffmuir Inn
hotel, pub, restaurantDunblane
16.0km away
Drummond Hotel
hotel, pubSt Fillans
16.2km away
An Lochan Tormaukin
hotel, bar, restaurantGleneagles
20.1km away
Roman Camp Hotel
hotel, restaurantCallander
23.5km away
The Crags Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barCallander
23.6km away
Dreadnought Hotel
hotel, barCallander
23.9km away
more food.... / more drink....

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A pair of castles on the River Tweed
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Dunbar harbour and castle
Published on the 30th of June 2010 at 1:21 am. Updated on the 27th of June 2020 at 10:48 am.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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