Edzell Castle, 16th century castle ruins in Angus, Scotland
Edzell Castle is a ruined tower house from the 16th century in Edzell, Angus, Scotland, made up of a rectangular stone tower, a courtyard, and adjoining residential ranges. Attached to the castle is a walled Renaissance garden with a summer house that still holds carved wooden wall panels.
David Lindsay began building the castle around 1520, and his family lived there for almost two centuries. Financial troubles eventually forced the Lindsays to sell the estate in 1715, ending their presence as landowners in this part of Scotland.
The walled garden, added in 1604, displays stone carvings on its inner walls showing the Cardinal Virtues, the Liberal Arts, and the Planetary Deities. These carvings reflect what the family who owned the castle considered marks of learning and standing.
The site is currently closed for conservation work, with a reopening planned for summer 2025. Check for updates before visiting, as the timeline may shift depending on how the work progresses.
The summer house inside the walled garden is one of the few surviving Scottish structures from the early 17th century that still has its original carved oak paneling in place. In most comparable buildings, such woodwork was removed or replaced over time.
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