Falkland

Category

Library Item

Item no

24824

Title

Falkland

Description

This image shows Falkland Palace in Fife.

Artist / maker

De Cardonnel, Adam

Date

1788

Size

7.0 x 9.0 cm

Type

Etching

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

The British 19th century engraver and archaeologist Adam de Cardonnel was an educated man who practiced for a short while as a surgeon however his family's wealth gave him the leisure to indulge his interest in antiquities and numismatics. At the end of 1780 he was elected a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland where he also served as curator from 1782 to 1784. Cardonnel later went on to produce work titled as 'Numismata Scotiae' which was published in Edinburgh in 1786 and 'Picturesque Antiquities of Scotland' which was published in London in 1788. Soon after this Adam De Cardonnel took over his cousin - Hilton Lawson's - estates in Chirton and Cramlington in Northumberland where he then served as sheriff for the county in 1796 and became knows as 'Adam De Cardonnel-Lawson'. Cardonnel spent his last days in Bath and after dying at age 73 he was buried at Cramlington in June 1820.

Between 1501 and 1541, King James IV and his son, James V, commissioned the best architects and craftsmen to create a 'pleasure palace' so they could indulge their passion for falconry and hunting. The result was Falkland, one of Scotland's finest Renaissance palaces.

The Stuart kings were frequent residents here and Mary, Queen of Scots adored Falkland Palace, as it reminded her of the chateaux of the French Royal Court where she grew up.

The palace fell into disrepair after 1660 but was 'rescued' by the 3rd Marquess of Bute in the late 19th century. As Keeper of the Palace, he set about conserving original features and re-creating the interiors using the finest designers and craftspeople of the day.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Doors and doorways

Architecture > Architectural features > Roofs

Architecture > Architectural features > Towers

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Places > Scotland > Fife

Places > United Kingdom > Scotland

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