Inveraray Castle

Category

Library Item

Item no

16107

Title

Inveraray Castle

Description

Inveraray Castle is viewed from the River Aray bridge. The castle has four walls which surround a taller square tower that is in the middle. At each corner of the castle is a castellated tower with a conical spire. Five dormer windows line the top of the visible outer wall. The castle is set in spacious grounds with trees, and hills in the background.

Artist / maker

Valentine, James

Date

1879

Size

12.1 x 20.5 cm

Type

Postcard; Reproduction

Location

Edinburgh and Scottish Collection

Inveraray Castle was built in the 18th Century. The conical roofs on the turrets and gabled dormers visible in this painting were later additions of 1877 - 78. It has an eclectic architectural style incorporating baroque, palladian and gothic architectural features. It is the seat of the chief of the Clan Campbell, and the home of the current Duke of Argyll.

This image comes from a set of family photograph albums known as the Moray Albums. They belonged to a family known as the Stirling Home-Drummond Moray's, an aristocratic, well-connected Scottish landowning family. Originally the name was Drummond, but became hyphenated in 1741 when Agatha Drummond of Blair Drummond married Henry Home of Kames. Their grandson, Henry Home-Drummond married Christian Moray, eldest daughter of Colonel Charles Moray of Abercairny and his wife, Anne Stirling. The Stirling name was added due to the inclusion of Anne Stirling's lands.

The albums contain many pictures of the extended family and other aristocratic connections as well as images of the stately homes at Blair Drummond and Abercairny. The family travelled frequently too through Great Britain and to the continent for holidays in Switzerland. Portraits include Charles Stirling Home-Drummond Moray who became 9th Laird of Blair Drummond, 19th of Abercairny and 11th of Ardoch in 1876 and his wife Lady Ann Georgina Douglas. Their son, William Augustus married the Hon. Gwendolen Edwarde, daughter of the 4th Baron Kensington and there are photographs of the Kensingtons in the second album.

The family used many residences of their extended family as well as their own, which are represented in the albums. The original house at Abercairny; Abercairny Abbey was started in 1805 and demolished in 1960. The present Abercairney House was started in 1842 and is still in use by the family. Their hunting lodge, Connachan Lodge is still in existence and is sometimes rented out. Firle Place, Lewes, Sussex which also appears in the albums is still owned by the Gages.

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Related subjects

Architecture > Architectural features > Turrets

Architecture > Architectural features > Windows

Homes > Residential buildings > Castles and palaces

Homes > Residential buildings > Mansions