Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Castle Fraser - A Grand Scottish Baronial House with a Royal Ghost

Visit Castle Fraser on your next self-drive vacation to Scotland. Castle Fraser is one of the grandest of the Scottish baronial tower houses, reminiscent of a French chateau, filled with family treasures, furniture, interesting family portraits and, according to legend, a royal ghost.

Located in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland, Castle Fraser dates back to the 16th century when it was originally built for the Fraser family. Castle Fraser is a contemporary to other nearby castles such as Craigievar Castle, Crathes Castle and Midmar Castle. What really stands out about the castle is the interesting z-plan design. This was in response to the need for more comfortable living space. Castle Fraser sticks to the basic tower house castle shape, however extends to the current z-plan castle. The result is one of the most superbly evolved and impressive tower houses in Scotland.

Like every good castle, Castle Fraser is said to have a ghost roaming the halls at night. Legend has it that a young princess was brutally murdered and dragged down the stone stairs, leaving a trail of blood stains. As hard as they scrubbed, the stains remained and they were forced to cover the steps with wood paneling, which remains today. It is said that she stalks the halls of the castle at night.

Castle Fraser has changed hands several times and was renovated in the 1800’s and modernized in the classical style. Today, the castle is owned by the National Trust of Scotland and visitors will enjoy the atmosphere of a family home, still containing the original contents including Fraser family portraits, furniture and collections. The evocative interiors represent all periods of the castle’s history, from the Medieval stone vaulted Great Hall to the Regency Dining Room. Round off the visit to Castle Fraser with a walk through the beautiful 18th century walled garden. The estate also contains a flight pond, mixed woodland and open farmland, with two waymarked walks giving magnificent views of the local hills.

Visit Castle Fraser on your next self-drive vacation to Scotland with Celtic Tours World Vacations.

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