Perth, the 'Fair City' in Scotland , a once royal burgh, stands at the head of the Tay estuary. Between the C12th and C15th the city vied with Dunfermline for the right to be the capital of the country. In the article below I write about three places to visit in Perth, Scotland; Huntingtower Castle, Elcho Castle and Scone Palace:
Scone Palace
These days, Scone Palace is the home of the Earls of Mansfield, and a incredibly popular attraction to visitors from around the globe. Scone Palace is an important part of Scotland's history, as the kings of Scotland were once crowned there. Robert the Bruce was crowned at Scone Palace, in 1306, as was Charles II when he took ownership of the Scottish Crown in 1651. There is a mysterious and beautiful mood to the palace, which is justifiably so.At one time in the past the site served as an important gathering place of the Picts and there was also a very early Christian church there.
Elcho Castle
Lying about three miles from Perth, with awe inspiring views across the River Tay, is Elcho Castle. The castle is one of the prime examples of 16th century constructions in Scotland today. The Wemyss family commissioned the construction of the castle in the 1570's. The land had been in the family since 1468, when it was granted to them by King James III. In 1633, the leader of the family was given the titles of Earl of Wemyss and Lord Elcho. Elcho Castle and it's lands stayed in possession of the Wemyss family until 1929. At this time, the 11th Earl of Wemyss, gifted the castle to Scotland. The castle has recently been restored and is now in the charge of Historic Scotland.
Huntingtower Castle
Found just to the west of Perth is Huntingtower Castle, a medieval pile. Even though the castle is originaly medieval, it has been redeveloped significantly throughout most of it's history. The Ruthven family were the owners of the lands and castle from the twelth to seventeenth century. During this time the castle consisted of 2 separate towers, built 3 meters apart. When the Murray family took possession, later on in the seventeenth century, they decided to merge the two towers, making the house look more like a ordinary country abode. The bridging work between the two towers is still clearly visible today, both on the interior and exterior.
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