Drums lost gardens revealed

Archaeological excavations at the National Trust for Scotland’s Drum Castle Estate, Aberdeenshire have revealed exciting evidence for the early 17th century gardens which once surrounded the castle.

A team of professional and volunteer archaeologists, led by Murray Archaeological Services Ltd, uncovered foundations of very substantial walls and areas of paving, clear evidence of landscaping work carried out in the 1770s, medieval ceramics, including glazed floor tiles and pottery fragments and 17th and 18th century wine bottles, fine tableware and clay pipe fragments.

The gardens, which have lain hidden under green lawns for nearly 250 years, were probably established in the early 1600s, when a palace wing was added to Drum Castle.

Dr Shannon Fraser, Archaeologist for the National Trust for Scotland said:

“This is a very exciting discovery. The garden features being revealed at Drum are among the oldest in the National Trust for Scotland’s care and will provide important new information about a relatively little-understood period of Scottish garden history.

“Indeed, until now very little has been known about Drum’s early gardens, aside from some references by the 17th century historian John Spalding and in estate account books in the mid 1700s. We do know that they were finally entirely swept away in the later 18th century, when it became fashionable for country houses to be surrounded by lawns.

“These findings add to our knowledge of Drum, its gardens and an important and fascinating period of history.”