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An exterior view of Fyvie Castle, seen from the lawn. Tall trees frame the image either side.
19 Jan 2021

Facing Our Past at Fyvie Castle

As part of our Facing Our Past project, we take a look at the Forbes-Leith family and their American connections.

A view of a tall, turreted, pink-walled castle, with an older stone wall in the foreground. At the corner of the wall is a small tower, with a slate tiled conical roof. Green lawns, tall trees and shrubs otherwise surround the castle.
13 Jan 2021

A path to the past

Craigievar Castle was once adjoined by a lower enclosing wall, known in Scots as a barmkin. Our installation of new paving and interpretation panels help to tell the story of this ‘lost wall’.

A view of Brodie Castle after heavy snowfall. The lawns and trees are blanketed with snow. The sky is a pale blue. The walls of the castle look even more orange in contrast.
22 Dec 2020

Hogmanay in the Highlands

Find out more about the origins of our Hogmanay traditions and how this night may have been celebrated at Brodie Castle in the Scottish Highlands.

A close-up detail of a watercolour illustration of a boxing match, mostly in sepia and grey tones. Two boxers deliver blows to each other's face in a fenced-in boxing ring, with two trainers behind each boxer. A large crowd is shown watching the fight.
18 Dec 2020

A tale of two champions: the fight for freedom

In the second part of our blog, Regional Curator Sarah Beattie takes a closer look at the lives of Molineaux and his trainer, and their experiences as black boxers in Britain in the early 1800s.

A man in wet weather gear stands in a rocky area beside a stream. Behind him are the almost covered stone remains of a walled structure. Tall pine trees grow in the area.
8 Dec 2020

Pioneering Spirit: Illicit whisky stills at Mar Lodge Estate

In partnership with The Glenlivet, the National Trust for Scotland has begun investigating the scale and impact of illicit whisky production in Scotland, commencing with survey work at Mar Lodge Estate.

A view of the exterior of Leith Hall, from across some manicured lawns. It is a large stately home, with grey walls and a slate roof, with little towers and turrets at each corner.
8 Dec 2020

Colonial power and profit at Leith Hall

As part of our Facing Our Past project, we take a look at the Leith-Hay and Leith families of Leith Hall, and their links to the West Indies.

Crude black and white drawing showing the inside of a turf house, with animals and a byre at one end, and living quarters for people at the other.
3 Dec 2020

Turf times as building material search gets underway

Historic building material is needed for our Glencoe recreation of a 17th-century dwelling.

Old stamped envelopes are laid across a table on top of a tablecloth. A plate of drop scones and a teacup can be seen just behind them.
3 Dec 2020

The past in the post

Agnes Toward, of the Tenement House, held onto many letters throughout her life, from which we can learn about bygone eras.

An oil painting, with a rounded top, of a very pale man lying in bed. He is covered by a white sheet up to his neck. A book lies open on a footstool by his bed.
16 Nov 2020

William Beckford (1760–1844): part two

Regional Curator Sarah Beattie continues her series, looking at the lives of some of the Hamilton family and exploring the impact they had on the building, collections and interiors at Brodick Castle. This time she examines the later life of William Beckford.