THE Castle of Mey proved such an attraction to one visitor, the late Queen Mother, that she bought the place in 1952, and it is still an appealing day out for many a guest.
Now, starting on May 13, Castle of Mey is open for the 2015 season, right through until September 30, and you can see what all the fuss was about.
The Queen Mother had many of its rooms refurbished with fine art and furnishings, many bought from local experts, and it’s fitting this year that they’re including a feature on Fergus Bowes Lyon.
Killed 100 years ago at the Battle of Loos, he was her older brother, a dashing soldier with the Black Watch and a very good cricketer.
The exhibition will also give an insight into the local community’s efforts during the Great War, and a wander round the rooms at Mey is awe-inspiring.
So, too, is seeing it from the outside. It’s a gorgeous place, all right, set in Caithness on Scotland’s north coast, only six miles from John o’ Groats.
The Trust now looks after the place, keeping it just as the Queen Mother left it, so you get some amazing glimpses into her life here, and her styles and tastes.
It goes without saying that the gardens all around it are equally splendid, and visitors will spend at least as much time enjoying those.
The Walled Garden and East Garden take you onto a relaxing walk through woodland, and there is a tearoom and visitor centre to cater to your every need.
China, glassware, books, postcards and all sorts are available here, but we recommend the jams and chutneys!
For the kids, and the grown-up kids, you can enjoy a hands-on meeting with some pigs, lambs, chicks and goats, too.
This is the most northerly castle on the British mainland, but it was going to be abandoned and presumably would have fallen into serious disrepair if the Queen Mother hadn’t stepped in and saved it.
She enjoyed almost 50 years of happy summers here, so we can almost promise the weather won’t be bad, either!
There is, however, some darker history, just for those who like that sort of thing.
The castle was built by George, the 4th Earl of Caithness, for his second son William Sinclair.
William was murdered by his older brother, John, while visiting the family seat Girnigoe Castle in 1573.
John had been imprisoned there for about six years by his father John had been planning an escape but William found out and told their father.
John was in turn murdered and the castle went to the third son, George Sinclair, who founded the family of the Sinclairs of Mey and whose descendant succeeded to the Earldom in 1789. He changed the name of the castle to Barrogill Castle. The castle then became the seat of the Earls of Caithness for the next 100 years, and it would be many years before it was sold to Her Majesty.
The Queen Mother nurtured her favourite old rose, Albertine, which became abundant here.
Today, the gardens are full of marigolds, pansies, dahlias, primulas and nasturtiums.
The new Sensory Border contains plants with interesting or unusual textures, smells, colours and even tastes.
They reckon it is no coincidence that Prince Charles has grown up with such a love of all things flora and fauna his gran will have passed on tons of expertise, much of it garnered at Castle of Mey.
Charles, in fact, is helping the Trustees with plans to extend the growing season, not something simple where the weather isn’t always conducive to such things.
Thankfully, from its opening to closing dates, the weather is often glorious here, and so is the scenery especially the castle that a Queen Mother fell in love with.
For more info, visit www.castleofmey.org.uk/ or call 01847 851 473.
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