Perth, the ‘Fair City’ in Scotland , a once royal burgh, is sited at the head of the Tay estuary. Between the 12th and 15th centuries the city vied with Dunfermline for the title of being the capital of Scotland. In the article below I write about three places to visit in Perth, Scotland; Huntingtower Castle, Elcho Castle and Scone Palace:
Scone Palace
At this time, Scone Palace is the home of the Earls of Mansfield, and a immensely popular attraction to travelers from all over the world. The palace of Scone is an important part of Scotland’s history, as the kings of Scotland were once crowned there. In 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned at Scone Palace, as well as Charles II when he took occupancy of the Scottish Crown in 1651. There is a mysterious and beautiful aura to the palace, which is rightly so.In the past the area served as an important gathering place of the Picts and there was also an early Christian church on the site.
Elcho Castle
Located roughly 3 miles from the city of Perth, with stunning vistas across the River Tay, is Elcho Castle. Elcho Castle is one of the best examples of Sixteenth century workmanship in Scotland today. The Wemyss family authorized 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 remained the property of the Wemyss family until 1929. At this time, the 11th Earl of Wemyss, bestowed the castle to the nation. The castle has recently been restored and is now in the hands of Historic Scotland.
Huntingtower Castle
Situated just to the west of Perth is the medieval Huntingtower Castle. Even though the structure is medieval in origin, it has been significantly redeveloped throughout most of it’s history. The Ruthven family were the owners of the lands and castle from the C12th to the C17th. During this time the castle consisted of 2 separate towers, erected 3 meters apart. When the Murray family took occupancy, later on in the 1600′s, they decided to amalgamate the two towers, making the house appear more like a regular country abode. The bridging work between the two towers is still clearly noticeable today, on both the interior and exterior of the building.
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