Airthrey Castle
Encyclopedia
Airthrey Castle is a historic building and estate which now forms part of the buildings and grounds of the University of Stirling
in central Scotland
.
There are two suggested origins of the name "Airthrey" - a corruption of Ard-rhedadie (a high or ascending road, referring to the old road which leads through it to Sheriffmuir
), or from the Gaelic "Airthrin" - "a sharp point" or "conflict". This could refer to a battle fought near the site of the Castle in 839, when the Picts
were defeated by the Scots under Kenneth McAlpine
.
The name appears in a charter of King David I, thought to be from before 1146. In 1370, the estate was granted to Sir John Herice, Keeper of the nearby Stirling Castle
. Then the land passed to William Graham, 3rd Lord Graham
, for gallantry he displayed in the Battle of Sauchieburn
in 1488 (in which King James III was killed attempting to subdue a group of rebel barons.). He was made Earl of Montrose
in 1504 but died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. The estate remained in the ownership of the Clan Graham
down to James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
, who fought a campaign in support of King Charles I
from 1644 to 1650. By this time, the Airthrey Estate was in the ownership of a minor branch of the Grahams.
In 1678, the estate was purchased by John Hope of Hopetoun who was succeeded by Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
who was elevated to the House of Lords
in 1703 with the titles of Viscount Airthire, Baron Hope and Earl of Hopetoun. In 1759, the estate was sold to Captain Robert Haldane of Plean. The 363 acres (1.5 km²) grounds and man-made loch were designed by Thomas White for the Haldane family in the late 18th century. In 1791, Captain Haldane's son, Robert Haldane
, commissioned the design by the eminent architect Robert Adam
, which is the basis of Airthrey Castle today. Despite the development, he sold it to Sir Robert Abercrombie
in 1798.
The castle and estate remained in the ownership of the Abercrombie family until 1889 when Donald Graham bought it and made a large addition to the castle in 1889-91.
During the Second World War it became a maternity hospital
and was used as such until 1969, supplementing the needs of Stirling Royal Infirmary. Then in the 1960s, as a result of the Robbins Report
, the estate was selected as the site of the first completely new Scottish University since the University of Edinburgh
was established in 1582. The University of Stirling
opened in 1967. Its campus is located in 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of woodland, 300 acres (1.2 km²) of mature landscaped parkland, a loch with an abundance of wildlife - and incorporates Airthrey Castle, where the School of Law is based. Airthrey Castle retains many original features, as well as housing the University's Moot Courtroom.
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
in central Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
There are two suggested origins of the name "Airthrey" - a corruption of Ard-rhedadie (a high or ascending road, referring to the old road which leads through it to Sheriffmuir
Sheriffmuir
Sheriffmuir , the site of the inconclusive 1715 Battle of Sheriffmuir , lies on the slopes of the Ochil Hills just inside the Perthshire border in Scotland...
), or from the Gaelic "Airthrin" - "a sharp point" or "conflict". This could refer to a battle fought near the site of the Castle in 839, when the Picts
Picts
The Picts were a group of Late Iron Age and Early Mediaeval people living in what is now eastern and northern Scotland. There is an association with the distribution of brochs, place names beginning 'Pit-', for instance Pitlochry, and Pictish stones. They are recorded from before the Roman conquest...
were defeated by the Scots under Kenneth McAlpine
Kenneth I of Scotland
Cináed mac Ailpín , commonly Anglicised as Kenneth MacAlpin and known in most modern regnal lists as Kenneth I was king of the Picts and, according to national myth, first king of Scots, earning him the posthumous nickname of An Ferbasach, "The Conqueror"...
.
The name appears in a charter of King David I, thought to be from before 1146. In 1370, the estate was granted to Sir John Herice, Keeper of the nearby Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle, located in Stirling, is one of the largest and most important castles, both historically and architecturally, in Scotland. The castle sits atop Castle Hill, an intrusive crag, which forms part of the Stirling Sill geological formation. It is surrounded on three sides by steep...
. Then the land passed to William Graham, 3rd Lord Graham
William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose
William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose was a Scottish Lord of Parliament, who was raised to an earldom by James IV of Scotland and who died with his monarch at the Battle of Flodden.-Origins:...
, for gallantry he displayed in the Battle of Sauchieburn
Battle of Sauchieburn
The Battle of Sauchieburn was fought on June 11, 1488, at the side of Sauchie Burn, a stream about two miles south of Stirling, Scotland. The battle was fought between as many as 30,000 troops of King James III of Scotland and some 18,000 troops raised by a group of dissident Scottish nobles...
in 1488 (in which King James III was killed attempting to subdue a group of rebel barons.). He was made Earl of Montrose
Duke of Montrose
The title of Duke of Montrose was created twice in the peerage of Scotland, firstly in 1488 for David Lindsay, 5th Earl of Crawford. It was forfeited and then returned, but only for the period of the holder's lifetime...
in 1504 but died at the Battle of Flodden in 1513. The estate remained in the ownership of the Clan Graham
Clan Graham
Clan Graham is a Scottish clan who had territories in both the Scottish Highlands and Lowlands.-Origins:Legend has it that the first Graham was one Gramus who forced a breach in the Roman Antonine wall known as Graeme's Dyke in 420 A.D...
down to James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose was a Scottish nobleman and soldier, who initially joined the Covenanters in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, but subsequently supported King Charles I as the English Civil War developed...
, who fought a campaign in support of King Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
from 1644 to 1650. By this time, the Airthrey Estate was in the ownership of a minor branch of the Grahams.
In 1678, the estate was purchased by John Hope of Hopetoun who was succeeded by Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun
Charles Hope, 1st Earl of Hopetoun KT was a Scottish nobleman.He was the son of John Hope of Hopetoun, grandson of Sir Thomas Hope, 1st Baronet of Craighall, Fife. John Hope purchased the barony of Niddry Castle from the Earl of Winton around 1680...
who was elevated to the House of Lords
House of Lords
The House of Lords is the upper house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. Like the House of Commons, it meets in the Palace of Westminster....
in 1703 with the titles of Viscount Airthire, Baron Hope and Earl of Hopetoun. In 1759, the estate was sold to Captain Robert Haldane of Plean. The 363 acres (1.5 km²) grounds and man-made loch were designed by Thomas White for the Haldane family in the late 18th century. In 1791, Captain Haldane's son, Robert Haldane
Robert Haldane
-Biography:Haldane was born in London, the son of James Haldane 2nd of Airthrey House, and his wife Katherine Duncan. His younger brother James Alexander Haldane was also a clergyman...
, commissioned the design by the eminent architect Robert Adam
Robert Adam
Robert Adam was a Scottish neoclassical architect, interior designer and furniture designer. He was the son of William Adam , Scotland's foremost architect of the time, and trained under him...
, which is the basis of Airthrey Castle today. Despite the development, he sold it to Sir Robert Abercrombie
Robert Abercromby of Airthrey
General Sir Robert Abercromby GCB , the youngest brother of Sir Ralph Abercromby, was a general in the army, a knight of the Bath, and at one period the governor of Bombay and commander-in-chief of the British forces in India.-Military career:...
in 1798.
The castle and estate remained in the ownership of the Abercrombie family until 1889 when Donald Graham bought it and made a large addition to the castle in 1889-91.
During the Second World War it became a maternity hospital
Obstetrics
Obstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
and was used as such until 1969, supplementing the needs of Stirling Royal Infirmary. Then in the 1960s, as a result of the Robbins Report
Robbins Report
The Robbins Report was commissioned by the British government and published in 1963. The Committee met from 1961 to 1963...
, the estate was selected as the site of the first completely new Scottish University since the University of Edinburgh
University of Edinburgh
The University of Edinburgh, founded in 1583, is a public research university located in Edinburgh, the capital of Scotland, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The university is deeply embedded in the fabric of the city, with many of the buildings in the historic Old Town belonging to the university...
was established in 1582. The University of Stirling
University of Stirling
The University of Stirling is a campus university founded by Royal charter in 1967, on the Airthrey Estate in Stirling, Scotland.-History and campus development:...
opened in 1967. Its campus is located in 60 acres (242,811.6 m²) of woodland, 300 acres (1.2 km²) of mature landscaped parkland, a loch with an abundance of wildlife - and incorporates Airthrey Castle, where the School of Law is based. Airthrey Castle retains many original features, as well as housing the University's Moot Courtroom.