Dalhousie Castle
Encyclopedia
Dalhousie Castle is a castle
in Midlothian
, Scotland
. Dalhousie Castle is situated near the town of Bonnyrigg
, 8 miles (13 km) south of Edinburgh
. The castle was the seat of the Earls of Dalhousie
, the chieftains of Clan Ramsay
.
knight
of Norman
descent from the Huntingdonshire
village of Ramsey
. Simundus, a vassel of David, Earl of Huntingdon
, followed his lord to Scotland in about 1140 when David inherited the Scottish crown. He is considered the founder of the Ramsay clan and the first to have lands at Dalwolsey.
The first castle at Dalhousie was constructed by him. The red stone castle is situated in a strategic spot overlooking the River Esk
. The drum tower, oldest part of the current structure, an L Plan Castle
dates to the mid 15th century. The majority of the current castle dates to the 17th century. There was originally a dry moat surrounding the castle. The moat was later filled in but partially excavated in the late 20th century.
Dalhousie Castle has seen much history. King Edward I
(Longshanks) stayed at the castle on his way to meet Sir William Wallace
at the Battle of Falkirk
. In 1400, Sir Alexander Ramsay withstood a six month siege
at Dalhousie by English forces led by King Henry IV
. Oliver Cromwell
used the castle as a base for his invasion of Scotland. Many Earls of Dalhousie have taken an active part in British political and military leadership.
At the turn of the 20th century, the seat of Clan Ramsay was moved to Brechin Castle
, although the Ramsay family continued to retain ownership of the castle until 1977. At the time of the sale, Dalhousie had been the same family for more than eight centuries, longer than any other castle in Scotland. Throughout the 20th Century the castle was leased out to a series of tenants including a boarding school. In 1972 the castle was converted into a hotel. In 2003 Dalhousie Castle was purchased by the Von Essen Hotels company for a reported price of £
10 million. In April 2011 Von Essen Hotels fell into administration and the hotel was available for sale for £
5 million.
On 26 June 2004, a major fire erupted in the castle's roof area. The building was evacuated and the Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade
was called to extinguish the blaze. The damage was significant but limited to a relatively small area of the building and no major structural damage occurred. The damage was repaired and the hotel resumed normal operations.
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
in Midlothian
Midlothian
Midlothian is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and a lieutenancy area. It borders the Scottish Borders, East Lothian and the City of Edinburgh council areas....
, 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...
. Dalhousie Castle is situated near the town of Bonnyrigg
Bonnyrigg
Bonnyrigg is a town in Midlothian, Scotland, eight miles southeast of Edinburgh city centre. The town had a population of 11,260 in the 1991 census which has risen to 14,457 according to the 2001 census. Along with Lasswade, Bonnyrigg is a twin town with Saint-Cyr-l'École, France.- History :Early...
, 8 miles (13 km) south of Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
. The castle was the seat of the Earls of Dalhousie
Earl of Dalhousie
Earl of Dalhousie, in the County of Midlothian, is a title in the Peerage of Scotland, held by the Chief of Clan Ramsay.-History:This family descends from Sir George Ramsay, who represented Kincardineshire in the Scottish Parliament in 1617. He received a charter of the barony of Dalhousie and also...
, the chieftains of Clan Ramsay
Clan Ramsay
Clan Ramsay is a Lowland Scottish clan of Anglo-Norman origin. The clan can be traced to the 12th century in Scotland.-Origins:A ram in the sea is said to have been an emblem on the seal of Ramsay Abbey in Huntingdon in the 11th century...
.
History
The patriarch of the clan was Simundus de Ramesie (Simon of Ramsey), an EnglishEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
of Norman
Normans
The Normans were the people who gave their name to Normandy, a region in northern France. They were descended from Norse Viking conquerors of the territory and the native population of Frankish and Gallo-Roman stock...
descent from the Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire
Huntingdonshire is a local government district of Cambridgeshire, covering the area around Huntingdon. Traditionally it is a county in its own right...
village of Ramsey
Ramsey, Cambridgeshire
Ramsey is a small Cambridgeshire market town and parish, north of Huntingdon and St Ives. For local government purposes it lies in the district of Huntingdonshire within the local government county of Cambridgeshire....
. Simundus, a vassel of David, Earl of Huntingdon
David I of Scotland
David I or Dabíd mac Maíl Choluim was a 12th-century ruler who was Prince of the Cumbrians and later King of the Scots...
, followed his lord to Scotland in about 1140 when David inherited the Scottish crown. He is considered the founder of the Ramsay clan and the first to have lands at Dalwolsey.
The first castle at Dalhousie was constructed by him. The red stone castle is situated in a strategic spot overlooking the River Esk
River Esk, Lothian
The River Esk is a river which flows through Midlothian and East Lothian, Scotland.It initially runs as two separate rivers, the North Esk and the South Esk....
. The drum tower, oldest part of the current structure, an L Plan Castle
L Plan Castle
An L-plan castle is a castle or towerhouse in the shape of an L, typically built in the 13th to the 17th century. This design is found quite frequently in Scotland, but is also seen in England, Ireland, Romania, Sardinia, and other locations. The evolution of its design was an expansion of the...
dates to the mid 15th century. The majority of the current castle dates to the 17th century. There was originally a dry moat surrounding the castle. The moat was later filled in but partially excavated in the late 20th century.
Dalhousie Castle has seen much history. King Edward I
Edward I of England
Edward I , also known as Edward Longshanks and the Hammer of the Scots, was King of England from 1272 to 1307. The first son of Henry III, Edward was involved early in the political intrigues of his father's reign, which included an outright rebellion by the English barons...
(Longshanks) stayed at the castle on his way to meet Sir William Wallace
William Wallace
Sir William Wallace was a Scottish knight and landowner who became one of the main leaders during the Wars of Scottish Independence....
at the Battle of Falkirk
Battle of Falkirk (1298)
The Battle of Falkirk, which took place on 22 July 1298, was one of the major battles in the First War of Scottish Independence...
. In 1400, Sir Alexander Ramsay withstood a six month siege
Siege
A siege is a military blockade of a city or fortress with the intent of conquering by attrition or assault. The term derives from sedere, Latin for "to sit". Generally speaking, siege warfare is a form of constant, low intensity conflict characterized by one party holding a strong, static...
at Dalhousie by English forces led by King Henry IV
Henry IV of England
Henry IV was King of England and Lord of Ireland . He was the ninth King of England of the House of Plantagenet and also asserted his grandfather's claim to the title King of France. He was born at Bolingbroke Castle in Lincolnshire, hence his other name, Henry Bolingbroke...
. Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
used the castle as a base for his invasion of Scotland. Many Earls of Dalhousie have taken an active part in British political and military leadership.
At the turn of the 20th century, the seat of Clan Ramsay was moved to Brechin Castle
Brechin Castle
Brechin Castle is a castle located in Brechin, Angus, Scotland. The castle is the seat of the Earl of Dalhousie, who is the clan chieftain of Clan Maule of Panmure in Angus, and Clan Ramsay of Dalhousie in Midlothian. The original castle was constructed in stone during the 13th century...
, although the Ramsay family continued to retain ownership of the castle until 1977. At the time of the sale, Dalhousie had been the same family for more than eight centuries, longer than any other castle in Scotland. Throughout the 20th Century the castle was leased out to a series of tenants including a boarding school. In 1972 the castle was converted into a hotel. In 2003 Dalhousie Castle was purchased by the Von Essen Hotels company for a reported price of £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
10 million. In April 2011 Von Essen Hotels fell into administration and the hotel was available for sale for £
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
5 million.
On 26 June 2004, a major fire erupted in the castle's roof area. The building was evacuated and the Lothian and Borders Fire Brigade
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
was called to extinguish the blaze. The damage was significant but limited to a relatively small area of the building and no major structural damage occurred. The damage was repaired and the hotel resumed normal operations.