The lovely Scottish border region where Floors Castle is located is well known for its gentle hills, woodlands, and riverscapes. It is located outside of Kelso, a market town, with the river Tweed at its doorstep and a renowned abbey nearby. These are some amazing Castle-related facts.
1. Floors castle farm
Over 52000 acres of the Cheviot Hills’ grassy slopes and the Tweed Valley’s lush land are included in the Rorburghe estate’s bounds. Given the range in the geography of the estates, the type of farming practiced there is as varied as the products produced.
Because the majority of the estate is leased, renters do the majority of the farming. The estate also has its own farms; since 1721, commodities, including wheat for producing bread and oilseed rape used to generate vegetable oil for cooking, have been grown primarily in the area visible around the castle. To prevent the accumulation of pests and to maintain the health of the land, crops are rotated with the seasons. They also engage in livestock raising.
2. William Henry and William Adam, architects, created the castle
Leading Edinburgh architect William Adam created the floors cattle for the 1st Duke of Roxburghe in 1721. On the site of an earlier structure known as the house of Floris, Floors was initially a simple but symmetrical Georgian country house.
Leading architect William Playfair was invited by the 6th Duke to renovate the castle in 1837 and 1847. Since Playfair’s primary private commission was to build a castle, he was keen to build a fairytale castle. Today, the building’s outcome is visible.
3. A film has depicted Floors Castle
The castle appeared in the 1984 motion picture Greystoke: the saga of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes. The movie “million dollars American Princess,” which was shot in both New York and London, included it as well.
4. The crown jewel of the Scottish Borders is Floors Castle
Floors, which was made available to the public in 1977, is thought to be the biggest inhabited mansion in Scotland. One of the most recognizable works of the Scottish architect, and it serves as a residence. In the UK, it faces some competition. The castle serves as both a tourist destination and the primary residence of the Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe.
5. Castle Hollytree floors
At the banks of the Tweed, there is a holly tree at the castle that is supposed to mark the location of King James 11’s execution. On August 3rd, 1460, King James 11 gathered a sizable Scottish army to lay siege to Roxburgh castle, which had been long held by English forces.
The siege cannons that were firing on the Roxburgh strongholds saluted the Queen upon her arrival. The cannon exploded, mortally wounding the king who was standing close. On the location where King James 11 passed away, a holly tree was planted in his honor.
6. The royal residence
When Queen Victoria visited the floors castle in 1867, she had tea in a tiny summer cottage made of tiled walls next to a huge glass hallway. Only the summer house remains now out of the seven other glass houses that were built. The residence is located in the walls of the floors castle’s walled garden. As a tribute to Queen Victoria’s visit, it was built.
7. At the castle, a biomass boiler was constructed
In order to provide heating for the castle and gardens, a new 720 kW biomass burner was erected in one of the farm buildings on the floors home in 2008. It was one of the first of its sort to be set up in a Scottish noble mansion.
It replaced oil-fired heating, which used oil, and reduced carbon emissions significantly. The boiler also consumes wood. This has led to annual CO2 savings of 500000 kg, enough to heat 10,000 homes in a day.
The second stage of the biomass boiler program, which involved installing heating systems in 16 cottages with floors dedicated to homes, farms, and estate offices, was finished in 2013.
8. The Romanticist Revival of the 19th Century (1837-1847)
The 6th Duke of Roxburghe hired William Playfair, a renowned architect who had worked with William Adam before him, to restore the castle in the middle of the 19th century. One of Playfair’s key commissions, he completed it to the best of his ability to avoid disappointment.
He created the castles as a symmetrical, grand work of Georgian romanticism, with dozens of pale turrets, tiered towers, and golden stone.
9. Floors Castles Ground is one of Scotland’s most important parks, according to the national listing
A showcase of changing interest, Floors Castle Gardens serve as inspiration for future works. It has a gorgeous garden with a French-style layout that was made to commemorate the turn of the millennium and bears the initials of the 10th Duke and Duchess of Roxburghe, who were interviewed for the garden.
It includes a magnificent woodland garden with a lovely mixture of old hardwood trees, open glades, and woodland shrubs that is fun to explore. There is an adventure playground nearby, as well as the Terrace Cafe, where everyone is free to sample the food.
10. American was the 8th Duchess of the Castle
An American heiress with fortune, Mary Goelet. During Duke Marlborough’s wedding to Mary, often known as May, in 1895, the 8th Duke was there.
After getting married in 1903, the 8th Duke and May moved into Floors Castle. She removed the outdated furnishings from the building and decorated it attractively. Until her passing in 1937, she divided her time between London and Floors Castle.
One of Scotland’s top tourist destinations is Floors Castle. The picturesque walled garden with a glasshouse, gentle slopes, woodlands, and riverscapes would be among the nicest sights to visit.
