Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire One Place Study

Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Aberdeenshire, Scotland, United Kingdom
Surnames/tags: One_Place_Studies Scotland

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Contents 1 Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire One Place Study 1.1 Name 1.2 Geography 1.3 Overview 1.4 Family Burnett 1.5 Historical Highlights Timeline 1.6 Castle Structure 1.7 Interior Highlights 1.8 Special Treasures 1.9 Ghostly Sightings 1.10 Estate Gardens and Policies 1.11 Notable People 1.12 Nearby Historical Site 1.13 Visitation 2 Sources

Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire One Place Study

• Wikidata: Item Q2748806, en:Wikipedia
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Name

Crathes Castle

Geography

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Continent: Europe

Sovereign State: United Kingdom

Country: Scotland

County: Aberdeenshire

GPS Coordinates:57.061483,-2.439917

At over 500 acres, Crathes Castle sits on the north side of River Dee, and Southwest of Aberdeen.

Overview

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In the 1100's, the English family named Burnard was granted a barony of Farningdoun (Farnington) in Roxburghshire from by David I, King Of Scots with the status of 'Tenant in Chief'.

Later in 1323, for having supported Robert the Bruce (1274-1329) against Edward I (1239-1307) of England in the War for Scottish Independence, the lands of Killenacholerach (alt spelling 'Illenachclerach') on the banks of the River Dee, as well as land in the Forest of Drum were granted to Alexander Burnard (1270-1348) by 'The Bruce' (Robert that is).

The Bruce created a 'Royal Forest' here, and named Alexander as the first Royal Forester of Drum. In honour of his position, Alexander was given the 'Horn of Leys' (see 'Special Treasures' heading below) that still hangs on the wall at their ancestral home, Crathes Castle.

Note: Somewhere along in this time, the name of Burnard was changed to Burnett.

Alexander built a 'crannog' (an ancient fortified dwelling constructed in the Loch of Leys, but it was not until 1553 that the real castle was started by Alexander Burnett (1540-1578) 11th Laird of Leys, which was funded by his wife's dowry. The wife died before it could be completed, and the castle was finally completed in 1596 by Alexander Burnett MP (abt.1570-abt.1619), the 12th Laird of Leys .

The family name has had variations throughout almost 350 years such as Burnard, Burnet, and Burnett all of whom had possession of Crathes at some point until 1952 when it was given to the National Trust for Scotland by the 13th Baronet of Leys.

While no family members actually live there today, Crathes remains the official Burnett family home to which all Burnett's and descendants are still welcome to this day.

Family Burnett

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Besides Burnett of Leys there are numerous Burnett branches throughout the UK. These are: The Burnetts of Barns, The Burnetts of Crimond, The Burnetts of Balmain, The Burnetts of Monboddo, The Burnetts of Craigmyle, The Burnetts of Kemnay.

The Burnetts produced a series of generals, admirals, bishops, judges, and even a Governor of New York.

The following male heir owner/occupants of the Burnett family are listed for reference only.

Roger Burnard of Farringdoun (1185-XXXX)

Roger Burnard of Farringdoun (1215-XXXX)

Roger Burnard of Farringdoun (1250-abt.1292)

Alexander Burnard, 1st Laird of Leys (1270-1348)

Symond Burnard, 2nd Laird of Leys (abt.1300-abt.1380)

John Burnet, 3rd Laird of Leys (abt.1350-abt.1391)

Robert Burnet, 4th Laird of Leys (abt.1362-1411)

John Burnet, 5th Laird of Leys (abt 1378-1474)

Alexander "Baron Leys" Burnet , 6th Laird of Leys (1419-1505)

Alexander "Baron Leys" Burnet, 7th Laird of Leys (1455-1529)

Alexander Burnett of Colonach, 8th Laird of Leys (1482-1526)

Alexander Burnett, 9th Laird of Leys (1502-1574)

John Burnett, 10th Laird of Leys (1521-1575)

Alexander Burnett, 11th Laird of Leys (1540-1578)

Alexander Burnett MP, 12th Laird of Leys (abt.1570-abt.1619)

Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys,13th Laird of Leys, 1st Baronet of Leys (1580–1653)

Sir Alexander Burnett of Leys, 2nd Baronet of Leys (1637-1663)

Sir Thomas "of Crathes Castle and Leys" Burnett, 3rd Baronet of Leys (aft.1656-1714)

Sir Alexander Burnett of Leys, 4th Baronet of Leys (1679-1758)

Sir Robert Burnett of Leys, 5th Baronet of Leys (1758-1759)

Sir Thomas Burnett of Criggie, 6th Baronet of Leys (1708-1783)

Sir Robert Burnett, 7th Baronet of Leys (1755-1837)

Sir Thomas Burnett, 8th Baronet of Leys (1778-1849)

Sir Alexander Burnett, 9th Baronet of Leys (1789-1856)

Sir James Horn Burnett, 10th Baronet of Leys (1801-1876)

Sir Robert Burnett,11th Baronet of Leys (1833-1894)

Colonel Sir Thomas Burnett, 12th Baronet of Leys (1840-1926)

Major General Sir James Lauderdale Gilbert Burnett, 13th Baronet of Leys (1880-1953)

Note: In 1952, the 13th Baronet gave Crathes to the National Trust for Scotland.

Maj Sir Alexander Burnett, 14th Baronet of Leys (1880-1959)

Note: the 14th Baronet died unmarried and without heirs.

Historical Highlights Timeline

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1100's - Early land grant to Roger Burnard (1185-XXXX) by David I, King of Scots.

1323 - Additional land granted to the Burnett family by Robert the Bruce.

1553 - Funded by his wife's dowry, Crathes Castle was started by Alexander Burnett (1540-1578), the 11th Laird of Leys to replace the 'crannog' in the Loch of Leys.

1596 - Completion of Crathes Castle by Alexander Burnett (1570-1619),12th Laird of Leys .

1700's - An additional wing was added by the 3rd Baronet of Leys, Sir Thomas Burnett, who with his wife over the course of 22 years had 21 children.....Wow!. To accommodate them, the couple built a three storey East wing This burned down in 1966 and was replaced by the two storey wing which exists today.

1702 - Yew hedges planted by The 3rd Baronet of Leys, Sir Thomas Burnett (1656-1714).

1952 - Crathes Castle was turned over to the National Trust for Scotland by the 13th Baronet.

1966 - A fire destroyed the 3 storey Queen Anne wing.

Castle Structure

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Crathes Castle is L-plan in shape of six storey's tall. The upper levels are a mix of turrets, corbels and highly elaborate string courses, plus a Victorian era clock. The original entrance retains its iron 'yett' (metal grid) which was designed to help protect the doorway from intruders.

The one striking feature about Crathes is the smooth finished walls, whereas most castles have exposed stone.

Interior Highlights

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From the main entrance door visitors make their way into the vaulted basement which was part of the original castle. A spiral stair takes you up each level via a series of rooms ending at the Long Gallery. Another spiral stair heads back down through the levels of the castle leading back to the more modern wing.

The furniture is original such as a four poster bed in the Laird's Bedroom. Tapestries and or wood paneling cover walls just like they did in the early years.

The amazing painted ceilings are a most prominent feature of the entire castle which are painted in complex and colourful designs and motto's. Most were restored in the 1800's remain in good condition today.

The Stair Chamber, as well as rooms such as the Nine Nobles Room, the Green Lady's Room, and the Muses Room all of have great Scottish Renaissance fresco ceilings which were made in the late 1600s, but wood and plaster ceilings kept them buried until 1877.

The designs on the panels and oak support pillars were most likely painted with water-based adhesive tempera paint by a native Scottish artisan. The boards and beams were painted white, with black writing and ornamentation, and were filled in with colorants.

Special Treasures

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Horn of Leys

The most fascinating object in the castle is the legendary 'Horn of Leys'. This beautifully carved, jewel-encrusted ivory horn was bestowed upon Alexander Burnard (1270-1348) 1st Laird of Leys by Robert the Bruce himself in 1323 to celebrate the family's title of 'Royal Foresters'.

Ghostly Sightings

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What's in a colour?

The Green Lady

‘The Green Lady’ which is described as an apparition of a lady dressed in green roams the hallways with a child in her arms.

It is said that ‘The Green Lady’ was a servant girl who got pregnant out of wedlock by an unknown male of the castle from which she fled....... or did she......apparently not!

100 years later in the 1800s, workmen repairing the castle uncovered the skeletal remains of a woman and a child buried beneath the hearthstone of a fireplace. All this adds to the history and gives some credibility to the ghost story.

The White Lady

The White Lady is the soul of a young woman named Bertha who fell in love with Alexander Burnett (1502-1574) 9th Laird of Leys . They were planning to marry but Alexander's mother, Lady Agnes did not think Bertha was suitable for her boy, so he waited till Alexander was gone for the night before poisoning his future bride while having a meal together.....or so the story goes!

When Alexander returned to Crathes he suspected his mother was responsible for Bertha’s untimely death. And when the girl’s parents came to collect her body, Lady Agnes went as white as a sheet, pointing into the distance and screaming before dropping dead. It’s said that once a year the White Lady travels between the old castle and the new on the anniversary of her demise.

Estate Gardens and Policies

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Covering almost 4 acres, the walled garden is divided into eight sections which contains every green plant and flower possible which are all sculptured into topiary.

At the upper end of the gardens there are yew trees and closer to the castle itself is the more dominant collection of mature trees from around the world planted here around 1860 by Sir James Horne Barnett (1801-1876), the 10th Baronet of Leys.

The estate policies (Scots for wooded area) are home to a wide range of habitats, including woodlands, marshes, ponds and streams.

Notable People

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Alexander Burnard (1270-1348) 1st Laird of Leys

Born: Leys, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Died: Leys, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Not noted

Parents: Roger Burnard (1250-1292) and Sarah Hague (1254-1292)

Siblings: Robert Burnard (1285-XXXX)

Spouse: Unknown

Issue: Symond Burnard (abt.1300-abt.1380) 2nd Laird of Leys

Alexander Burnett (1540-1578) 11th Laird of Leys

Born: Leys, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Died: Leys, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Started building Crathes in 1553 with money from his wife's dowry.

Parents: John Burnett (1521-1575) 10th Laird of Leys and Elizabeth Lumsden (1525-XXXX)

Siblings: Margaret Burnett (abt.1542-XXXX), Andrew Burnett (abt.1570-aft.1644) Ist of Shethocksley [half], Thomas Burnett [half] (abt.1574-abt.1644)

Spouse: Katherine Arbuthnot (abt.1550-1579) Married 1560

Issue: Robert Burnett (abt.1568)-XXXX), Alexander Burnett MP (abt.1570-abt.1619), Thomas Burnett Sr. (1570-1634), Gilbert Burnett (1572-1618), Duncan Burnett (1574-1641), John Burnett (abt.1576-XXXX), Margaret Burnett (abt.1577-abt.1625), Elizabeth Burnett (bef.1578-XXXX), Janet Burnett (bef.1578-XXXX)

For more information see Wikitree profile Burnet-76

Alexander Burnett, (abt.1570-abt.1619) 12th Laird of Leys

Born: Leys, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Died: Muchalls, Kincardineshire, Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Completed Crathes Castle in 1596.

Parents: Alexander Burnett (1540-1578) 11th Laird of Leys and Katherine Arbuthnot (abt.1550-1579)

Siblings: Robert Burnett (abt.1568)-XXXX), Thomas Burnett Sr. (1570-1634), Gilbert Burnett (1572-1618), Duncan Burnett (1574-1641), John Burnett (abt.1576-XXXX), Margaret Burnett (abt.1577-abt.1625), Elizabeth Burnett (bef.1578-XXXX), Janet Burnett (bef.1578-XXXX)

Spouse: Katherine Gordon (abt.1560-abt.1620) Married 1578

Issue: Janet Burnett (abt.1580-XXXX), Sir Thomas Burnett (1580–1653) 13th Laird of Leys, 1st Baronet of Leys, Barbara Burnett (abt.1590-XXXX), James Burnett (1590-1644), George Burnett (abt./1592-XXXX) , Robert Burnett (1592-1661), Mariot Burnett (abt.1594-XXXX), Helen Burnett (abt.1599-aft.1631), Anne Burnett (abt.1600-aft.1623)

Sir Thomas Burnett (1580–1653),13th Laird of Leys, 1st Baronet of Leys, MP

Born: Leys, Kincardineshire, , Scotland

Died: Somme, Picardie, France

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Sir Thomas served King James VI of Scotland and I of England, and was made 1st Baronet of Nova Scotia by Charles I. He was also styled the 1st Baronet of Leys.

Knighted in 1620.

Thomas was a feudal baron and leading Covenanter and represented Kincardineshire in the Scottish Parliament in 1621.

Parents: Alexander Burnett MP (1570-1619) and Katherine Gordon (1560-1620)

Siblings: Janet Burnett (1580-XXXX), James Burnett (1590-1644), Barbara Burnett 1590-XXXX), Robert Burnett (1592-1661), George Burnett (1592-XXXX), Mariot Burnett (1594-XXXX), Helen Burnett (1599-1631), Anne Burnett (1600-1623)

Spouse Number 1 Margaret (Douglas) Lady Douglas (1588-1621) Married 1610

Issue: Elizabeth Burnett (XXXX-XXXX), Katherine Burnett (1610-1698), Alexander Burnett of Leys (The Younger) (1611-1648), Jean Burnett (1612-1677), Robert Burnet (XXXX-1670)

Spouse Number 2: Jane Moncrieff (1575-XXXX) Married 1621

Issue: Three sons and four daughter, one was Elizabeth Burnett (1622-XXXX)

For more information see Wikitree profile Burnett-2309

Major General Sir James Lauderdale Gilbert Burnett (1880-1953) 13th Baronet of Leys , CB CMG DSO & Bar

Born: Crimond, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Died: Crathes, Aberdeenshire, Scotland

Resting Place: Unknown

Bio Summary: Highly decorated military officer.

Fought in the Boer (1899-1902) and World War I, and decorated with the Legion of Honour, Companion, Order of St. Michael and St. George (C.M.G.), Companion, Order of the Bath (C.B.), and Companion, Distinguished Service Order (D.S.O.) (and bar).

Parents: Col. Sir Thomas Burnett (1840-1926), 12th Baronet of Leys and Unknown Mother

Siblings: Mary Bertha Burnett (1878-1898), Ethel Burnett (abt.1880-1898) , Alexander Edwin Burnett (1881-1959), 14th Baronet of Leys

Spouse: Sybil Aird (1889-1960)

Issue: Thomas Gilbert Alexander Burnett (1914-1934), Elizabeth Rohays Mary Burnett (1916-1993), Roger William Odo Burnett 91920-1945)

For more information see Wikitree profile Burnett-3598

Nearby Historical Site

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Mesolithic Calendar

'Warren Field' was identified from the air with some unusual land markings, and in 2004 excavations uncovered a series of pits which found to be the world's oldest known lunar calendar dating from 8000 BC to about 4000 BC.

Visitation

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During the summer season admission is by timed ticket obtainable from the Visitor Centre located up the hill from the castle. The timed tickets, and a one way system that takes you up one side of the building and down the other, mean that visitors are always fully able to appreciate the beauty of the interiors of this remarkable castle.

Sources

1. ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com/
2. ↑ Undiscovered Scotland; https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
3. ↑ National Trust for Scotland; https://www.nts.org.uk/
4. ↑ Geni; https://www.geni.com
5. ↑ Clan Burnett; https://www.burnett.uk.com
6. ↑ Goggle; https://www.google.com
7. ↑ Leys Estate Group; https://www.leysestate.com
8. ↑ Britain Express; https://www.britainexpress.com
9. ↑ Geni; https://www.geni.com
10. ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com
11. ↑ Rootsweb; http://freepages.rootsweb.com/~houseofburnett
12. ↑ Clan Burnett; https://www.burnett.uk.com
13. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org/
14. ↑ Undiscovered Scotland; https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
15. ↑ National Trust for Scotland; https://www.nts.org.uk/
16. ↑ Britain Express; https://www.britainexpress.com
17. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org.
18. ↑ Undiscovered Scotland; https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
19. ↑ Undiscovered Scotland; https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
20. ↑ The Travel article by Aunindita Bhatia published Mar 3, 2022; https://www.thetravel.com
21. ↑ Clan Burnett; https://www.burnett.uk.com
22. ↑ Google;
23. ↑ Hidden Scotland; https://hiddenscotland.co
24. ↑ The Travel article by Aunindita Bhatia Published Mar 3, 2022; https://www.thetravel.com
25. ↑ Visit Scotland; https://www.visitscotland.com
26. ↑ Undiscovered Scotland; https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk
27. ↑ Wikitree; https://www.wikitree.com
28. ↑ Britain Express; https://www.britainexpress.com
29. ↑ Family Search; https://ancestors.familysearch.org
30. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
31. ↑ Geni; https://www.geni.com
32. ↑ Wikipedia; https://en.wikipedia.org
33. ↑ Visit Scotland; https://www.visitscotland.com