Kellie Castle
Superb castle, dating back to the 14th century, surrounded by a stunning late Victorian garden.
Kellie Castle is a place for everyone - for lovers of nature, or gardens, or fine interiors; of ornate plasterwork, paintings and furniture alike. Take a stroll around the nature walks, visit the bird hide, walk past the pond, through areas of woodland, carpeted with the white flowers of wild garlic in early summer and through the meadow.
Sit under an apple tree, enjoy the enchanting beauty, the sound of songbirds and the fragrances that make the atmosphere of the Arts and Crafts Walled Garden so special.
Buy some freshly harvested fruit or vegetables grown in the garden and sold in the summerhouse that Sir Robert Lorimer designed as a young architect, for the castle where he spent much of his childhood, and which influenced his later works as one of Scotland’s leading architects.
Imagine what life was like for the laird and his family, or for the servants. Admire the library ceiling - one of the oldest ornamental plaster ceilings in Scotland – installed here in honour of the King’s visit to Kellie, or marvel at the painted panelling in the Dining Room, painted by Dutch artists in the 17th Century.
The oldest part of Kellie Castle is believed to date from 1360, but the building in its present form is mainly 16th and early 17th century and was completed about 1606.
Sympathetically restored by the Lorimer family around 1878, it contains magnificent plaster ceilings, painted panelling and furniture designed by Sir Robert Lorimer. Also contains a long-concealed mural by Phoebe Anna Traquair.
The layout of the organic walled garden is 17th century with late Victorian additions and contains a fine collection of old-fashioned roses, fruit trees and herbaceous plants. Display in summer-house on history of walled garden.
Opening Hours
Castle: Open daily, 12.30-5 until 28 August and 29 AUg to 31 Oct, Thursday to Monday 12.30pm-5pm (4pm in October)
Garden: open all year. 5 Jan to 31 Mar, Mon-Fri 10-4; 1 Apr to 31 Oct, daily 10-5 (4pm in Oct); 1 Nov to 31 Dec, Mon-Fri 10-4 (closed 25/26 Dec)
Estate: all year, daily.
Contact
The Manager
Pittenweem
Pittenweem
Fife
KY10 2RE
Scotland
Tel: +44 (1333) 720271
Fax: +44 (1333) 330132
E-Mail: information@nts.org.uk
WWW: http://www.nts.org.uk/Property/38/
Grading & Awards
