Falkland Palace

Falkland, United Kingdom

Falkland Palace is a royal palace of the Scottish Kings. Before Falkland Palace was built a hunting lodge existed on the site in the 12th century. This lodge was expanded in the 13th century and became a castle which was owned by the Earls of Fife, the famous Clan MacDuff.

Between 1501 and 1541 Kings James IV and James V transformed the old castle into a beautiful renaissance royal palace. Falkland was included in the 'morning gift' that James VI gave to his bride Anne of Denmark.

For five hours in the morning of 28 June 1592 Francis Stewart, Earl of Bothwell and his men attempted to capture the palace and James VI and Anne of Denmark. They attempted to batter down the back gate but were repulsed by gunshots. The king withdrew to the gatehouse tower and his guard shot at Bothwell's men. Bothwell abandoned the attack at 7 o'clock in the morning, and rode away with the king's horses.

After the Union of the Crowns in 1603, the architect James Murray repaired the palace for the visit of King James in 1617. In 1887 John, 3rd Marquis of Bute purchased the estates of Falkland and started a 20-year restoration of the palace. At the time the Palace was a ruin with no windows or doors. Thanks to his restoration work and considerable budget the Palace remains standing today.

Today there is much to explore as you walk through the palace, taking in the detailed panelling in the drawing room, the stunning Chapel Royal (where mass is still said every Sunday morning) and the fascinating painted walls of the library, as well as the re-created royal apartments.

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Details

Founded: 1501-1541
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in United Kingdom

Rating

4.6/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Robert Shiver (15 months ago)
Highly recommend!! The cost is pretty cheap. However we unfortunately went on a not so lovely day with the weather so the gardens were unfortunately closed and I didn't get to experience that. But the history we learned of the castle was great!! The staff are all very friendly and knowledgeable!!
Graeme Lawson (15 months ago)
We visited for a day out, something to do while staying local. It was a nice day out, sun shining and a nice walk round the gardens. I feel the palace was a bit lacking, quite interesting and a lot of history but a number of areas were closed and i felt a bit rushed through the rooms.
Diana Duhon (15 months ago)
I went on the Falkland Palace tour a couple weeks ago and it was lovely! Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and was great at answering questions. I will caution people with young children that this is not the sort of place kids can run around. While on the tour you are not allowed to touch or lean on anything due to everything being antique. I wouldn't take a young child- there were a couple in our tour group and they weren't old enough to appreciate the rich history of the Palace and were quite bored and fidgety and had to be reminded to not touch anything on multiple occasions. The grounds are gorgeous and very picturesque. Highly recommend for teens and adults. Also, there is a lot of narrow, winding staircases that would not be suitable for anyone with mobility issues.
Andrew Bruce (17 months ago)
A beautiful building and gardens with lots to see. Guides in the rooms were very knowledgeable with lots of interesting things to say about the history of the palace. The gardens were beautiful with lots to see, including the world's oldest royal tennis court! Well worth a visit.
D B (17 months ago)
Beautiful place to visit and a walk through the village is like going back in time. Lovely little shops and excellent places to eat. We bought some really delicious rolls from the bakery right across the road from the Palace and enjoyed our breakfast in the Palace gardens which are beautifully kept. The Palace is still a residence so photos inside are not permitted.
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