Culross Palace

Culross, United Kingdom

Culross Palace is a late 16th - early 17th century merchant's house in Culross. The palace, or 'Great Lodging', was constructed between 1597 and 1611 by Sir George Bruce, the Laird of Carnock. Bruce was a successful merchant who had a flourishing trade with other Forth ports, the Low Countries and Sweden. He had interests in coal mining, salt production, and shipping, and is credited with sinking the world's first coal mine to extend under the sea.

Many of the materials used in the construction of the palace were obtained during the course of Bruce's foreign trade. Baltic pine, red pantiles, and Dutch floor tiles and glass were all used. The exterior boasts the use of crow-stepped gables, including a statue of a veiled woman posing on the gable step. The palace features fine interiors, with decorative mural and ceiling painting, 17th and 18th century furniture and a fine collection of Staffordshire and Scottish pottery.

Although never a royal residence, James VI visited the Palace in 1617. The palace is now in the care of the National Trust for Scotland who have restored a model seventeenth-century garden, complete with raised beds, a covered walkway and crushed shell paths. The herbs, vegetables and fruit trees planted in the garden are types that were used in the early seventeenth century.

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Details

Founded: 1597-1611
Category: Palaces, manors and town halls in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org

Rating

4.7/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Star Disaster (15 months ago)
Beautiful little place Culross.. and the palace is absolutely stunning. It's definitely a must see if visiting the west coast of Fife.
Irene Fenske (15 months ago)
Really interesting history ties in with all the other places we have since visited over the next week.
June Jack (18 months ago)
Beautiful place lovely and clean. Palace is really lovely. Nice playing park for kids and benches to sit on. Got a cafe and a restaurant.
Scott Robertson (18 months ago)
The palace is very interesting itself but the gardens were a welcome surprise. Lots of colours, scents and species spread over a number of high terraces with lovely views back across the river.
R Hwang (18 months ago)
A well preserved merchant's house providing an interesting insight into 16th & 17th century Scottish life. Beautifully maintained gardens and helpful volunteers. Don't miss the opportunity to wander around the atmospheric historical village. Take Bus 8a from Dunfermline Bus Station. The service runs hourly and stops directly in front of the palace.
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