Drumlanrig: The Castle, its people and its Paintings

With its picturesque domes, walls of pale pink sandstone and splendid Dumfriesshire setting, Drumlanrig is one of Scotland’s most romantic castles, its story entwined with that of the country itself. Today’s castle was superimposed on a medieval Douglas stronghold by the 1st Duke of Queensberry and took a decade to build. Finished in 1689, its North Front is a stunning stage set of dressed stone, classical pilasters and carvings of swags, scrolls and spooky faces. The 2nd Duke, known as ‘The Union Duke’ for his role in the 1707 Act of Union, added the great oak staircase, while his son created the vast gardens. The 4th Duke, a rakish cousin known as ‘Old Q’, left it to future Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensberry to rescue the castle and fill it with treasures, including Rembrandt’s luminous Old Woman Reading.

Table of Contents

THE PEOPLE
The Dukes of Queensberry
Renaissance portraits
Gentlemen in the Serving Room
Portraits of the Duchesses
The independent Duchess
The Royals in the story
The Fencible and Militia regiments

THE PRINCIPAL ROOMS
The Drawing Room
The Ante-Room and its Rembrandt
Bonnie Prince Charlie’s Bedroom
The Great Oak Staircase
The Dining Room
The Serving Room
The Northeast Tower
The Morning Room
The Parlour
The Boudoir
The White Bedroom
Room Thirty-Nine
The Inner Hall and Armoury
The Charter Room and West Passage
The Southwest Tower and Basement
The heart of the Castle

THE CASTLE AND BEYOND
Stepping out into the landscape
Views of Drumlanrig
The grand plan
The watercolours
Stone carvings
Up on the roof
Durisdeer and the Queensberry Aisle
Modern landmarks