Dunrobin Castle, Scotland

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History

The roots of Dunrobin go back to Freskin de Moravia, a Norman who helped both David I and William the Lion regain control of the northern Highlands. Freskin's grandson became Earl of Sutherland in 1235, though the title eventually passed to the Gordon clan.

The earliest parts of the current building date to the 1320s, during the rule of William, the 3rd Earl. In 1401 a stone keep was added to the earlier fortifications. For, make no mistake, Dunrobin was first and foremost a military fortress, as evidenced by the iron yett that defends the entrance.

Most of the medieval defensive features are hidden behind the astonishing French-style chateau created by Sir Charles Barry beginning in 1845. Barry, a master of the Gothic Revival style, was called in to create an example of French elegance on the edge of the North Sea. He succeeded magnificently, creating an ornate fantasy palace decorated with conical turrets.

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