Dupplin Castle
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Dupplin Castle
How Dupplin might have looked while my father was in residence in the mid 1940s although technically some parts, damaged by a previous fire, were left in their unrepaired state.
This fine photograph by Alexander Wilson shows the Tudor-style third Dupplin Castle. The previous building was destroyed by fire in 1827, and was replaced by this William Burn design from 1828-32 at a cost of around £30, 000.
The estate was the home of the Hay family, as Viscount Dupplin and Earl of Kinnoull. The Battle of Dupplin (12th August 1332) saw the crushing defeat of the Regent Mar's forces by Edward Baliol's much smaller army. A stone marks the spot.
The castle was bought by the whisky tycoon Sir John Alexander Dewar in 1911. He was ennobled as the 1st Baron Forteviot of Dupplin in 1916. The castle suffered the same fate as its predecessor in 1934, and most of it was finally demolished in 1967.
Alexander Wilson, who took this photograph, was a supervisor in a Dundee jute mill for over 20 years. He bequeathed much of his collection and £50, to cover the costs involved, to the Free Library Committee of Dundee in 1923. Source : Photopolis
Old photograph of Dupplin Castle, Strathearn, Perthshire, Scotland. The castle shown was built by Thomas Robert Hay, 11th Earl of Kinnoull, in 1827. The mock Tudor house was sold by the 13th Earl to Lord Forteviot, of the Dewar whisky family, in the early 20th century when many of the old families fell on financially hard times. By the 1960s this house had become unmanageable and it was demolished and replaced in 1969. Image courtesy and © of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland
"Emanuel Ost, Mieczysław Wariwoda, Bohdan Przygodzki, searching friends and compatriots and Tadeusz Boy. Information to Mieczysław Wariwoda, Dupplin Castle, nr. Perth" - announcement, sometime in 1945 searching for former army colleagues and compatriots with a specific mention of a Tadeusz Boy - no further knowledge or outcome at this time.
Father is in the centre (with the X on his leggings) with his Company comrades at Dupplin Castle in 1945
The Link
I've used the 'stencil' font for the headings on this page to give it more of a 'military' feel. The images shown of the 'Tudoresque' version of Dupplin Castle fit with the timeframe of my father's stay at the Castle which was then one of the hospitals allocated to the Polish Forces during World War II.
After my parents met in the hospital in North Africa and subsequently married in El Quantara on 5th November 1944 they were then shipped to Scotland - it was either that (my mother always suffered from sea-sickness) or repatriation to occupied Poland or an unknown future - apparently the sacrifice of sea-sickness was the lesser or all evils.
Image courtesy and © of the 1st-Mac website - a comprehensive history of Polish Military Hospitals in Scotland
DUPPLIN TODAY
Dupplin was rebuilt on the site of the original castle in 1969 and stands in private parkland of some antiquity. The old balustraded terrace and rose garden remain with stunning views south over the grounds and lovely Earn valley. The Castle has now been upgraded to the comfort and luxury expected of today's discerning guests. The impressive landscaping offers panoramic views over the lovely River Earn to the hills beyond.
The luxurious bedrooms are individually appointed, with en suite facilities, and the gracious reception rooms are elegantly furnished with fine antiques, paintings and books, creating an atmosphere of a bygone era of tranquility and elegance. Dinner is served house-party style, with all guests seated around the dining room table. Scottish country house cuisine is complemented by informal but highly efficient and friendly service. However, dinner must be pre-booked with at least 24 hours notice.
Please note: there is no smoking in any upstairs rooms or the dining room. Pets by arrangement. Children over 12 years. This age restriction does not apply when the whole castle is taken by family or for party occasions. Source : Information Britain
So despite suffering from the same unfortunate incendiary fate as befell our own Nottingham Castle on several occasions, there is at least one version of Dupplin still standing.
Page refreshed : 21st November 2017