The oldest
part of the castle dates from the 13th century but was added to in the 14th
century, and later in 1558 (the East Tower), 1652, and in 1844 (the West Tower), the
latter designed by the architect James Gillespie Graham.
From the entrance hall, with
87 stags heads, one reaches the Duchess’s dressing room, bedroom and boudoir, all
sumptuously furnished. A small staircase reaches Bruce’s room, which is vaulted and
was once used as a prison. There are many horseracing mementos in the castle, as well as
silver, porcelain and artwork from the Hamilton, Beckford and Rochford collections.
The Crown built Brodick, but
the castle passed to the Hamiltons in 1503. They remained owners, as Earls of Arran and
Dukes of Hamilton, until the death of Mary, Duchess of Montrose, heiress of the 12th
Duke of Hamilton. The National Trust for Scotland took the castle over in 1958. The 6,603
acre Goatfell estate is also owned by the Trust. |
