A
spectacular tower house with three towers and a linking block, Kellie is well preserved
and furnished. A lesser door in the west makes entry front. To the left is a vaulted room
with video presentation. It is the base of the oldest, late 14th century tower.
The tour passes the gift shop to the main staircase in the Southwest tower of 1606. The
drawing room is furnished in the Georgian style. Off it is a vault in the north west
tower, which was converted into a chapel in the 1940s by Hew Lorimer. The dining room has
richly painted panels and tapestries. The Vine Room has a ceiling with plaster vines and a
painted rounded by De Wet. The tour also includes the dressing room, the Earl’s room,
the Professor’s room, a nursery on the top floor of the south western tower, the Blue
bedroom and Lorimer room below. This has changing exhibitions on the work of the
architect, Sir Robert Lorimer, as well as the artist John Henry Lorimer, and the sculptor,
Hew Lorimer. Examples of their work adorn the castle. The vaulted kitchen on the ground
floor has a black range and numerous old utensils.
The castle, which ahs many
turrets, chimneys, carved panels and corbie-stepped gables, was begun in the 14th
century. The East Tower was added in 1573 – perhaps a courtyard or low buildings were
located between. In 1606 the linking block and the Southwest tower were added. Originally
owned by the Siward family, it passed to the Oliphants. It was sold in 1613 to the
Erskines who were created Earls of Kellie in 1619. Abandoned by 1860, it was leased and
ultimately purchased by Professor James Lorimer. It was bought by the Trust from the
Lorimers in 1970. |
