Archive for February 18th, 2009

Perth, the ‘Fair City’ in Scotland was, at one time, a royal burgh is situated at the head of the Tay estuary. During the twelfth and fifteenth centuries Perth competed with Dunfermline for the right to be the capital city of the nation of Scotland. In the following article I write about three visitor attractions in Perth; Huntingtower Castle, Scone Palace and Elcho Castle:

Scone Palace

At this time, home of the Earls of Mansfield is Scone Palace, and a increasingly popular attraction to tourists from across the planet. The palace of Scone is an important part of the history of Scotland, as the kings of Scotland were once crowned there. In 1306, Robert the Bruce was crowned at Scone Palace, as was Charles II when he took occupancy of the Scottish Crown in 1651. There is a mysterious and beautiful feel to the palace, which is justifiably so.At one time the site was an important meeting place of the Picts and there was also an early Christian church on the site.

Elcho Castle

situated around three miles from Perth, with awe inspiring views across the River Tay, is Elcho Castle. The castle is one of the prime examples of Sixteenth century architecture in Scotland today. The Wemyss family authorized the erection of the castle in the 1570’s. The land had been in the family since 1468, when it was granted to them by King James III. In 1633, the head of the family was given the titles of Lord Elcho and Earl of Wemyss. Elcho Castle and it’s lands remained the property of the Wemyss family until 1929. At this time, the 11th Earl of Wemyss, gave the castle to Scotland. The castle has recently been renovated and is now in the care of Historic Scotland.

Huntingtower Castle

Situated just to the west of Perth is Huntingtower Castle, a medieval pile. Although the castle is medieval in origin, it has been redeveloped significantly throughout the majoprity of it’s history. The Ruthven family were occupiers of the lands and castle from the C12th to the C17th. During this time the castle consisted of 2 separate towers, erected three meters apart. When the Murray family took possession, later on in the 17th century, they decided to merge the two towers, making the house look more like a ordinary country mansion. The bridging work between the two towers is still clearly noticeable today, both on the outside and the inside of the building.

If you are considering having a short vacation in Perth you will find a large selection of online Hotels and guest houses in Perth and you will find a huge range at http://www.perthhotelscotland.com/