Guided Tour of Brodie Castle with Jamie Barron
Friday, 11th April at 2pm
Thirty six members signed up for the tour of Brodie Castle with Jamie Barron, a follow up to his talk on the Women of Brodie in March. This number meant we had to organise two tours – at 2pm and 3.30pm. Apologies to those people on the second tour who had a longer wait than expected, especially three members who had to leave because of other engagements.
The tour began outside the front door of the castle, where Jamie explained the layout of the building from the sixteenth century tower, the seventeenth century wing and the Victorian extension to the rear. From the entrance hall we went upstairs to the dining room with its ornate stucco ceiling carved to look like wood. The ceiling is thought to be a wedding present from the parents of Lady Mary Kerr, who married the 16th Brodie of Brodie, and whose portrait is carved into the ceiling. The corner panels of the ceiling represent the four Elements. Among the other portraits in this room are that of Alexander, the 19th Brodie, who was Lord Lyon King of Arms, and of James, 21st Brodie, and his wife, Lady Margaret Duff, who died in a fire in her bedroom in 1786. Their son James, and his wife Anne Storey hang either side of the Lord Lyon. They met on a boat sailing to India, and were married on their arrival. Anne had 10 children of whom 7 survived. Her husband died in 1802 in Madras, and did not succeed to the title. His son William, became the 22nd Brodie. His portrait with his six siblings by John Opie hangs in the drawing room. Compared with the dining room, the drawing room is light and airy. With views of the garden and a grand piano.
We also had the opportunity to view the special exhibition of ivory, belonging to the castle, displayed in its historical context. Objects include a chess set and a cribbage board, an exquisite fan, and a circular inlaid table.
The upper floor of the castle is closed for structural reasons, so the last room was the Library back on the ground floor, created by William Brodie in the mid nineteenth century and housing 6,000 volumes.
We ended our tour in front of the portrait of Ninian Brodie, 24th Laird and the last to live in the castle until his death in 2003. He inherited the castle from his father, Ian Brodie, who established the extensive collection of species daffodils, and was also a collector of contemporary Scottish Art. Ninian transferred the castle to the care of the National Trust in 1978, but continued to live in a wing of the castle, and regularly greeted visitors in the entrance hall.
Everyone enjoyed the tour. The daffodils were blooming in profusion, and families and children were enjoying the Playful Garden.
Sara Marsh
15/4/25
