Glamis Castle, Scotland

Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and King Horne. It is open to the public.

Glamis Castle has been   the home of the Lyon family since the 14^th century, through the present buildings dates largely from the 17^th century. Glamis was the childhood home of   Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother    wife of   the King George VI. Their daughter Princess Margaret was born there.

The castle is protected as a category a listed building and the grounds are included on the Inventory gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.

In 1034 AD King Malcolm II was murdered at Glamis, were there was a Royal Hunting   Lodge. By 1376 a castle had been built at Glamis,since in that year it was granted by King Robert II to Sir John Lyon, husband of the king’s daughter. Glamis has remained in the Lyon family since this time. The castle was rebuilt in the early 15^th   century.

The title Lord Glamis was created in 1445 for Sir Patrick Lyon,   grand son of Sir John. A legend tells of the 15^th century   “Earl Beardie”, who has been identified with both Alexander Lyon, 2^nd Lord Glamis (died 1486) and with Alexander Lindsay 4^th Earl of Crawford (died 1453).

John Lyon 6^th Lord Glamis, married Janet Douglas, daughter of the Master of Angus at a time when King James V was feuding with the Douglases.  In December 1528 Janet was accused of treason for bringing supports of the Earl of Angus to Edinburgh. She was then charged with poisoning her husband Lord Glamis, who had died on 17 September 1528.Eventually she accused of with craft,  and was burned at the stake at Edinburgh on 17 July 1537.James  V subsequently seized Glamis living there for some time.

In 1543 Glamis was returned to John Lyon, 7^th Lord Glamis. In 1606 Patrick Lyon 9^th Lord Glamis, was created Warl of King Horne. He began major works on the castle.

During the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland   soldiers were garrisoned at Glamis.I n 1670 Patrick Lyon 3^rd Earl of Strathmore and King Horne returned to the castle and found it uninhabitable. Restorations took place until 1689, including the creation of a major baroque garden. John Lyon 9^th Earl of Strathmore and King Horne   succeeded in 1753 and 1767 he married Mary Eleanor Bowes, heiress to a coal – mining fortune. He set   about improving the grounds of the castle in the picturesque style in the 1770s .the south – west wing was rebuilt after a fire in the early 19^th century.

Glamis is currently the home of Michael Bowes – Lyon 18^th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne,a former army officer, who succeede to the earldom in 1987.