4 8 
DRUMLANRIG CASTLE, DUMFRIESSHIRE. 
PLATES 83 and 84. 
AGNIFICENTLY situated, on a considerable elevation, Drumlanrig Castle 
commands a fine view down the valley of the Nith, and forms a conspicuous 
object in the landscape for miles round. The present castle, now one of the 
seats of the Duke of Buccleuch, dates from between the years 1675 and 1689, and 
occupies the site of an ancient castellated mansion, the home of the Douglas family 
as early as the fourteenth century. It was built by William, first Duke of 
Queensberry, who was, however, so impoverished by the cost that he was never able 
to enjoy the fruits of his enormous outlay. He also laid out the park and grounds. An interesting 
account, written by the Rev. Peter Rae, 1 describes the gardens as they appeared in the early part of 
eighteenth century ; he says : “The gardens of Drumlanrig are very beautiful and the rather because of 
their variety. . . . The regular gardens, with one designed to be made on the back of the plumery, the 
outer court before the house, and the house itself, make nine square plots of land, whereof the kitchen 
garden, the court before the house, and the garden designed make three; My lady Duchess’ garden, the 
house, and the last parterre and the flower garden make other three, that is nine in all, and the castle is 
in the centre. Only as to the last three, the westernmost is always more than a storey above the rest. 
As to those called irregular gardens, because the course of the Parkburn would not allow them to be 
square, they are very pretty and well suited to one another. They call one part thereof Virginia, the 
other Barbadoes; then goes a large gravel walk, down betwixt them from the south parterre to the 
cascade.” This cascade is no longer in existence, but not so very many years ago the remains of it, with 
a leaden figure of a man who was known as “Jock and the Horn,” could still be seen. The gardens 
were still in their original form in 1772, when Pennant described them in his “Journey through 
Scotland.” From the plan on Plate 83, which shows the present arrangement of the gardens, it will be 
seen that in general shape they still adhere to the nine plots described by Rae, but that one on the north¬ 
east corner has been thrown into the park. 
The principal approach is up a long, straight avenue, consisting of a double row of lofty limes, to 
the entrance courtyard on the north front of the Castle, with its handsome double stairway. The court¬ 
yard is enclosed by low buildings on either side, and the stables are arranged to the right on entering. 
Two stone stairways lead from the south front of the Castle to open terraces extending round three sides, 
and commanding a glorious outlook over the whole of the gardens. From these terraces grass banks slope 
away on either side to square plots laid out as parterres, and, in front, to the long terrace which extends 
right across the garden, a distance of nearly two hundred and fifty yards. On the same level, east and 
west of the Castle, are large square parterres; that on the east side having beds arranged concentrically, 
while that on the west has rectangular beds planned within a circle. Beyond this parterre, and adjoining 
the stables, is the rose garden, sheltered by high hedges. At the east end of the long terrace, a broad 
flight of steps descends to the lower part of the garden, which is on three different levels. Of these, the 
upper or western one is used as a plantation of trees, the central one is a square parterre, of which a 
good idea may be gathered from the view shown on Plate 84, and the lower level is another parterre of 
grass and flower-beds. The garden is divided from the woodland and park on the south by a large 
semicircle of grass plots and flower-beds, with trees placed at intervals. 
' Printed in “ The History of Drumlanrig Castle,” by C. T. Ramage. 
