Discover Glamis: Castle History, Gardens and Village Culture

Glamis offers a range of starting points for a trip focused on history, gardens and local experiences. Glamis Castle, the church and village history, and paths through the designed landscape each offer a distinct focus. When choosing your destination, consider which of these themes you want to shape your stay.

Castle History and the Village of Glamis

Glamis Castle has been the ancestral home of the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne since 1372 and offers guided tours. This makes the castle’s history a concrete starting point for your plans. The village’s history belongs to a different, much later period: Glamis was built in the late 18th century by the 9th Earl of Strathmore. The long-standing family seat and the village’s creation thus represent two distinct historical perspectives.

St Fergus’s Church is also part of Glamis’s historic character. The church is still used for worship. A medieval church of St Fergus is first documented in 1178; the Strathmore Aisle probably dates from the 15th century and is thought to be the transept of the earlier church. The dating and interpretation of the aisle should not be regarded as certain. A Pictish stone stands in front of the manse on Kirk Wynd, beside the church at the northern end of the village. Its location adds to the different historical associations of this place.

Gardens and Designed Landscape

The Kitchen Garden at Glamis Castle offers a horticultural experience for visitors to explore. Its significance extends beyond the garden itself: fruit and vegetables grown there are used in the Castle Kitchen Restaurant. The fruit and vegetables grown in the Kitchen Garden are used in the Castle Kitchen Restaurant.

The landscape itself offers other perspectives. The designed landscape at Glamis Castle now covers 1,080 acres (437 hectares). The Pinetum in the gardens contains trees that are over 160 years old. Visitors can also follow the Macbeth Sculpture Trail through the woodland at Glamis Castle. These experiences have different focuses: the Pinetum draws attention to old trees, while the Sculpture Trail combines a walk with sculptures. If you include gardens and landscape in your travel plans, these distinctions can help you choose what suits your interests.

Art, Gin and Other Experiences

The Bothy Experience also offers a connection to the region’s gin history. The story of Gin Bothy is explained in the Bothy Beginnings Room. The hosted gin tastings in the Byre and Stable tasting rooms are different: here, the tasting is the main focus. The two experiences therefore appeal to different interests, from the history of gin to a guided tasting. For specific plans, check the latest dates and availability of bookable tastings.

Another tour takes you into the area around Glamis Castle. On the Ogilvy Tour, visitors ride a Tattie-Box-Tours trailer across a farm and then go behind the scenes at Ogilvy Distillery. There, they are shown how potatoes and vodka are produced. This tour has a different focus from the castle tours or gin experiences: it combines a ride across the farm with an insight into vodka production. Cycling to and from Glamis Castle is recommended; bicycle racks are available. Check the latest cycling guidance before you travel.

Glamis as a Destination for Your Hotel Search

The history of the castle and village, church heritage, gardens, and tours about gin or vodka production offer different themes for a visit. If you are mainly interested in exploring the landscape, the Pinetum, Macbeth Sculpture Trail and the size of the designed grounds are useful points of reference; for history, the castle, church and village take centre stage. This makes it possible to assess Glamis as a destination in light of your own travel plans, without treating its different offerings as interchangeable.

Discover more destinations: Blairgowrie, Brechin, Arbroath, Westmuir, Monikie, Kinnaird, Inverkeilor, Dykehead.

For the wider travel overview: Angus.