Dumfries - Drumlanrig Castle

Drumlanrig Castle is situated about 9mi/14.4km north of Moniave. It was the seat of the Douglas family, later to become the Dukes of Buccleuch and Queensberry. An avenue of beech trees leads up to this picture-book castle of red sandstone crowned with numerous small towers. James Smith and his father-in-law Robert Mylne were commissioned by the first Duke of Queensberry to design the castle and work started in 1679. When the duke was presented with the bill for the castle of his dreams, he is said to have been so taken aback that he only stayed there one more night.

This four-winged Renaissance palace with its decorative facade possesses a unique collection of French furniture from the 17th and 18th centuries. Highlights include fine chests of drawers, cupboards and inlaid tables by Charles Cressent, Pierre II Migeon, Jacques Denizot and Adrien Delorme. Carvings by Grinling Gibbons are highlights of the Lounge and Dining Room and the collection of paintings with portraits by Kneller, van Dyck, Ramsay, Reynolds and Gainsborough deserve attention but the three masterpieces by Leonardo da Vinci, Hans Holbein the Younger and Rembrandt are the castle's most prized possessions. Some 17th century Brussels tapestries, Chelsea, Derby and Meissen porcelain are also of interest. "Bonnie Prince Charlie" is said to have stayed the night here on December 22, 1745 and a portrait and a gold casket belonging to the unfortunate Pretender are on display.