Elcho Castle - 5

To the south of the castle there was a courtyard enclosed by an outer wall.



Today, gardens and grounds surrounded the complex. Recently, Historic Scotland have planted old fashioned varieties of apple trees in the orchard - and if you visit the castle towards the end of September, you can help yourself to some of them - free of charge!

Elcho Castle - 4

Apart from a new roof and new window glazing in the 1830s, the castle has changed little since it was built – a large tower house with smaller towers projecting from it, some round and others square.

Elcho Castle - 3

Elcho is of particular interest as showing the transition from castle to mansion building in Scotland. The castle manages to combine an imposing exterior with an interior that provided the noble occupants and their guests with considerable comfort and privacy.

The rich man in his castle,
The poor man at his gate,
He made them, high or lowly,
And ordered their estate.

All things bright and beautiful,
All creatures great and small,
All things wise and wonderful:
The Lord God made them all.

Not politically correct!

Elcho Castle - 2

There is little history attached to the castle. It simply served as a fine house in the country for the laird and his lady, their family and servants, who lived mainly at their chief seat, Wemyss Castle, on the coast of Fife. By the mid-18th century, Elcho was no longer being used as a noble residence at all, but repairs carried out by the 8th Earl in about 1830 secured its future, and in 1929 the 11th Earl entrusted it into state care.

Elcho Castle - 1

Elcho Castle is located on the banks of the River Tay, three miles South East of Perth.



The Castle is one of Scotland’s best-preserved 16th-century tower houses. It was built around the time of the Protestant Reformation in 1560 by a member of the family of Wemyss of that Ilk. The family could trace their lineage back to the 12th century. A descendant of the builder of Elcho was created Lord Wemyss of Elcho in 1628 and Earl of Wemyss in 1633.

Huntingtower Castle - 4

The gap between these two towers is over 3 metres - would you like to leap from the top of one tower to the other? Click on the photo below to read the story!



Tomorrow we are off to Elcho Castle.

33rd Sunday of Ordinary Time

In today's Gospel we think about the Second-Coming. 'The sun will be darkened, the moon will lose its brightness, the stars will come falling from heaven and the powers in the heavens will be shaken.'



Sun and moon shall darkened be,
stars shall fall, the heavens shall flee;
Christ will then like lightning shine,
all will see his glorious sign;
all will then the trumpet hear,
all will see the Judge appear;
thou by all wilt be confessed,
God in man made manifest.

Happy Sunday!