Oval Staircase On Visit To Culzean Castle Near Maybole On Coast Of Ayrshire Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video, with Scottish music, of the Oval Staircase, on visit to Culzean Castle, a Scottish castle overlooking the Firth of Clyde, near Maybole, Carrick, on the Ayrshire coast. The Oval Staircase is a masterpiece by the Scottish architect Robert Adam, reflecting his logical and creative approach to architecture. With little space available, he created a dramatic focal point which united all the different phases of the castle. The castle appears to have been built around it when, in fact, it was the last phase of Adam's work at Culzean. In 1784, six years after the main house had been completed, Adam designed a three storey drum tower on the very edge of the cliffs, with rooms to either side. The new staircase replaced the front and back stairs and gave access to the new public rooms from a central point. The scheme was expensive and caused considerable upheaval. Sadly, both patron and architect died before it was completed, a task then left to the 1st Marquess. He is thought to have reversed the traditional order of pillars, placing the more elaborate Corinthian columns below the Ionic, so they could be properly admired by visitors to the public rooms. The story of Culzean is the story of the Kennedy clan, a branch of the Lords of Galloway, who were the most powerful family in the ancient kingdom of Carrick, now absorbed into Ayrshire. The Kennedy's supported Robert the Bruce in the Scottish Wars of Independence and rose to be first Lords, then Earls of Cassillis. In 1762 Sir Thomas Kennedy, the 9th Earl, decided to rebuild a late 16th century fortified tower house set on high cliffs overlooking the Firth of Clyde, about 15 miles south of Ayr. The tower house was known as Coif Castle, referring to the caves which perforate the cliffs. In the 17th century, the name morphed into Cullean, and was altered to its current spelling in the 18th century. Thomas died in 1775 and his brother David succeeded to the title. David Kennedy decided that his brother's plans were not sufficiently grand for an Earl, and he embarked on a much more ambitious plan to create a stylish, romantic stately home on the foundations of the earlier house. To that end, the Earl called in Robert Adam, the most popular and influential country house architect of the day, and a master of Palladian style. This castle is closed at present due to the coronavirus pandemic. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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