Cawdor Castle And Gardens On Visit To Nairnshire Scotland

Tour Scotland travel video, with Scottish fiddle music, of Cawdor Castle and gardens on visit to Nairnshire. The castle is built around a 15th century tower house, with substantial additions in later centuries. Originally a property of the Calder family, it passed to the Campbells in the 16th century. It remains in Campbell ownership, and is now home to the Dowager Countess Cawdor, stepmother of Colin Campbell, 7th Earl Cawdor. The castle is perhaps best known for its literary connection to William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth, in which the title character is made Thane of Cawdor. The castle is known for its gardens. A ghost wearing a blue velvet dress has been reported being seen in the castle : this is locally assumed to be Muriel Calder, an heiress who was kidnapped at the age of 12 and married to the Earl of Argyll’s son, Sir John Campbell in 1511. The surname Cawdor was first found in Inverness-shire, thought to have been a Pict stronghold, where they held a family seat from very ancient times. Hugh de Cadella is said to have aided Scottish King Malcolm Ceanmore, for which he was granted the Nairnshire thaneship of Cawdor, and made a Baron in 1060. Records show that a Hugh de Kaledouer, perhaps a descendant, was a witness to a charter of land near Montrose in, Angus, around 1178. Spelling variations of this family name include: Calder, Cadder, Caddell, Cawdor, Cauder, Caldell, Caldille and many more. Thomas Calder settled in Virginia, America, in 1619, one year before the Mayflower; Will Calder settled in Georgia, America, in 1735; Alex Calder and his wife Henrietta and four children arrived in Georgia, America, in 1775. All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.

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