Zamek Huntly, Scottish guides, Historic Investigations
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The dramatic ruins of the castle
at
Huntly
relect its turbulent
history. Its inhabitants, the
Gordons, were major players
on the Scottish political scene.
INVESTIGATING
HUNTLY CASTLE
Information for Teachers
INVESTIGATING
HISTORIC SITES
HUNTLY CASTLE
2
Timeline
Late 1100s
First wooden
castle built by Earl
Duncan
The dramatic ruins of the castle at
Huntly relect its turbulent history.
Its inhabitants, the Gordons, were
major players on the Scottish
political scene. At various times
razed, blown up, and lamboyantly
embellished, the castle is still an
exciting place to visit.
George Gordon, 4th Earl of Huntly,
known as the ‘cock of the north’,
was one of the wealthiest men in the
north-east by the mid-16th century. He
reworked the castle extensively in time
for a visit by Marie of Guise in 1556. She
was impressed by her lavish reception,
but was advised that the cock’s wings be
‘clipped’ lest he become a threat.
1314
Lands of
Strathbogie granted to
Gordon family
Early 1400s
New stone
tower house built
Historical background
Mary Queen of Scots found the
opportunity to do this in 1562 when
she and Huntly clashed forces at the
battle of Corrichie. Huntly lost and the
castle was looted. Further damage was
inlicted in 1594 when, following a
further rebellion, James VI blew up the
old towerhouse.
The story of Huntly Castle begins in the
late 12th century when Duncan, earl of
Fife, built a castle at the strategic point
where the Bogie and Deveron rivers
meet. This irst structure was wooden,
built on a constructed mound (motte)
and surrounded by an enclosed service
area (bailey).
1452
Castle burnt during
struggle between Crown
and Black Douglas family
c.1460
Tower house
replaced by ‘palace’ to
south
1550
George, 4th Earl of
Huntly, remodels palace
The 6th earl was rewarded with the
title of Marquis of Huntly in 1597.
He launched into a programme
of elaborate building works and
decoration to create a home it for his
new status.
1556
Visit of Marie of
Guise
Just before Bannockburn in 1314, in
a poorly timed shift of loyalties, the
family switched their allegiance away
from the crown for the irst time. As a
punishment they forfeited the lands,
which were then given to Sir Adam
Gordon of Huntly in Berwickshire.
1562
Castle wrecked and
contents looted following
Battle of Corrichie
1594
Old towerhouse
blown up by James VI
In the 17th century the castle was
occupied by Covenanters and Charles
II stayed briely in 1650 on the way to
his coronation. Government troops
occupied the castle during the 1745
Jacobite rising but after this it became
little more than a source of stone. It was
taken into state care in 1923.
1597
1st Marquis repairs
and remodels palace
In the early 15th century a large stone
tower house was built to replace the
earlier timber structure. Burnt during
the struggles against the Black Douglas
family in 1452, it was repaired and then
extended to include a new range on the
south side, later known as the ‘palace’.
1640
Palace occupied by
Covenanters
1650
Charles II visits on
way to coronation
1745
Palace occupied by
Government troops
1923
Taken into state
care
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
HUNTLY CASTLE
3
Supporting learning
and teaching
A visit to
Huntly Castle
is
particularly appropriate for
teachers working on class
study topics such as:
Before the visit
Working on site
• Help pupils gain a clearer grasp of
the time scale by making a time
line with them, counting back the
centuries and then marking on key
events. This could be added to after
the visit.
When exploring the castle, pupils
should be encouraged to look critically
at what they see, and to make and test
theories based on physical evidence.
Useful starting points are:
• The Middle Ages
• Castles
• Why do you think the castle was built
here? What are its natural defences?
• What materials were used to build
the castle?
• What evidence is there for everyday
life ?
• How has the castle changed over the
years?
The
Curriculum for
Excellence
aspires to
motivate and challenge pupils
through a wide range of
varied learning experiences.
Site visits have a particular
role to play in joining up
learning outcomes across the
curriculum. A visit, and use of
the supporting materials, will
help to:
• develop successful
learners
by challenging
pupils to consider how life
has changed for people.
It will help them to think
critically about evidence
and arrive at their own
conclusions.
• develop conident
individuals. Pupils wilI
learn about aspects of
their community’s past,
develop an understanding
of social changes, establish
some of their own values
and communicate
their views on different
historical and social issues.
• develop responsible
citizens. It will help to
increase pupils’ social
and historical knowledge
and understanding and
encourage greater respect
for their own historic and
built environment.
• develop effective
contributors by
broadening pupils’
knowledge and
understanding through
investigative, creative and
critical thinking.
• Discuss the organisation of life in
a castle. Pupils could investigate
the roles of these key ‘managers’:
steward
(in charge of the
household),
constable
(in charge of
castle security),
marshal
(in charge
of travel and communications).
• Discuss with pupils all the different
activities that would have gone on
in a castle. Pupils could research
different topics (e.g. food, travel,
entertainment, weapons) to prepare
them for the visit.
Pupils can record evidence by:
• Taking notes.
• Sketching.
• Taking photographs.
• Recording impressions into a tape
recorder.
• It is helpful if pupils have some of
the architectural terminology of
castles as this makes discussing
on-site easier. Useful words might
include:
courtyard, chamber,
shield, coat of arms, archway, gun
loop, turnpike stair, motte, privy
beam
. Pupils could produce a class
illustrated dictionary to explain
these terms
On the Historic Scotland website:
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk/
education_unit
teachers can ind
additional resources to help with work
on site. These include compiling an
Evidence Record
and
My Impressions
Record
.
Suggestions for follow-up work
Following the visit pupils can pool their
indings in groups to create a fuller
record of the castle and the lives of the
people who lived and worked there.
This could form the basis for a range of
presentation activities, for example:
• Some children ind it hard to
imagine that a castle was ever
anything other than a ruin. Discuss
how buildings change with age
– does the house they live in look
the same now as it did a few years
ago? Has their family made any
changes to the house? If so, why?
Discuss how wind and weather
can affect the look of a building as
well as the deliberate changes that
people choose to make to buildings.
• A guide book or promotional lealet
for future visitors.
• A slide show with commentary of
their visit.
• Imaginative writing based on the
lives of the inhabitants of the castle.
• A series of drama sketches showing
different snapshots of life in the
castle through the ages.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
HUNTLY CASTLE
4
Plan of Huntly Castle
On the trail of the
Marquis of Huntly
There is much to explore
in this wonderful and
well-preserved building.
Our suggested
tour route
focuses on everyday life in
the best-preserved part,
the palace, at the time of
the Ist Marquis of Huntly
(around 1600). It takes
in eight key locations,
marked on the plan to
the right:
1. Outside the Palace:
the South wall
2. Entrance to the Palace
3. In the Basement
4. The Kitchen
5. Steward’s Chamber
6. Lord Huntly’s
Lodgings
7. Lady Huntly’s
Lodgings
8. The Brewhouse and
Bakehouse
Background information
is given in the pack for
each location. It is written
in simple language so
that it can be read aloud
to pupils if desired.
Also included are
suggested
questions for
discussion
.The focus is
on encouraging pupils
to
interpret
the building
and deduce what they
can from clues they see
around them.
Ideally divide your class
into groups of about ten.
Allow about an hour for
the suggested tour.
Shop
1
2
8
Toilets
Drawing of site
6
7
4
5
3
Maps of palace
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
HUNTLY CASTLE
5
Tour notes: On the trail of the
Marquis of Huntly
Setting the scene. This can be read to pupils.
Let’s go back in time about four hundred years, to the early sixteen hundreds. Let’s
imagine that we have been invited to this castle by our friend George Gordon. He is
the 6th Earl of Huntly, and we call him Lord Huntly. But not long ago he was given a
great honour by King James VI. He was given the important title of Marquis. He has
recently been renovating his castle and we’ve heard he has spent a lot of money.
Let’s go and have a look!
Go through the gate by the castle shop. Walk straight ahead until you are facing
the great south wall of the castle with the giant stone inscription at the top.
Artist’s impression of castle in 1643
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
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