Glamis Castle marks milestone 650th anniversary

As the castle opens its gates for the beginning of this year’s open season, a trio of celebrations to mark 650 years have been announced including the launch of the Children of Glamis Exhibition, a Glamis Castle 650th Anniversary Small Batch Scottish Gin and A Glamis Treasury, a celebratory commemorative book.

It was 650 years ago, on March 18, 1372, that the Thanage of Glamis was granted by King Robert II to Sir John Lyon for services to the Crown. Since then, Glamis Castle has been home to the ancestral seat for the Earls of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

Helen Buchanan, General Manager at Glamis Castle, said: “2022 is set to be a really exciting year for Glamis Castle and we are delighted to be able to celebrate our 650th anniversary with the public over the coming months.”

Children of Glamis Exhibition

The castle and gardens at Glamis have been a wonderful environment for children to explore, play and flourish for centuries. This exhibition celebrates the families and childhoods experienced at Glamis. Once the childhood home of Her Majesty The Queen Mother, HRH Princess Margaret was born at Glamis Castle in 1930 and she visited the castle many times alongside her sister Her Majesty The Queen during her childhood.

Glamis Castle 650th Anniversary Gin

A bespoke handcrafted gin has been created, in collaboration with local gin distillers The Gin Bothy, using natural botanical ingredients sourced in the castle’s Walled Garden, including juniper, chestnut, rosemary, cicely and verbena. A limited-edition classic London dry gin, there will be just 650 bottles – one for every year since Glamis’ ancestral seat was granted.

The Glamis Castle 650th Anniversary gin is available to purchase in the venue’s Gift Shop.

A Glamis Treasury: A Celebration of the 650th Anniversary of the granting of the Thanage of Glamis to Sir John Lyon in 1372

Compiled by Glamis Castle’s Head Archivist Ingrid Thomson, A Glamis Treasury features contributions from the Strathmore family, friends from the local community in Glamis and beyond and members of staff, past and present.

Due to be published at the end of April, A Glamis Treasury will also be available to purchase in the castle Gift Shop.

Glamis Castle will now be open to visitors until October 31 and Friends of Glamis annual passes are available, giving families unlimited access for the entirety of the open season.

Beyond the 650th celebrations, the castle has a busy events calendar including a Mother’s Day Lunch and Mother’s Day Afternoon tea in the Castle Kitchen restaurant on Sunday, March 27. To find out more, visit www.glamis-castle.co.uk.