Zamek Kildrummy, Scottish guides, Historic Investigations
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Visit
Kildrummy Castle
, a
strategic stronghold in the
Wars of Independence and
later a Jacobite rallying point.
INVESTIGATING
KILDRUMMY CASTLE
Information for Teachers
INVESTIGATING
HISTORIC SITES
KILDRUMMY CASTLE
2
Timeline
c.1250
Building of
Kildrummy Castle begins
under Earl of Mar
1296
and
1303
Edward I
visits Kildrummy
Kildrummy must once have been one
of the most impressive and dramatic
of Scotland’s castles. It played a role in
some of the key events of Scotland’s
history, and was the site of sieges,
rebellions and treachery. Though
ruinous today, enough remains of its
mighty walls to inspire pupils and
promote learning and investigation.
By 1335 Kildrummy had been repaired
enough for it to be under siege again
by supporters of the English. This time
it was defended by Bruce’s sister, Lady
Christian. An army under her husband
drew the besiegers away from the castle
and defeated them at the Battle of
Culblean.
1306
Robert Bruce
becomes king; moves
family to Kildrummy for
safety
The castle changed hands several
times before it was taken by James I in
1435 in an attempt to limit the power
of his nobles. Under the control of
royal keepers the castle saw a series of
improvements in this period, including
further fortiication of the gatehouse.
In 1507 the castle passed to the
Elphinstone family who built a tower
house within the castle walls.
Historical Background
1306
Kildrummy
besieged by English;
castle surrenders after ire
is started inside
1335
Bruce’s sister holds
out when Kildrummy
besieged
The history of Kildrummy castle begins
around 1250, when William, Earl of
Mar began to construct a castle from
which to control the lands of Mar and
communication routes across the
region.
1363
Kildrummy taken by
Bruce’s son, King David
The strategic importance of the castle
meant that it featured prominently
in the Wars of Independence. After
becoming king in 1306, Robert Bruce
sent his family to Kildrummy for safety
when the English army invaded. Bruce
then sent his wife and daughter further
north as the army drew closer and left
the castle in control of his brother Neil.
The English surrounded Kildrummy
in a formidable siege, attacking the
castle with deadly artillery. Neil Bruce
managed to hold out against them, until
a blacksmith from within the castle was
bribed by the English to set Kildrummy
on ire. The defenders were forced to
surrender and Neil Bruce himself was
captured, drawn, hanged and beheaded.
Bruce’s wife and daughter were
imprisoned, and the castle was partly
destroyed to prevent further use by the
Scots.
Kildrummy’s inal brush with fame came
in 1715 when John Erskine, 6
th
Earl of
Mar launched the 1715 Jacobite rising
from the castle. But after its dramatic
beginnings here in Strathdon, the rising
petered out after the inconclusive battle
of Sheriffmuir. The Earl of Mar led to
France and Kildrummy began to decline.
In 1805 the Snow Tower came crashing
to the ground, generating a ready
supply of quality shaped stone for local
building projects.
1435
Castle and estates
taken by James I
1438-71
Castle improved
1507
Elphinstone tower
house added
1626
Earls of Mar regain
Kildrummy Castle
1690
Castle occupied by
Jacobites
1715
Earl of Mar launches
Jacobite rising from
Kildrummy; escapes to
France when rising fails;
castle falls into decline
In 1898 a programme of privately
funded conservation work began and in
1951 Kildrummy was taken into state
care.
1805
Snow Tower
collapses
1898
Programme of
conservation begins
1951
Castle taken into
state care
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
KILDRUMMY CASTLE
3
Before the visit
• It is helpful if pupils are familiar
with some of the the architectural
terminology of castles as this makes
discussing on site easier. Useful words
might include:
siege, drawbridge,
latrine, trebuchet, curtain wall,
drawbridge, portcullis.
Pupils could
produce a class illustrated dictionary
to explain these terms
Supporting learning
and teaching
• Look at photographs of Kildrummy
in advance – see
www.scran.ac.uk or
www.historicscotlandimages.gov.
uk or www.undiscoveredscotland.
co.uk
Help pupils to formulate their
own research questions to investigate
on site so that they arrive with a clear
sense of mission. If possible involve
them in the booking procedure.
A visit to Kildrummy Castle
is particularly appropriate
for teachers working on such
popular classroom study
topics as:
• 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.
• Castle Life
• The Wars of
Independence
• If you are focussing on the events of
the Wars of Independence, make sure
that pupils have a grasp of the key
events and igures of the Wars before
they come.
Kildrummy has links with the
Jacobite Risings of 1690 and
1715, but there are other sites
locally, such as Corgarff Castle,
which better illuminate the
events of the Jacobite times,
• 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
in the history of the castle and the
surrounding area. This could be added
to after the visit.
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. Concrete
evidence will reinforce
learning.
• Discuss with pupils the many servants
who would have worked in the castle.
Get the pupils to make lists of all the
jobs that would have had to be done
in a pre-machine world. These lists can
be added to after the visit.
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.
• Discuss with pupils all the different
activities which would have gone
on in a castle. Pupils could research
different topics (e.g. food, travel,
entertainment, weapons) to prepare
them for the visit.
develop responsible citizens
by helping to 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.
Entering Kildrummy
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
KILDRUMMY CASTLE
4
Working on site
Suggestions for follow-up work
When exploring the castle, in addition
to our suggestions for discussion, pupils
should be encouraged to look critically
at what they see and to make and test
theories based on physical evidence.
Some general starting points could
include:
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:
• A guide book or promotional lealet
for future visitors
• What materials were used to build
the castle? Why were these materials
chosen? Are they any materials which
might have rotted away or been
stolen since then?
• A slide show with commentary of
their visit
• Imaginative writing based on the lives
of the inhabitants of the castle
• Do you think the castle has always
looked like this? Can you see
anywhere it has been altered? Why
might it have been changed?
• A series of drama sketches showing
different snapshots of life in the castle
through the ages
• What evidence is there for everyday
life?
• Pupils can record evidence by taking
notes, sketching, taking photographs,
recording impressions into a tape
recorder.
On the Historic Scotland website
teachers can ind additional resources
to help with work on site. These include
compiling an
Evidence Record
and a
My Impressions Record.
See
www.historic-scotland.gov.uk
The Snow Tower
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
KILDRUMMY CASTLE
5
On the trail of
Kildrummy and the
Bruces
Plan of Kildrummy Castle
showing tour locations
Our suggested tour route
focuses on castle life in
Kildrummy in the early 1300s,
when it was used by Robert
Bruce and his family. It takes in
eight key locations:
1. Introduction: outside the
castle
2. The entrance and
gatehouse
3. The Snow Tower
4. The great hall
5. The kitchen
6. The Warden’s Tower
7. Outside the walls
8. The chapel
9. The interval tower
6
9
5
8
7
10
4
1
2
3
10. The bakehouse
After the introduction, it is
not essential to view these
locations in this order. Ideally,
split your class into groups
of 8-10, to allow maximum
participation.
Please note:
There is a model of how the castle used to look in the shop and kiosk in the car
park. It is well worth looking at this model with pupils before heading up to the
castle.
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.
Leave the kiosk and car park and walk up the path towards the castle, through a
wooden gate. Stop by the information panel.
To bring the dramatic events
which took place at Kildrummy
to life, we include simple
suggestions for role-play
activities at some of the
locations. These are particularly
suitable for younger groups.
These have been included in
an
Act it out!
section for each
location, featured in
red
.
One way to manage this type
of activity is to give out the
roles, allow a few minutes for
practising and then on a given
signal allow the action to take
place for a minute or two, until
you give the signal to stop.
Model of castle
HISTORIC SCOTLAND
EDUCATION
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