Our History
Glamis Castle has been the family home of the Earls of Strathmore
and Kinghorne since 1372 when Sir John Lyon was granted the thaneage of
Glamis by King Robert II of Scotland. In 1376 Sir John married the
King's daughter, Princess Joanna.
Since then Glamis has been visited and lived in by many members of the Scottish and British royal families.
Glamis
is the childhood home of Her majesty Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother
and legendary setting of shakespeare's play "Mabeth".
Construction
c1400 East Wing built (top storey removed 1797).
c1435 Main Tower built. Three storeys plus stair turret added 1600-1606.
1679 - 1683 North East Wing (Chapel) built.
1679 West Wing Built. Demolished 1775 and rebuilt 1798-1801.
1773-1776 Billiard Room built.
1773-1776 Servants courts built. (Now Private Apartments).
History
1372 Sir John Lyon granted thaneage of Glamis by King Robert II.
1376 Sir John Lyon marries the King’s daughter, Princess Johanna.
1400 Second Sir John Lyon begins constructing Castle.
1445 Patrick Lyon created peer of Parliament as Lord Glamis.
1537 Lady Glamis (Janet Douglas) accused of witchcraft and burnt at the stake. 1537-1542 King James V considered Glamis Castle as forfeit to the Crown, occupied it and held court there.
1562 Mary Queen of Scots visits Castle.
1606 9th Lord Glamis created Earl of Kinghorne.
1677 3rd Earl obtains new charter to patent of peerage. Title ‘Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne’ created.
1715 5th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne killed at battle of Sheriffmuir.
1716 King James VIII (The Old Pretender) visit Castle and carried out ‘touch healing’ in the Chapel.
1767 9th Earl marries Mary Eleanor Bowes. Act of Parliament follows to change surname of family from Lyon to Bowes.
1865 13th Earl modernises castle. Gas introduced, to be replaced by electricity sixty four years later.
1923 Marriage of Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon to Prince Albert, Duke of York.
1930 HRH The Princess Margaret born at Glamis.
1950 Glamis Castle opens to the public.
