Visit Kildrummy Castle, a strategic stronghold in the investigating Wars of Independence and later a Jacobite rallying point. kildrummy Castle Information for Teachers
investigating historic sites Kildrummy CASTLE 2
Kildrummy must once have been one By 1335 Kildrummy had been repaired Timeline of the most impressive and dramatic enough for it to be under siege again c.1250 Building of of Scotland’s castles. It played a role in by supporters of the English. This time Kildrummy Castle begins some of the key events of Scotland’s it was defended by Bruce’s sister, Lady under Earl of Mar history, and was the site of sieges, Christian. An army under her husband 1296 and 1303 Edward I rebellions and treachery. Though drew the besiegers away from the castle visits Kildrummy ruinous today, enough remains of its and defeated them at the Battle of 1306 Robert Bruce mighty walls to inspire pupils and Culblean. becomes king; moves promote learning and investigation. The castle changed hands several family to Kildrummy for safety Historical Background times before it was taken by James I in 1435 in an attempt to limit the power 1306 Kildrummy The history of Kildrummy castle begins of his nobles. Under the control of besieged by English; around 1250, when William, Earl of royal keepers the castle saw a series of castle surrenders after fire Mar began to construct a castle from is started inside improvements in this period, including which to control the lands of Mar and further fortification of the gatehouse. 1335 Bruce’s sister holds communication routes across the In 1507 the castle passed to the out when Kildrummy region. besieged Elphinstone family who built a tower The strategic importance of the castle house within the castle walls. 1363 Kildrummy taken by meant that it featured prominently Bruce’s son, King David Kildrummy’s final brush with fame came in the Wars of Independence. After 1435 Castle and estates in 1715 when John Erskine, 6th Earl of becoming king in 1306, Robert Bruce taken by James I Mar launched the 1715 Jacobite rising sent his family to Kildrummy for safety 1438-71 Castle improved from the castle. But after its dramatic when the English army invaded. Bruce beginnings here in Strathdon, the rising 1507 Elphinstone tower then sent his wife and daughter further petered out after the inconclusive battle house added north as the army drew closer and left of Sheriffmuir. The Earl of Mar fled to 1626 Earls of Mar regain the castle in control of his brother Neil. France and Kildrummy began to decline. Kildrummy Castle The English surrounded Kildrummy In 1805 the Snow Tower came crashing in a formidable siege, attacking the 1690 Castle occupied by to the ground, generating a ready Jacobites castle with deadly artillery. Neil Bruce supply of quality shaped stone for local managed to hold out against them, until 1715 Earl of Mar launches building projects. Jacobite rising from a blacksmith from within the castle was Kildrummy; escapes to bribed by the English to set Kildrummy In 1898 a programme of privately France when rising fails; on fire. The defenders were forced to funded conservation work began and in castle falls into decline surrender and Neil Bruce himself was 1951 Kildrummy was taken into state 1805 Snow Tower captured, drawn, hanged and beheaded. care. collapses Bruce’s wife and daughter were 1898 Programme of imprisoned, and the castle was partly conservation begins destroyed to prevent further use by the 1951 Castle taken into Scots. state care
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 3
Before the visit • It is helpful if pupils are familiar with some of the the architectural • Look at photographs of Kildrummy terminology of castles as this makes in advance – see www.scran.ac.uk or Supporting learning discussing on site easier. Useful words www.historicscotlandimages.gov. and teaching might include: siege, drawbridge, uk or www.undiscoveredscotland. latrine, trebuchet, curtain wall, A visit to Kildrummy Castle co.uk Help pupils to formulate their is particularly appropriate drawbridge, portcullis. Pupils could own research questions to investigate for teachers working on such produce a class illustrated dictionary on site so that they arrive with a clear popular classroom study to explain these terms topics as: sense of mission. If possible involve them in the booking procedure. • Some children find it hard to imagine • Castle Life that a castle was ever anything other • If you are focussing on the events of • The Wars of than a ruin. Discuss how buildings the Wars of Independence, make sure Independence change with age – does the house that pupils have a grasp of the key Kildrummy has links with the they live in look the same now as it events and figures of the Wars before Jacobite Risings of 1690 and did a few years ago? Has their family they come. 1715, but there are other sites made any changes to the house? If so, locally, such as Corgarff Castle, why? Discuss how wind and weather which better illuminate the • Help pupils gain a clearer grasp of the events of the Jacobite times, time scale by making a time line with can affect the look of a building as well them, counting back the centuries as the deliberate changes that people A visit and use of the supporting materials will help and then marking on key events choose to make to buildings. to: in the history of the castle and the develop successful learners surrounding area. This could be added by challenging pupils to to after the visit. consider how life has changed for people. It will help them • Discuss with pupils the many servants to think critically about who would have worked in the castle. evidence and arrive at their Get the pupils to make lists of all the own conclusions. Concrete jobs that would have had to be done evidence will reinforce in a pre-machine world. These lists can learning. be added to after the visit. develop confident individuals. Pupils wilI learn about aspects • Discuss with pupils all the different of their community’s past, activities which would have gone develop an understanding on in a castle. Pupils could research of social changes, establish some of their own values and different topics (e.g. food, travel, communicate their views on entertainment, weapons) to prepare different historical and social them for the visit. issues. 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 Following the visit pupils can pool their to our suggestions for discussion, pupils findings in groups to create a fuller should be encouraged to look critically record of the castle and the lives of the at what they see and to make and test people who lived and worked there. theories based on physical evidence. This could form the basis for a range of Some general starting points could presentation activities, for example: include: • A guide book or promotional leaflet • What materials were used to build for future visitors the castle? Why were these materials • A slide show with commentary of chosen? Are they any materials which their visit might have rotted away or been stolen since then? • 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 • A series of drama sketches showing anywhere it has been altered? Why different snapshots of life in the castle might it have been changed? 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 find 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 Plan of Kildrummy Castle Kildrummy and the Bruces 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 6 2. The entrance and 9 gatehouse 8 3. The Snow Tower 5 7 4. The great hall 10
5. The kitchen 4 1 6. The Warden’s Tower 2 7. Outside the walls 8. The chapel 3 9. The interval tower 10. The bakehouse After the introduction, it is not essential to view these locations in this order. Ideally, Please note: split your class into groups of 8-10, to allow maximum There is a model of how the castle used to look in the shop and kiosk in the car participation. 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 Leave the kiosk and car park and walk up the path towards the castle, through a location. It is written in simple wooden gate. Stop by the information panel. language so that it can be read aloud to pupils if desired. Also included are suggested questions for discussion. 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 Model of castle place for a minute or two, until you give the signal to stop. HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 6
Did you know… Tour Notes: On the trail of The castle is built in the Kildrummy and the Bruces shape of a shield with the gatehouse at its pointed Location 1: Introduction - outside the castle tip. Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
• About 800 years ago in the 1300s this was one of the most impressive castles in Scotland. It was built by a rich lord called the Earl of Mar who wanted to show off how rich and powerful he was. • On the outside the castle was well-defended and fierce looking. But inside it was luxurious and grand for the nobility and their friends. The king of England, Edward I even came to visit. • When Robert Bruce became king of Scotland he sent his family here to Kildrummy for safety. But the English army surrounded the castle and besieged it. The castle was fought over a lot during the wars with England. We’ll find out more about that later. • After the Wars of Independence the castle was owned by various other families, who each added bits to it and made changes to suit their lives and families. • But nobody has lived in it now for over 300 years. Over the years, people nearby took stones from the castle to build their houses. Although it’s a ruin, there are still plenty of clues left today which help us to work out how people used to live here – and what happened when the castle was attacked.
Outside the castle with information panel
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 7
Teacher prompts Pupil response Look at the drawing of the castle on the Different: information panel. It shows a dramatic • Castle has no roofs today. moment when the castle was under attack and was on fire. • Many walls have fallen down. It gives us an idea of what the castle Same: used to look like. • Round wall of tower to the right. Compare the castle and the drawing. • Grassy ditch. • What is different? • Rough shape of the castle. • What has stayed the same?
The castle was built to make it easy to • Built on a hill – good views all around; defend and hard to attack. What can can see enemy coming. you see that makes it a strong castle? • Walls were very thick and high. • Walls have very narrow slits in for shooting.
This wide grassy ditch was one of the The steep slopes would slow men or ways that the castle was defended. How horses down if they were running at the would it have been useful? castle to attack it.
Look at the castle from the point of view • Surround it as a siege and wait for of an attacker. How would you attack it? everyone inside to starve to death or What are its weak points? surrender. • Smash the walls down with stone missiles fired from catapults. • Batter down the doors with battering rams. The wide defensive ditch • Climb over the walls using ladders or scaffolding towers • Weak points are gates and windows – but it doesn’t have many!
Act it out!
Imagine that you are spies from the English army. You want to attack the castle. Look at the castle carefully and then agree on a plan of attack. Cross the ditch to go and stand on the little wooden bridge by the entrance to the castle.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 8
Location 2: The entrance and gatehouse
Did you know... Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. Archaeologists were working in this area in 1925. They • We are now standing at the gatehouse to the Castle. In the old days we would have discovered skeletons of two been very lucky to get this far. Two huge towers used to stretch right up high, and men guards would be watching you every step of the way. • The bridge we’re standing on now is modern. In the old days there was a drawbridge which could be hauled up on chains in emergencies. • There were rooms for the guards just inside the gate. Above the entrance way there were rooms for the Earl of Mar’s most important servants and officials. • In 1306 Robert Bruce’s brother Neil was defending the castle when it was © Crown copyright Cadw, Welsh Assembly Government surrounded by troops of the English army. Imagine how it might have looked then.
Teacher prompt Pupil response Look at the shape of the two towers Round. either side of the gateway. What shape were they? Easier to defend – can see all around Why do you think they were round? without having to look round corners.
Look over the bridge. Can you find the Big square slot visible on either side Gatehouse of Harlech Castle, slot where the drawbridge used to below bridge. very similar to how the pivot? entrance to Kildrummy would have looked What did the bridge rest on when it was Stone ledge visible. down?
Can you estimate how wide the 1.5 m. entrance way was?
Why do you think it was so narrow? So that only a few people at a time could come in. As you’re going through the gateway, Signs of two other gateways along can you see any signs of other entrance passage. Modern bridge at entrance to doorways? castle As you enter the castle, look how thick 1-2m thick. the walls are to either side, and how thick the tower walls are.
Act it out!
Imagine that you are arriving at the castle as a guest. The guards are very suspicious of you, but you explain that you have come to see Robert Bruce and his brother Neil. Persuade them to let you in. Maybe you have news of the English army.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 9
Location 3: The Snow Tower
Did you know… Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
Most of this tower came • We are now standing inside the courtyard of the castle. This would have been an crashing down 200 years open area. When Robert Bruce’s family were staying here, they and their servants ago in 1805. Local people would have lived in the towers and rooms round about the courtyard. took the stone to build Walk round to the left, passing an information panel with a plan of the castle. their own houses. Continue to the round area of the Snow Tower, in the far left corner of the castle. • This tower is called the Snow Tower – but no one knows why. It used to be at least five storeys high! • This was where the most important people stayed at the castle. Robert Bruce’s family would have stayed here, including his daughter Marjorie, his brother Neil, his sister Christian and his second wife, Elizabeth. • The rooms would have been very grand – suitable for a king and his family. The stone walls were covered in plaster and were decorated with wall hangings. Big fires kept the rooms warm and the rooms were lit with flickering candlelight. Important guests slept in four-poster beds with canopies to keep the bugs out and curtains to keep them warm.
Inside the courtyard- view • There used to be a well in the middle of the ground floor. Water was channelled towards the chapel into the well from the river below. Then there was a system of pulleys which drew water from the well up into each room for washing.
Teacher prompt Pupil response Look at the pieces of stone placed in the bottom of this tower. Do you think they were always here? No. Where do you think they might have They are probably parts of arches and come from? windows from other parts of the castle.
Inside the Snow Tower Look to the right. You can see a wall with two rectangular gaps in it, one above the other. This was another tower with rooms for people to stay in. Look at the stone on this tower. Do you The tower was built more recently – think it is older, newer than the Snow stones look different and newer. Tower, or the same age? This tower is called the Elphinstone Tower and was built about 250 years after the Snow Tower.
Act it out!
Imagine that the English army is drawing near. Robert Bruce is telling his family that they must leave the castle for safety. How do they react? What plans do Robert and Elphinstone tower from Snow Neil make for defending the castle? Tower Walk through the doorway into the Elphinstone Tower. Turn right and then left into the Great Hall.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 10
Location 4: The great hall Did you know… Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. The treacherous • Now we are standing in the great hall. This was the heart of the castle. This was blacksmith came to a where grand banquets took place and important meetings. sticky end. He was paid by the English in gold for • The room was heated by great fire baskets in the middle of the room. Smoke drifted up and out through ventilation in the roof. setting fire to the castle – but in melted gold, which • In the old days there would have been tapestries and wall hangings on the walls, was poured down his to keep it warm and to decorate the room. There would have been rushes and throat and killed him. mats on the floor. During feasts there would have been long trestle tables with benches for the guests. The important guests would eat off silver plates; others would eat from metal or wooden plates, and scraps would be thrown to the dogs. • When the English army attacked in 1306, Robert Bruce’s brother Neil ordered the grain from food stores to be moved into this room for safety. Neil Bruce and his men managed to defend the castle bravely as the English attacked it with stones fired from giant catapults, called trebuchets. • But the castle blacksmith, a man called Osbourne was bribed by the English to set fire to the castle. The fire began here in the great hall and in the end Neil The great hall Bruce and everyone else in the castle had to surrender.
Teacher prompt Pupil response This room would have been beautifully At least 4 each side; probably more at bright and light. Look for where the ends. windows used to be. How many can you count?
Look at the window on the left end Stone seat visible to left. outside wall as you come in. Can you see the remains of a stone seat here? Why would this have been a good place to sit? Can you see any signs of how the Stone holes visible in wall where bars windows were defended? would have gone across and shutters Window with window seat have closed. The most important people, like Robert Bruce or the Earl of Mar would have sat on grand wooden seats covered with rich fabrics and embroidered cushions. Can you find where less important Stone benches against side walls. people sat?
Musicians would have played on a little Stone steps leading up at right hand gallery high up. Can you find the steps end of outside wall. which led up to this gallery?
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 11
Artist’s impression of the great hall in use in the 1300s
Act it out!
Imagine that there is a banquet taking place. Some of you are serving food or drink, some of you are the Bruce family and their guests, some people are entertainers. Maybe there are even some dogs! Imagine that during the feast someone brings news that the English are now very close. Clamber over the low wall at the end of the Great Hall and walk to the right and down into the lower kitchen area.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 12
Location 5: The kitchen Did you know… Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. Some kitchen fireplaces were so big that there was • Next to the great hall was the castle kitchen. This was where the servants would prepare the amazing feasts. Seven hundred years ago this would have been a very space for a small person, busy place. You can imagine people chopping, people carrying things, people often a boy, to stand in the serving food on to serving dishes and the cook shouting at everyone. It would fireplace and turn the meat have been very hot and quite dark. on the metal spit. He was called the ‘turnbrochie’. • All cooking would have been done over a huge fire. The cook could boil food in a big pot or cauldron which hung over the fire, or you could roast meat on a big metal spike called a spit. Big pieces of meat needed long spits, tiny birds were cooked on thin spits.
Teacher prompt Pupil response Historians know that this room was the kitchen – but it’s not easy to tell. There would have been a fireplace Kitchen somewhere for cooking. Where do you think it might have been? Pupils’ own suggestions. We climbed over the wall to get in. Pupils’ own suggestions – not much Where do you think the door used to evidence. be? In kitchens today there is always a sink. Pupils own suggestions – possibly from Look around the kitchen. Where would river below or the well in the Snow cooks in this kitchen get their water Tower. from? Look for a little cupboard in this room. Pupils’ own suggestions. What do you think this was used for? It might have been a salt cupboard. Salt was very valuable and expensive then and was used to make food last longer.
Can you find any other clues to convince It’s a big room – which a kitchen would us that this was probably a kitchen? have to be. It’s right next to the great hall – which would be very handy.
Act it out!
Imagine we are cooking a meal in the kitchen for the Bruce family upstairs. Some people are chopping, some people are cooking over the fire, some people are carrying water in from outside. Some people are waiting to carry food into the hall from the servery, other people are bringing supplies from the store room. Step carefully out of the kitchen and cross a gravel path into the Warden’s tower.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 13
Location 6: The Warden’s Tower
Did you know… Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
In every castle there were This tower is called the Warden’s Tower. It was probably where the most important four key officials: the castle officials lived. The warden was in charge of castle security. warden or constable who Teacher prompt Pupil response was in charge of security, the steward who was in You can see that there used to be several At least three – perhaps more! charge of all the servants, floors in this tower. Have a look and see if you can work out how many floors the marshall who was in there might have been. charge of communication and transport and the Look at information panel to find out Prison. chaplain who was in charge what the ground floor used to be. of church services and also Can you work out where the roof of the Can see the rough position on the walls. acted as a secretary. There prison used to be? could be around 150 other Look around it to find what facilities the A toilet – or latrine. Otherwise nothing. servants too in a big castle prisoners had here. like this! What was security like in this prison? By the doorway you can see where Can you find any clues? holes where two sets of double bolt used to be.
Look further up. What clues can you find Can see remains of fireplaces and which tell us about the upper rooms? chimneys – so rooms might have been warm.
The windows in the upper floors of Lower windows are just slits – for firing the tower are different. How are they through. The prison different, and why? Upper windows bigger – for light.
Turn right as you come out the Warden’s Tower and go through the narrow doorway to stand outside the castle.
Warden’s Tower
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 14
Location 7: Outside the castle walls
Did you know… Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
In the old days the river • From here we can get a great view of how impressive the castle used to be. water wasn’t safe to drink • Down below you can see the castle’s water supply – the river! unless it was boiled. So instead, most people drank • From here we can also see why this was such a good place to build a castle – beer – even the children! can you think why? (natural defence of building it on top of a steep riverbank)
Teacher prompt Pupil response Look at the little gateway we’ve just come through. Can you work out how this gateway Grooves either side of the gateway are used to be defended? where a portcullis gateway used to slide up and down. You can see a picture of a portcullis on a penny.
Look up at the outer wall of the Warden’s tower. Think of some words to describe the Very high. tower and the stone. Smooth, evenly cut blocks of stone. Impressive, forbidding. Postern gate with portcullis Very difficult. Would have had to fire grooves How could you have attacked this wall? missiles at it to smash it down – and there’s nowhere near you could do this.
Can you think of a way we could Pupils’ own suggestions. Estimate using estimate the height of this wall? height of a pupil.
Look at the base of the tower. Can you see a small hole? What do you think this was used for? It was the drain for the prisoners’ latrine. Outside wall of the castle Now look up. Why would this have been We are standing underneath the latrine a bad place to stand in the old days? drain of rooms high up the tower!
Go back through the postern gate, and follow the path to stand in the chapel.
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 15
Location 8: The chapel Did you know... Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils. In the time of Robert Bruce, nearly everyone in Scotland • Castles this big and important had their own chapel. The Earl of Mar and the Bruce went to church. Everyone family would have had their own priest to run private services. was a Roman Catholic and • Look for the three tall narrow windows. This was the end of the chapel. Like all the church services were in chapels it faces east, so the wall had to be adjusted a bit to make it face the right Latin! way.
Teacher prompt Pupil response We are now standing below the floor Can see floor line below the three level of the old chapel. Can you see windows. where the floor used to be? This basement area was used to store food for the kitchen.
The priest kept the silver dishes for the To the left of the three windows. church services in a special cupboard. If you look carefully, you might be able to find it. Remember, the floor level in the old days was higher! Chapel windows
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 16
Location 9: The interval tower
Did you know... Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
In the time of Robert • As well as the Snow tower and the Warden’s tower, Kildrummy Castle has two Bruce there weren’t any other towers. Look across the courtyard to see the other one. These were both guns. People fought each used for storage, accommodation – and for fighting. other with swords, axes, Teacher prompt Pupil response bows and arrows. They attacked castles like this Stand in the ground floor area of the tower. one with giant catapults called trebuchets, or tried Can you see any windows? No. to destroy the walls using If there are no windows, what do you Own suggestions – but probably used as battering rams. think this room might have been used a store room of some sort. for?
The middle floor had three narrow slits. For firing arrows through. What do you think these slits were used for?
The top floor was used for accommodation, but the roof was used as a fighting platform – a place to stand and fight. Look around carefully to see if you Stone ball visible – possibly fired into can find any clues about the kind of the castle by a giant catapult. weapons and missiles that were used at the time. Interval tower How would you have got up to the other Remains of a spiral staircase outside the floors? Can you find the stairway? tower to the left.
Act it out!
Divide into two groups. Half of you are attacking the castle. Half of you are defending it. Think of the actions you might be doing – firing arrows, firing missiles - and create three ‘frozen’ scenes show what happens to each of you. Stone ball in interval tower Leave the interval tower and turn left to stand in the bakehouse.
Stair of interval tower
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 17
Location 10: The bakehouse
Did you know... Background information for teachers. This can be read to pupils.
This building is also is a • If you’d stood here in the old days, there would have been a lovely smell. Look at brewhouse, where they the label to find out why! made a kind of beer called • This was the castle bakehouse. It was added to the castle later, after Bruce and ale. Ordinary people drank his family had left, but they would have had a bakery somewhere too. Like today, ale all the time – even people then ate a lot of bread - maybe two loaves a day! But unlike today, all the children! The lords and bread was home made. ladies would drink wine. • Each oven used to have a roof in the shape of a dome. It looked a bit like a pizza The beer would be oven today. The baker would light a fire inside the oven so that all the bricks fermented in a huge would get hot. Then he would rake out the ashes after the fire had died down. copper pot in the middle Then he would put the dough in to bake. Afterwards the ovens might be used to dry out firewood. of this room.
Teacher prompt Pupil response How many giant stone ovens can you Two here. Also one in the tower we’ve find? just come out of. How do you think the baker would get With a long handled shovel – like in a the bread out of the oven? pizza oven today.
What else could the baker bake in these Cakes, pies, pastries, puddings . ovens?
Our tour of the castle is now finished. It’s well worth walking around the outside of the castle. Look out for:
• The number of towers you pass • The highest wall Oven in the interval tower • The number of latrine drains • The round tower to protect the chapel which was never finished • Arrow slits
Ovens in the bakehouse
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education Kildrummy CASTLE 18
Common Queries Visiting Kildrummy Castle
Q What is the minimum Pre visits: We strongly recommend that Additional resources number of adults required teachers make a free visit to the castle for supervision? to familiarise themselves with the site For teachers and to make a risk assessment before Chris Tabraham, Kildrummy Castle, A 1 adult to 10 pupils bringing school parties. Historic Scotland 2008. The official Q Is it possible to have a Booking a visit: Phone 01975 571331 guidebook, giving further details on guided tour? to book a visit, discuss your needs the architecture and history of the and confirm opening times with the site. Order online from www.historic- A: Ask about this when Steward. The castle is open in the scotland.gov.uk booking. summer months only. Historic Scotland Education, Q Is there disabled access? Cost: Admission is free to a range of Investigating Medieval Castles in Scotland, A The ground inside the educational groups including school Historic Scotland 2005. An useful parties. More information about who courtyard is cobbled and booklet designed for teachers with qualifies for free visits can be found on uneven. Other areas of the lots of background on castle life and the Historic Scotland Education Unit suggestions for class activities. castle are accessible only via website (see below). stone steps. For pupils Location: 10m southwest of Alford on Q Are there lunch facilities? the A97 Terry Deary, Horrible Histories: Bloody Scotland, Scholastic 1998. A Pupils can picnic outside or Parking: There is a car park at the Allan Burnett, Robert Bruce and all that, bottom of the hill next to a kiosk with in poor weather can shelter in Birlinn 2006. Both of these are popular a small shop. There is a short walk up a the castle. with pupils, provocative and surprisingly path to reach the castle. Q Where are the toilets? informative. Health and safety: Please note the www.bbc.co.uk/scotland/education/ A There are toilets in the car following: as/warsofindependence/board.shtml park area a short walk from • Pupils should be supervised at all This interactive game, suitable for upper the castle itself. times. Some of the internal steps are primary pupils encourages them to Q Do you carry out risk very steep. develop their own tourist trail about the assessments on behalf of • As part of our commitment to Green Wars of Independence by selecting from schools? Tourism, we ask that all litter be a range of sites and objects. disposed of back at school. A Risk assessment of the www.ltscotland.org.uk/scottishhistory/ site is the responsibility of Historic Scotland Education Unit: middleages/warsindependence/index. For further information about school asp the teacher in charge of the visits, activities and resources for A resource bank of activities relating to group. Hazard information teachers linked to Kildrummy Castle, the Wars of Independence including sheets available on the visit: www.historic-scotland.gov.uk an interactive game on the tactics at Historic Scotland website Bannockburn. provide information that can help teachers prepare their Acknowledgements risk assessments. Photographic credits: All photographs Q Is there a shop? © Crown copyright Historic Scotland Text: Elspeth Mackay A There is a small shop in the Series Editor: Sue Mitchell car park that sells postcards, Layout and print production: The guidebooks and souvenirs. House With special thanks to Chris Tabraham and Visitor Services staff
HISTORIC SCOTLAND education