Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 11 on 17/11/2003.

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Floors Castle

Floors Castle is dramatic and spectacular. Charles Douglas explains why and takes us on a tour

Floors Castle is one of the wildly dramatic flights of fancy which consolidated the reputation of William Playfair, architect of so many of Scotland’s more spectacular 18th century buildings.

In fact, when the house was begun in 1721, that other great Scottish architect William Adam had drawn up plans for a plain Georgian country house.

But when the 6th Duke of Roxburghe married he enlisted Playfair’s help, and under his supervision, the wings, many spires, domes and stone carvings were added, making Floors Castle look more of a fairy-tale palace than a country dwelling.

Entering through Playfair’s porte cochère on the north front, up into the entrance hall via a flight of stairs, visitors move into an oak-panelled room dominated by a majestic portrait of the 5th Duke of Roxburghe painted by Sir Henry Raeburn.

It was this duke who, as Sir James Innes of that Ilk, chief of Clan Innes, claimed the dukedom through the marriage of Lady Margaret Ker to his great grandfather.

From early times, the Roxburghe Estates were held by the Kers of Cessford, a powerful lowland Scottish family in the 16th century, whose head was responsible for maintaining law and order of the turbulent border between Scotland and England.

Some years later, the house was divided over support for Mary, Queen of Scots, and in 1600, for services to King James VI of Scotland, Sir
Robert Ker was created Lord Ker of Cessford and Cavertoun, later 1st Earl of Roxburghe.

In the reign of Queen Anne, the 5th Ear.....

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By Charles Douglas

Section : Historic Houses

Page number : 12