Airthrey Castle

As we stayed overnight in Glasgow last night we took the opportunity for some retail therapy. Spent far too much but of course, I really needed 2 pairs of trousers, linen shirt and top!

On the way home I had the idea to take a picture of the place of my birth. It's not many people, apart for maybe royalty, that have a castle on their birth certificate. As a baby my lovely grandpa used to call me Princess Patricia! LOL!!

I looked up the history of the place on the internet and it was built in 1791, designed by Robert Adam. Blah Blah Blah till the 2nd world war when it was used as a maternity hospital (no, I was not born then, I was born in the late 50s!). Says it closed for business in the late 60s and it now stands in the beautiful grounds of Stirling University, but is really just outside Bridge of Allan. It has been said that it is the most beautiful university in the world, with the Ochils sitting just behind it.

Funny story from my mum. When her labour started, her and my dad arrived at the big door (which you see to the right), it was opened by the matron who grabbed my mum and then shut the door in my dad's face. He was barred from entering as there was a major epidemic of Asian flu! Was that the reason he forgot to put his name on the birth intimation in the local paper? He wrote "To Doreen, a daughter, born . . . . . .. ...... etc" No mention of his involvement - my mum was black affronted, but we all laugh about it now:-) My mum, a hoarder, still har this little yellowed peice of paper.