Callendar House

As I was in the Falkirk area today I decided my quick picture would either be the Falkirk Wheel or Callendar House. As there are so many pictures of the former I decided on the latter.

Situated in park and woodland, Callendar House spans over 600 years of Scottish history. Through wars, rebellions and the industrial revolution, the house has played host to many great historical figures over the centuries, including Mary, Queen of Scots, Cromwell and Bonnie Prince Charlie.

The original structure occupied a prominent position at 'Palace Hill', just behind the Antonine Wall at the east end of what is now Callendar Park. It was a huge wooden hall, some 80ft long by 30ft wide, with a central line of massive posts supporting a thatched roof. Part of the floor was paved and a central hearth provided warmth and status to those allowed to sit by it. The structure was dated by radiocarbon methods to c981AD.

The building was purchased by Falkirk Burgh council in 1962 from the Forbes family and lay empty for over twenty years before the 1980s restoration scheme which brought it back to something approaching its glory days.


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