Reception Rooms at the Castle
On this page you will find images of the Public or Reception rooms of the Castle, available as part of out exclusive use offerings.
The Baron's Chamber
The Tower's main sitting room, the Baron's Chamber has been decorated in the style of the turn of the 17th Century, around the time that the first floor of the tower was divided into two rooms, and this room became a private sitting room for the Baron's family and their personal guests. It also is appointed with artworks and artefacts highlighting the family's connection to the Royal Stuart family and the Jacobite Cause.
The Entrance Hall
Directly next to the Baron's Chamber, the Entrance Hall has been decorated in the Georgian Gothic, or Strawberry Hill Gothic style, featuring a plasterwork ceiling, and a light Georgian colour palate.
The Great Hall
The Great Hall was developed out of an original chapel, which was extended during the reformation period to form a Great Hall. Here, the business of Barony of Buittle was administered, the annual feasts held, and a general gathering space for the community at the Castle and the wider Barony afforded a warm welcome. Today the space is used in much the same way. Restored and decorated with reference to the former chapel out of which the present room was born, our own Castle Events are held here, our breakfasts and dinners for B&B guests are served, and our tour guests have their afternoon tea here. The space is a popular venue for our exclusive use offerings, being used for weddings as a ceremony space and a space to have receptions or wedding breakfasts, as well as for all manner of large gatherings for teas, dinner, and other parties.
The Chapel
During the Reformation, the Maxwell family, who remained Roman Catholic, dismantled the Chapel of Ease which would become the Great Hall of today. The family was then part of a cohort known as 'Recusant Catholics', and, as such, had to keep their religious practices in secret. The solution - to wall off a small chamber at the back of the ground floor vaulted undercroft of the tower. This was appointed with a small secret entrance, accessible from the main house, and likely hidden by panelling. Today, we have installed a chapel in honour of the Maxwells, making use of the whole of the vaulted undercroft of the tower. It operated as an Orthodox Shrine to Our Lady of Walsingham, an extremely popular medieval devotional image of the Virgin Mary, and services are regularly held. The chapel is also open regularly for prayer and contemplation. We are occasionally able to make this space available for appropriate events, please contact us if you're interested.
