The man acclaimed as England’s greatest gardener designed the landscapes at scores of stately houses. But none of Capability Brown’s works has been so widely seen as the one that was the setting for Downton Abbey. The costume drama that became an international sensation was filmed at Highclere Castle, about a 90-minute drive west of London. It has been the ancestral home of the Earls of Carnarvon for more than three centuries.

Where the fictional Lord Grantham would take lei… (View original article)

President David Crosley welcomed 37 members to the June 9 meeting of Ellon Probus Club.

Vice president Alan Cameron was chosen to give a talk and his chosen subject was a “Secret Garden in Ellon”.

Some people in the town have been unaware of the Ellon Castle Gardens, this was a surprise to Alan when he took over as chairman of the board of directors of the Castle Gardens Trust.

Having initially acquired the property, Scotia Homes and Barratts gifted the C… (View original article)

WITH beautiful tranquil gardens, 500 acres of landscaped parkland, a deer park and a stunning Grade I listed mansion, Wentworth Castle Gardens are one of South Yorkshire’s best kept secrets.

Located South West of Barnsley, just two miles from junction 37 on the M1, the gardens are an oasis of calm filled with fantastic flowers and plants, whose colours come to life during the months of March and July.

With more than a dozen different gardens and areas to explore, rangin… (View original article)

Specially commissioned animations and comic strips will illustrate a new tourist attraction at Inverness Castle.

Construction is currently underway to turn the North Tower into a viewing platform with sweeping views over the city and surrounding countryside.

Now Highlife Highland, who will operate the attraction, have advertised four separate contracts for artwork for the facility.

It will include a graphic installation or comic strip on the first floor and a decorative scheme on the walls of the stairwell to the viewing platform.

Short animated films have also been commissioned for the first and second floors of the new tower.

In total, the artworks will cost up to £30,000.

High Life Highland chief executive Ian Murray said: “I am very pleased to see these final contracts going out as the castle viewpoint gets ready for its first visitors…. (View original article)

£260k boost for historic Killeavy Castle

South Armagh MLA Megan Fearon has welcomed news that vital conservation and regeneration work is to be carried out on the historic Killeavy Castle.

Fearon was speaking after the recommendation proposed by party colleague Councillor Terry Hearty saw the Council approve £260,000 for the project.

“This is a fantastic project that will not only see that the 200 year old castle is conserved and redeveloped but will also… (View original article)

The finance manager of the world famous Dromoland Castle hotel has settled her High Court action aimed at preventing her purported dismissal.

Orla Horgan applied to the High Court for an injunction preventing her employer, Dromoland Castle Holdings Ltd from terminating her employment as finance manager.

She claimed she was being made “a scapegoat for fraud at the Five Star hotel” due to suspicious transactions carried out by another employee in the finance department which she had “nothing to do with”.

Her lawyers had previously secured permission from the High Court for service of the proceedings at short notice on her employer. The matter returned before Mr Justice Paul Gilligan at the High Court today (Tuesday).

Oisin Quinn, SC for Ms Horgan, said the action had been settled and could be struck out.

… (View original article)

Wednesday, 22nd June 2016

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