A long history

Carlowrie Castle boasts a fascinating history. While the castle we know today was built in 1852, artefacts related to the Carlowrie land date as far back as the Jacobean era.

Learn more below.

During the reign of King James VI of Scotland (the only son of Mary, Queen of Scots and who later went on to become King James I of England) Carlowrie was undergoing major change.

A castle was being built and a section of the land was to be given to James Lindesay of Esperstoun. A deed outlining the change of ownership was scribed onto goatskin parchment dated 19 August 1591.

This historic deed can be found on display at Carlowrie Castle today.

The aforementioned castle had long fallen into disrepair when Edinburgh-based wine merchant and Provost of Leith, Thomas Hutchison purchased the land. He commissioned David Rhind, a famous architect known for his grand commercial buildings, to build Carlowrie Castle in the location of the former castle. This would become the Hutchison family home from 1854 to 1982.

If you look above the front door to the castle you’ll see the Hutchison coat of arms carved into the stone.

Arguably the most fascinating resident of Carlowrie Castle was Isobel Wylie Hutchison, who lived from 1889 to 1982.

Isobel was a formidable woman who defied traditional norms, choosing to lead a life of adventure instead.

She became an Arctic explorer, author, botanist and a poet. Her adventures saw her traverse Iceland and Greenland on solo expeditions, learn eight languages fluently, and capture some of the earliest documentary footage ever recorded.

In 1982 the castle was sold to the Marshall family, the only other family to have called Carlowrie their home.

It was sold to their son, Andrew Marshall, in 2012 who carried out a 2 year refurbishment and opened the castle as the luxury events venue it is today in 2014.

Less than a year after opening, Carlowrie Castle was recognised as one of the top three venues in Europe with under 200 bedrooms at The International Hotel Awards.

In 2022 Carlowrie Castle was named as one of the eight best wedding venues around the world by Grazia Magazine, the only UK venue to be included in the list.

The core values of the castle have remained true to those of Isobel Wylie Hutchison, and the business strives to make a positive impact for the community and the environment.

In 2024 Carlowrie Castle gained B Corp certification for its exceptionally high standards of social and environmentally conscious practices.