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‘Downton Abbey effect’: Scottish castles feel surge of interest

Angus Lennox, head of the estate managing Speyside's Gordon Castle
Angus Lennox, head of the estate managing Speyside's Gordon Castle

A new conservation campaign has been launched to help safeguard Scotland’s stately homes and castles following a huge increase in tourism from the “Downton Abbey effect”.

The “Support Scotland’s Heritage” movement will seek to capitalise on the success of the TV series by encouraging the public to enjoy the joys the country’s mansions, strongholds and old seats of power have to offer.

Launched by the Historic Houses Association Scotland(HHAS), the scheme hopes to drive even more tourism to its sites across the nation after numbers rose to more than 12 million visits per year, which the association’s chairman has said could be due to the British public’s fascination with Downton.

Lord Andrew Hopetoun, chairman of the HHAS, said: “We’re launching Support Scotland’s Heritage with a view to taking the major tourism contribution from Scotland’s independently-owned historic homes to a new level.

“There’s no doubt that over the last couple of years we’ve enjoyed some of the benefits of the Downton Abbey effect.

“People love visiting historic and stately homes and are doing so in increasing numbers.

“It’s a tourism, leisure and economic success story that Scotland needs to build on.”

One of the association’s member buildings, Gordon Castle in Speyside, has attracted visitors to the region for generations.

The castle’s estate is currently run by Angus Lennox, along with his wife Zara.

Mr Lennox said: “It is vitally important that Scotland’s historic gems live on, and we are delighted to play our part in the Support Scotland’s Heritage campaign.

“At Gordon Castle, we have developed an ambitious diversification plan which includes a £1.2 million restoration of the walled garden.

“We wanted to build upon this amazing historic asset and produce a sustainable income stream for generations to come in order to ensure Gordon Castle lives on.

“Stately homes and castles play a principal role in telling our country’s history and we have received huge support from the public who recognise their history is interwoven with ours.”