A SCOTTISH castle believed to have inspired Walt Disney has had its iconic pink colour restored.
Craigievar Castle was first built in 1626 by Aberdonian merchant William Forbes and has remained effectively unchanged since.
The castle in Aberdeenshire has been undergoing essential maintenance work for over a year near the village of Alford.
After it was affected by wet weather, the National Trust for Scotland’s (NTS) Pink Again project aimed to carry out high level repairs to the building’s roof and harling, while refreshing the lime wash that gives the castle its distinctive look.
The centre has been closed to visitors while the work took place and a grand reopening for the public is expected in the spring.
James Henderson from the National Trust for Scotland previously said: “It’s already known around the world, ultimately for potentially being the inspiration behind Disney Cinderella Castle, but definitely for being pink.
READ MORE: Live travel updates as Storm Gerrit causes chaos across Scotland
“We want to keep the building as protected as possible. While the harling and the limescale on the outside do an excellent job, there are vulnerable areas where water can seep in.
“If we can add some subtle details which aren’t visible from ground level that won’t change the overall aesthetic of the overall building – it is still as it was and how people remember it, but it will do a better job of protecting the building overall.”
Annie Robertson from the NTS said: “Craigievar came to the trust in the 1960s and until then it had been home to the same family for hundreds of years and very much the castle we inherited was as they had it, as they lived in it, it was their home.
“Part of the agreement of the trust taking over the property is that there wouldn’t be great changes and the castle hasn’t seen much change since it was completed in the early 17th century. So it doesn’t have electricity on the upper floors for example, it very much still feels like a family home.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel