Floors Castle

The house as it stands today is the product of two main phases of construction. The first, constructed between 1721 and 1726 for the 1st Duke, was from architect William Adam, and was inspired by an original design from Sir John Vanbrugh. The Georgian house was perhaps added to the east end of an existing tower house, on a natural terrace overlooking the Tweed. The grandeur and setting of the house prompted Sir Walter Scott to declare Floors, ‘a kingdom fit for Oberon and Titania to dwell in’. During the time of the 6th Duke, between 1836 and 1847, the Edinburgh architect William Playfair brought the original building into harmony with its landscape park by grafting on an appropriately fairytale silhouette, as well as a number of extensions and the coach port. The result is one of the most iconic buildings in Scotland, with Playfair writing in 1838, ‘The Duke and Duchess are extremely cordial and much pleased with the alterations on their house and are quite resolved to do all I recommend inside as well as outside’.

Floors Castle is the largest inhabited house in Scotland, and opened to the public in 1977. It remains one of the iconic pieces of Scottish architecture, and as a dwelling, has few rivals in the UK. Whilst it is a visitor attraction, it is, first and foremost, a family home. The current duke (11th Duke of Roxburghe), is the eldest son of the 10th Duke and Lady Jane Grosvenor. The 11th Duke has one daughter, Eugenie, and married in September 2021. He currently lives at Floors Castle with the Duchess, Annie.