The Royal Palace of Falkland

Falkland Palace was built between 1501 and 1541 for the Stewart monarchs.

Situated in the small village of Falkland in Fife, the Royal Palace of Falkland embodies centuries of Scottish history.  Adopted as a residence by James II, enlarged and embellished by James IV and James V, inhabited by Mary Queen of Scots and her son James VI, and visited by Charles I, the palace witnessed the changing fortunes of the romantic dynasty of the Stewart kings and queens until, in 1651, Charles II left Falkland to face defeat and exile. The building was subsequently damaged by fire while occupied by Cromwell's troops, and allowed to fall into ruin by successive generations of Hereditary Keepers. The office of Keeper was acquired in 1887 by a descendant of the Royal Stewarts, the third marquis of Bute. He rebuilt and restored much of the palace.  His grandson. Major Michael Crichton Stuart and his wife, Barbara, made it their home after the Second World War.
They commissioned Percy Lane, a designer of international repute, to lay out the grounds. The result is a beautiful garden, marrying the formal and informal. It is centred on an extensive lawn that recalls the 'lang butts' where James V practised archery.

The Renaissance architecture of Falkland Palace owes much to James V, who employed remarkably skilled French masons. The result was the transformation of a stronghold into a palace. However, the palace was never a state residence, more a country retreat, and it was here that the Stewart kings and queens came to relax by hunting and pursuing other sports.

Today, visitors enter the palace through the gatehouse, which contains the private quarters of the Captain, Constable and Keeper ot the Royal Palace of Falkland and these are open to the public. In the Keeper's Bedroom is a four-poster bed that reputedly belonged to James VI. Falkland Palace is probably most famous for its magnificent Chapel Royal, which is still used as a place of worship and reflects the splendour of early 17th-century Scottish royal interiors. There are many other rooms to be enjoyed, including the Tapestry Gallery, the Kings Room, where it is said James V died, and the Queens Room, which was restored to commemorate Mary Queen of Scots year. At the bottom of the garden is the Royal Tennis Court. Built in 1539 for James V, it is the oldest in Britain. The game that was played there bears little resemblance to lawn tennis and it is said that it can take as long as a year to master the rules.