Reformation History – Glamis Castle

Glamis Castle, the ancestral home of Queen Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, the Queen Mother, is one of the most beautiful and historic castles in Scotland. It’s a great place to visit.

But did you know the castle was almost lost in the 17th Century due to the owner’s support of the Covenanters?

John Lyon, 2nd Earl of Kinghorne was one of the richest and most powerful nobles in Scotland. Being a supporter of the Covenanters he used his fortune and estate to raise money for huge supplies of weapons to arm the Covenanter army following the signing of the National Covenant in 1638.

John Lyon was a friend of James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, who originally fought on the side of the Covenanters. He was with Montrose at the Battle of the Bridge Of Dee when the Covenanters were victorious over a Royalist force on the 18th/19th June 1639.

However, when Montrose switched allegiances and fought for the Royalist cause, John Lyon didn’t and took an active part in organising the forces raised against his former friend. He also continued to financially support the Covenanter cause at great personal expense.

John died in in 1646 and when his son Patrick Lyon, third Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, inherited Glamis, there were debts of around £400,000, a massive amount at that time. It was said that John Lyon came to his inheritance the wealthiest peer in Scotland but left it the poorest. It looked as though Glamis would be lost.

Patrick Lyon was just a child of four years old when his father died, but after studying at St Andrew’s University, and using shrewd business skills and effective estate management, he was able to restore the family fortunes. Throughout the 1670’s/80’s he transformed Glamis into one of the grandest castles in Scotland.

But whereas his Father was Presbyterian and a Covenanter, Patrick was Episcopalian and a Royalist. He had no love for the Covenanters, blaming his father’s support for them as the reason the family wealth was lost.

At the restoration of Charles II in 1660 he travelled to London to kiss the King’s hand. In 1662 he was married in Holyrood Abbey to Lady Helen Middleton, the service being conducted by friend and former Covenanter turned persecutor Archbishop James Sharp. He was close friends with other persecutors of the Covenanters including Graham of Claverhouse and the Earl of Middleton. He also received the title of the Earl of Strathmore and became a colonel of the Forfarshire Regiment of Foot Militia. His regiment was with the Highland Host sent to the South West of Scotland to deal with the Covenanters, and they operated in Ayrshire and Lanarkshire. The Highland Host behaviour was shocking, treating the locals extremely harshly. Patrick also sat on the Privy Council.

So that’s Glamis Castle’s connection with the Covenanters, one owner fought for and supported them, the other fought against and persecuted them.

Lots to see and learn on a visit to this stunning castle.