| Built in the
style of a French chateau and set in the
magnificent grounds of Falkirk's Callendar Park,
Callendar House has long played a major role in
the area and Scotland's history, through wars,
rebellions and the Industrial revolution, and has
played host to many great historical figures over
the centuries, such as Mary Queen of Scots,
Cromwell and Bonnie Prince Charlie. It is not known when the
first building to occupy the site on which
Callendar House now stands was built, however the
name of Callendar, or de Kalynter as it was then,
is thought to go back to the 11th Century at
least, and the name Malcolm de Kalynter appears
in 1239, when he was granted land by King
Alexander the Second. The de Kalynters would
almost certainly have had a fortified house of
some description but unfortunately no information
survives.
A descendant of
Malcolm, Patrick de Kallentar became involved in
plots against King David the Second in 1345, and
as a result his lands were forfeit. The King
granted the estate to Sir William Livingstone,
who had fought and been captured with him at the
Battle of Durham in 1346. Sir William promptly
strengthened his title to the land by marrying
Christine de Kallentar, daughter of Patrick.
|
| The
Livingstones were to play an important role in
both local and national events for the next 400
years. Sir Alexander Livingstone came to
prominence after the murder of King James 1 at Perth in 1436. He was
the effective Regent of Scotland until the infant
James II was old enough to ascend
the Throne. Sir Alexander died in 1451 and is
thought to be buried in Falkirk Old Parish
Church. The
5th Lord Livingstone was the Guardian of Mary Queen of Scots, and she spent much of
her early life at Callendar House. It was at the
House on the 4th September 1543, that the
Scottish leaders decided to ignore the Treaty of
Greenwich, under which the Queen was to marry
Prince Edward, son of Henry VIII. Henry launched
a series of border raids to punish the Scots for
their impudence, and it was eventually decided to
send the Queen to safety in France. Lord
Livingstone went with her, and it was in France
that he died.
|
|
 |
 |
|
The next Lord
Livingstone, William, was also close to Queen
Mary, and she was to visit Callendar House many
times on her return from France. He stayed with
the Queen throughout her troubled reign and on
into her exile in England. Following her
execution at Forthergay in 1587, Lord William
returned to Callendar House, where he died in
1592. |
| The 7th Lord
Livingstone, Alexander, son of William, along
with a number of men from Falkirk helped save
King James VI at the time of the Cowrie
Conspiracy. As a result James placed his daughter
Elizabeth under the protection of Lord
Livingstone, and she too spent a great deal of
time at Callendar House. Elizabeth was later to
marry Fredrick of the Rhine, which gave the
Hannovarians their claim to the throne in later
years. Alexander was created the First Earl of
Linlithgow in 1600. He died in 1622 and was
succeeded by his son, also Alexander. He sold the
estate too his brother, James, in 1633. James
served in the army of the Covenanters against the
King when he and men from Falkirk fought at
Marston Moor. Later in the Civil War, many Scots
changed sides and James found himself bearing
arms for the King against Cromwell. |
| Following the
defeat of the Scots at the Battle of Dunbar in 1650, James fled to
Holland. An English army came to Falkirk and laid
siege to the House. Around 50 Royalists were
killed and a number taken prisoner Peace finally came with
the Restoration of King Charles II in 1660 and
the Earl of Callendar returned to Falkirk, where
he died in 1672. He is buried in the Old Parish
Church.
|
|
|
 |
|
The early years
of the 18th Century saw the downfall of the
Livingstone family in Falkirk. James, the 5th
Earl of Linlithgow and 4th Earl of Callendar,
sided with the Old Pretender in 1715, and his
participation in the Battle of Sheriffmuir led to him losing his
lands and he was forced into exile abroad. His daughter, Lady Anne
Livingstone gave hospitality to Bonnie Prince Charlie before the Battle of Falkirk , but after his defeat
at Culloden her husband, the Earl of Kilmarnock,
who had fought alongside him, was beheaded for
treason. Lady Ann left the House , never to
return. She was the last of the Livingstones of
Callendar
|
| In 1783 the
Estate went to auction and was bought by Aberdeen
Coppersmith William Forbes. Forbes was a typical
example of the self made businessman who were to
drive the Agricultural and Industrial
Revolutions. Falkirk was already established as
one of the centres of Scottish agriculture with
its famous cattle Trysts, and the new iron
foundries and canals were to make it one of the
most important industrial centres of the western
world. |
|
 |
| Forbes and his
descendants kept Callendar House for nearly 200
years. Their efforts created the house and
grounds seen by the visitor today. This article written by John
Walker.
|
Callendar
House has now been restored to its former glory,
and is now being developed as a major heritage
centre by Falkirk Council.
|
 |
|
The
candle lit fully working Georgian kitchen,
dominated by a huge open fire and convection
driven spit capable of roasting an ox, offers the
visitor the chance to step back into a world that
has now gone. Staff in period costumes not only
give an insight into working conditions in the
house over the centuries, but prepare the same
food that was enjoyed at the grand social
occasions which once graced the house. Marvel at the
splendour of the morning room, again with staff
in period costume recreating the daily tasks.
See the
Printer's and Clockmaker's Workshops and watch
and learn about these important trades from the
19th Century.
|
| Visit the
General Store, where textiles, spices, candles
and sweets were sold and explore the Georgian
Garden in the grounds, where traditional plants
and herbs are grown using traditional methods. 
Housed in the
magnificent oak panelled Victorian Library,
wealth of archive material from photographs and
maps to books and documents on Falkirk District's
extraordinary heritage can be found in the
History Research Centre. Tel : 01324 503770 for
an appointment.
|
|
 |
 |
|
The Major
William Forbes' Falkirk exhibition will take you
through the history of the town from the days of
the Jacobites to the introduction of the railways
and temporary exhibitions are also staged
throughout the year. For further details of
current exhibitions and opening hours see the Callendar House official webpage, or phone 01324 503770. |
| Not only is
Callendar House itself a pleasure, its grounds,
including a pitch and put course, children's
adventure playground, boating lake and the Antonine
Wall,
makes it an unmissable experience. |
Email Callendar House
Visit The Callendar House
Homepage
back to History & Heritage index
HOME
Falkirk &
District Town Centre Management Ltd
Page designed by J Dawson
This page last updated on February
03, 2000
|