Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-11-29

Description OF the Queens Hishan"
Home.


BALMORAL.
Description OF the Queens Highland
Home.
Situated in the little parish of Crathie,
in Aberleenshire. IS the royal mansion OF
Balmoral. the spring and autumn residence
of her Majesty. Queen Victoria H. Is one
of the most picturesque spot, OF the 0c0'-
fish Highlands, being almost compitI mnN
surrounded by majestic mountains ~
castle is situated on the r'Sht oank OF tnc
river Dee. in what Is termed the Brae-nar
Highlands. not far from the famous Gram
man SUBMITS. Ben NacDhui. Cnrnt0ni'
and CairrO7m. The scenery al AROUND is
picturosquelv grand. To tine east Is thf
Rocky Craig DaToch. or mountain OF
oaks and the wild Pass Of Eaiialer. -
the west is the Fort George military ROAD.
the historic Cairn-ua-Cuimhuc. an 0nci'u'
mpcfiug-placc for the clans in tfouulou7
times. and also lvorcauld On the south, Is
the Lill of Criig-Gowan, close 90 the caslie'
while the river Dee flows past Oh tur
northern side between the castle and Ile
village of Crathie. Towering IN the oi7-
lance may be seen the peak Of LoClhasai,
while not So very far away * the lam or
Dee and tile falls az the Muck ana ile
Grrrawait. Her Majesty. in her itiiSc
b
Our Life in the Highlands thus cesciIoe7
Ler first impressions OF the spot:
Tho scenery is Wild and Yet not desc
! late. T. was $50 clim. so solitary, aii ING
pura mountain air was SO reifr-liuG.
| And I'm this wild but beautiful 9'IL sur
rounded rs 10 is bv iuacceesloie GINS.
| famne torrents. and lofty perks oldA Is
/ the layorite refroat of orr widowed queen
The Castle ot BImorll Wa I'D u'f9
! J.. ]. H. ]
/ T.rl Of Fife lut was lct 60 Nu i'o"'t
[ Gordon ON long lease. and was @re',F
! enlarged during Dis period or tenure III
! r-l9 IN WIS selected o., % rovai re-.i'h,''
/ lur until 1851 30 was only r0nt'n ny tn'
/ Oupon. when the reyer-lon ot tDt le''t
/ WAS purchased. The constant ucdiuoII7
! and alterations which had Oetn h,der
| ou the building themselves, hnd ~
| surroundings. left IL nm SUCH p STATE g.
/ IN ia hardly suitable for q royal re~t-
/ 1srco Fresh additions also We're maze
! whom IL WI, ken over bv thc royal I4mi'N
/ Inn oven then 10 was ier too small. pr s.
! ira-rn.mg end Attiu. -rloms hAd 10 oJ
/ r-iligad as bedrooms. aud the NUMBER al
! oif'ral4 etc.. IN Attendance had Away I'D
/ /. curniled I'm 1881 me-" eah',' Dl.l"
/ worthy of being her MAJ iy hpou ""'
erected by her royal cons TO- i.I lili''
/ AIpfr. or p site close % that on Mhicu
/ tha original buildings stood. Lut
"a little uraror the river. ms me"
rrqn4lon is the one ~ present 10 cXlsien'',
/ and i- buiit of granite, the prcf1lhuE I3.A
| H., H.. ,.ir.ntt- II is roddsG-hr9Nu an
color. md la the architecture the - ISM
! iaflnnui style rcpOldeiatc7. III w
autumn of 1865 aer MaJc.ty iis' ,n.'l,
tins neg e9ihce which had been pr PAT -
/ for her reception. Most ot lh, 'l" '.'-''
inrs had been demolished, only d Jew OF
,L,.u reuaiuiug "a, Of old. The Queen rs
Yer, muca struck with the change Wnl,h
/ She Witnessed. and thus describes what sue
"Ata quarter past we arrived al dear
! Balm0ral Strange, .~rr strange, III 7''illt .
90 me 90 drive past, indeed tnfou-u W.
old Louso-the CONNECTING part Del%ec" ~
and the Offices being broken through IN
old shoe was thrown after US lutoi ,Io
! house Tor good luck when We enleI'u '"'
han. The house IS charming, the ROOMS
delightful, the furniture, papers, ever
thing perfection" :.:....t
LluckSof buildings, with connecting WiI-''
and n large square projecting tower Ten ~, H.
iug 20 height of about 100 lerl. ~
tower Is adorned by u clock, wnlCh cum u'
| seen from great distance, ana Whlcu ie%-
ulatrs the tine of day All over the district
! The principal entrance 40 me CASH. %
from the south. Inside the building every .
thino il i'm keeping with the sweet
si,nnlici-v around. On the ground
G0or are tue public rooms, Che principai
being the duing-roOm ana drawn
room. and also the billari-room ana IL
brar. Above these are the royal Apail-
mants. The Queens own apartments are
rather more richly decorated than those ON
the Ground floor. but all are large, ana
very t5-tefuNv furnished. Adjoining VI.
| wnll4 mnv be- seen NUMBER "i
her Maio,ty's own etchin9s and paint
ings. Drawing and painting used 'o
he the fayorite aialsemeut or hel
Majesty. and large numbers Of hei
works may be seen 40 ell the rolal res
dencos. Her fayorlte painter was Sf -" III
laudseor. whose picture of LocA Lag
o,un IS specially priced 10y her Majesty oh
account OF the circumstances attending IT'S
production. The story IS good one. 81
we repeat il here: Sir Edwin was on hl-
vav To- the castle Of BalmOral 70 attend I'D
the Queen who was pupil OF MS ana on
coming % Loeb Laggau was IN DOUBT az 20
| his nearest road. Espylng man WIN 3,
pony not far OF be shouted 10 INN anu
babe him hurry around the l9ch % "u,I-
he knew the Queen 10 DO and inform neI
that he would join her presently
The old Highlander did as he was oiideu,
rather h0uured at being dispatched
on such an errand. Suddenly hc came
across a lady sitting on large stone hti
two children by her side, and paper, pen
| ellis, aud other skCtchiug necessarles lFlHy
hear. Taking OFF his cap, he inquired
Could YOU tell me, lady. where can NM
the Oueenfn Oh, yes" replied the lazy
3, am the Queen" Inns vas TOO Hiq tl,lii
the old fellow, however. who could hardIS
believe it, for ne simply put his hands upOi
his knees, stared her Majesty IN me tace
and exclaimed. cannon" her Majesty
of course. was highly amused, and whei
Sir Edwin arrived commissioned MN (,
paint the incident. Iheresult was the PIE
ture. Loeb Laggan," representing h5,l
; Majesty with the young Pflhcess 10Y ~
and the Prince of Wales, the easel, the
pony. and the old man standing WIN li
hands on his knees, unbeLevlng.. In Ael
Maiestv's sitting-room at Balmoral there l.
another priced mementO of the famous
painter-yiz.. a set Of photos of every
thing he painted.
Tho ballroom az the castle is in the cen
ire OF the building and projects towards
the north 1t IS large and spacious, an'
very neatly decorated. The buunings OF
the northeast are chiefly reserved as apart
ments for the royal servants and oincial'
IN attendance. On this side are the offices
while the laundry is also situated neal
here There are numerous stables an,
} coach-houses in connection with th'
p castle. The grounds IN the vicinity arr
- very tastefully laid out, and among othei
, interesting features contain q statue o
J the late prince cOnsort, and also memo
rial obelisk erected by the tenants OF
r the estate. The estates Of Balmora. prope
comprise about IL 600 acres OF land, while
, the neighboring estates of Abergeldie an'
Birkhall are also royal property. The littll
, parish church Of Crathie, where her Ma
iesty used TO worship her Creator with tn
humblest OF her subjects, IS situated Of
the opposite bank OF the river Dee iron
the castle, and is reached by handsom
= suspension bridge thrown across the riyer
, The Queen was accustomed To attend tn
l service in the church during her stay Il
. the Highlands, but strangers began to Noe
TO the church on purpose 70 see her, AM
as she objected TO be stared at IN churcl
7 she had private chapel set up at tn
castle.
Many of the spots in the vicinity of Bal
moral have become of interest IN connec
= ton with incidents in the life OF the roya
, family here Rising up behind the castl
| is. as We have said, the hill OF Cralg-an