Drummond Castle Drummond Castle is located in Perthshire , Scotland . The castle is known for its gardens , described by Historic Scotland as " the best example of formal terraced gardens in Scotland . " It is situated in Muthill parish , south of Crieff . The castle comprises a tower house built in the late 15th century , and a 17th - century mansion , both of which were rebuilt in Victorian times . The gardens date to the 1630s , although they too were restructured in the 19th century . The formal gardens are protected as a category A listed building , and are including on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland . The tower house and mansion are both category B listed . History . The lands of Drummond were the property of the Drummond family from the 14th century , and the original tower house was built over several years by John Drummond , 1st Lord Drummond of Cargill , from about 1490 . In 1605 the 4th Lord Drummond was created Earl of Perth , and added to the castle . John Drummond , 2nd Earl of Perth , laid out the first terraced garden around the castle in the 1630s . The castle was sacked by the army of Oliver Cromwell in 1653 , during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms . James Drummond , 4th Earl of Perth was Lord Chancellor of Scotland under King James VII . He began the mansion house in 1689 , before being imprisoned following the deposition of King James by William of Orange . He later fled to the exiled Jacobite court in France . The Drummonds continued to support the Jacobite cause in the uprisings of 1715 and 1745 . The family retained control of the estate until 1750 when the Drummond properties were declared forfeit and seized by the state . The estate was managed by the Commissioners for Forfeited Estates until 1784 , when it was sold to Captain James Drummond . He began a number of improvements that were continued by his daughter Sarah and her husband Peter Drummond - Burrell , 22nd Baron Willoughby de Eresby ( 1782 – 1865 ) . These included the formal gardens and terraces in the 1830s . Queen Victoria visited the gardens in 1842 . Drummond Castle passed to Clementina Drummond - Willoughby , 24th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby ( 1809 – 1888 ) , and then to her son , Gilbert Heathcote - Drummond - Willoughby , 1st Earl of Ancaster ( 1830 – 1910 ) . The upper stories of the tower house were rebuilt and heightened in pseudo - medieval style in 1842 – 53 . The mansion was renovated in 1878 , to designs by George Turnbull Ewing . The 3rd Earl of Ancaster and his wife , Nancy Astor , replanted the gardens in the 1950s . The castle is now the seat of the 28th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby . Description . The castle is set on part of a prominent spine of rock known as the Gask Ridge , a geographical feature that stretches several kilometres across Perthshire , but is particularly prominent and steep - sided at the site of the castle . The tower house , or keep , is no longer used as a dwelling . It is adjoined by a later , but better preserved , gatehouse ( built 1629 – 30 ) . Stretching between the tower house and the edge of the ridge , it was originally intended to control access to the courtyard behind , which has a fine view over the formal gardens . To the south of the castle on its rocky outcrop are the formal gardens . The buildings and gardens of Drummond Castle featured as backdrops in the 1995 film " Rob Roy " .