Goldengrove

Goldengrove is the seat of House Rowan . It is located east of Red Lake in the northern portion of the Reach. Goldengrove is situated along a river which flows from the hills near Silverhill south to Highgarden. The current Lord of Goldengrove is Lord Kayl Rowan.

## Location

In the northern area of the Reach, in the Reach proper, Goldengrove is along a river that flows down from Silverhill down to Highgarden and connects to the Mander. The noble house of Rowan takes residence there, and has remained as the seat of the family since it was first founded. Around the lands are fertile farmlands as well as a large apple orchard.

## History

Goldengrove remained the seat of House Rowan since before Aegon’s Conquest . Rowan Gold-Tree, the daughter of Garth Greenhand  is the figure that is associated with the founding of House Rowan. According to legend, she was so bereft when her lover left her for a rich rival that she wrapped an apple in her golden hair and planted it upon a hill. From the apple grew a tree whose bark, leaves and fruit were yellow gold. Where her tree grew in where Goldengrove was built.

During Aegon’s Conquest, the King of the Reach, Mern IX Gardener, met with Loren Lannister, King of the Rock. The commanded a mighty host and soon marched north.

During the Bloodraven rebellion , Goldengrove was pillaged and sacked by the Westerlands while the armies of the Reach were away. It took many moons before the lands were able to be tilled and tended to again.

This behavior from the Westerlands would continue during Durran’s Defiance , as Goldengrove was besieged and pillaged. The keep was seized when Lady Evelyne Rowan  surrendered it to protect her family and people.

## Layout

In the fields that fall under the holding of House Rowan and Goldengrove is fertile soil and many farms and farmers. Melons are grown in the farmers, along with trees of fireplums.

Nearer to Goldengrove there lies an apple orchard outside the walls of the keep. It’s tended by farmers as well. Many apples are also turned into apple cider, which the holding exports.

Within the city walls there is a lot of space outside of the castle. There’s a rookery where the ravens are kept, and a row of appartments where guests can stay if there is an overflow, but they are mostly used for housing for the servants of other workers in and around the castle.

Beside the apartments is a blacksmith that the people of the castle use the services of. Across from the rookery is a kennel where the hunting dogs and hounds are kept by the kennel master. Beside that is a small sept where a Septon and a septa reside to provide the Faith of the Seven. Beside the keep is a river and a small fisher’s nook is present.

Directly beside the castle of the west is a garden of wildflowers and other flora. On the east side in a training area for the soldiers and guards, as well as more sleeping areas for the guards.

Inside the keep itself it the Great Hall, decorated and stylized as the perfect room to greet a visitor into the keep. At the back of the hall is where the Lord sits while sitting in attendance and holding court. To the east of the hall is the kitchens with the buttery, larder, and pantry are all used and stocked.

To the west of the hall lies another dining hall where it holds many tables to host feasts or other events. The main table is where the noble family sits, with others for visiting guests. Servants or other workers will eat here to, often off to the side.

Behind the Great Hall are two more rooms, the library which the noble family has access to, as well as any nobility in the household. The guard house is where many guards stay while not on duty, and serves as a pseudo tavern for the men.

A grand staircase leads to the second floor of the keep. The bedchambers are kept here, one for each member of the family, along with a large solar for the Lord and Lady of the house. These areas are also equipped with boudoirs and lavatories. A few extra bedchambers are set up for use of noble guests or visiting relatives. When not in use these rooms are used for studies or personal areas.

The final room on the second level is the council room where the household will meet and hold council sessions about matters affecting the holdfast, the region, or the realm.

Beneath the castle however, are a series of tunnels that lead into the cellars where extra supplies, food or otherwise is stored. There are a few entrances to the cellars, but few know about them. The ones accessible from the outside near the kennels are obvious, and lead to the food and supplies storage that servants will use frequently. They connect the pantries in the kitchen where there is another trapdoor.

There is a private area of the cellars however, that is known to a select few handmaidens and servants that is used to protect the noble family, but the entrance’s exact location is kept a well guarded secret. Lady Evelyne Rowan used the cellars to protect her children during Durran’s Defiance. Leading out of these tunnels is a possible escape route that leads down to the river. The escape wasn’t used during the war however, as the children were very young, and the risk of enemy soldiers seeing them was too great of a risk.