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Top European heritage tours
The morning we visited Blair Castle, another Murray clan residence, started off with the classic Scottish drizzle and fog, making our drive difficult. It also concealed the true grandeur of the Blair Atholl mansion, which represents the shift in castle-building from a fortified tower to a manor home. The architectural mix of towers, crenellations and Georgian elements result in the castle's fairy-tale look. Before the tour, we met with archivist Jane Anderson who not only guides tours but also maintains the archives of the castle—things like hundreds of years’ worth of rental books and all the family papers. She has met with people on genealogy quests who know that their ancestors were tenants on the land and helps them pore over the books for evidence of their family’s presence.
From the entrance hall stocked like an armory with displays of swords and muskets to the richly furnished rooms, the interior of the castle impresses with its overwhelmingly Victorian style. The most fascinating parts were the rooms and pieces that tell a story. For instance, the bed that accompanied the 1st Duke when he was arrested and tossed out of Holyrood Palace.
More than just the family-specific sites, be sure to enjoy your ancestral region’s other offerings. Taking in the attractions and seeking out the local culture will give you a feel for your ancestors’ lives. And, of course, when in Scotland, there’s no better way to get a taste of tradition than sampling the malt whisky. Perthshire has a handful of noteworthy distilleries, including Glenturret, the country’s oldest; and Edradour, the country’s smallest and the one that fit perfectly into the itinerary.
Our last day in the shire was spent at Scone Palace, another Murray stronghold that, like Blair Castle, is the sometimes-residence of its Murray occupants—in this case the Earls of Mansfield. The family retains part of the mansion while the rest is open to the public, and on the day we arrived, hundreds of antique dealers for the annual fair. Sadly, the occupants weren’t able to greet me, but when planning a genealogical tour, operators will often arrange a meeting with relatives that they uncover during their research.
Though not as striking as Blair Castle, Scone Palace stands on the grounds of what was once the capital of the Pictish empire, where Constantine and Macbeth held sway. These weighty historical roots give the estate an air of the sacred—or maybe I was just drawn in by the drama of Scotland’s history. Alasdair MacDonald showed us around, regaling us with anecdotes about the palace, like how the Stone of Destiny, used for coronations and now displayed in Edinburgh Castle, was recovered from the Scone lands. Or how Queen Victoria once played a game of curling in the Long Hall, the longest room in Scotland.
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When planning a heritage trip of your own, avoid large, disorganized tours by hiring an individual tour manager and guide who takes a special interest in genealogy. It also helps to know when your relative arrived in the U.S. and some basic facts about him or her, but many companies will help you do the in-country research. Read on to find out about more heritage tours that you can take in Europe.
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