November 14th 1626

The Earl of Montrose's wake

Blair Atholl Castle

Kincardine Castle between Auchterarder and Gleneagles is now a ruin but was once the principal residence of the Dukes of Montrose. When John, Earl of Montrose, died at Kincardine on November 14th 1626, the event was commemorated with an extraordinary period of feasting. Many of the important mourners brought gifts for the occasion; Lord Stormont brought two birsell fowls, six partridges and twelve plovers; the Laird of Lawers a blackcock, five moorhen and part of a hind; while Glenorchy brought a grey hind.

But in addition to any gifts brought in by friends there were large supplies of beef, mutton, lamb, veal, hams, capons, geese and other poultry. There were game birds in plenty including moorhen, ptarmigan, blackcock, capercaillies, partridges, wild geese, plovers and woodcock. There was cheese, butter, eggs, herring and confectionery. To wash down such quantities of food there were vast amounts of claret, white wine and Easter Ale.

But this celebration was not confined to the immediate period after the Earl’s death. The feasting continued for a whole eight weeks until the mortal remains were finally laid to rest at Aberuthven in January. As one observer put it “So rich a bill of fare has never before been produced in Scotland in these degenerate days upon any one occasion at mourning or at feast time.”