The outside of Callendar Home in Falkirk, Scotland. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Callendar Home in Falkirk, Scotland, was a filming location for ‘Outlander’ season two.
The mansion dates again to the 14th century and was house to the highly effective Livingston household.
Callendar Home is now a free vacationer attraction and wedding ceremony venue, showcasing its wealthy historical past.
Followers of “Outlander” can go to an historic Scottish mansion the place a part of the sequence was filmed — and it will not value a penny.
Callendar Home in Falkirk, Scotland, was used as a filming location in season two of the historic drama sequence.
However the constructing’s cultural and historic significance stretches past the TV present. Relationship again to the 14th century, Callendar Home was as soon as house to the Livingston household, probably the most highly effective noble households in Scotland.
Alexander, the fifth Lord Livingston, was appointed guardian of Mary, Queen of Scots, after her delivery in 1542. The royal visited Callendar Home on many events, and he or she was shut mates with Alexander’s daughter, additionally named Mary.
Lately, Callendar Home is a free vacationer attraction and personal occasion venue. I took a tour and was amazed by the constructing’s magnificence.
I spent a day exploring Callendar Home, a 14th-century stately house recognized for its connection to Mary, Queen of Scots and “Outlander.”
The creator pictured outdoors Callendar Home. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
The mansion was constructed close to the location of the Antonoine Wall in Callendar Park, which the Romans constructed within the 2nd century AD.
Callendar Home. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
The wall stretches 36.5 miles throughout Scotland and was constructed principally out of layers of turf. In keeping with an exhibition I considered at Callendar Home, round 9,000 Roman troopers have been concerned with the development.
Although traces of the wall are seen in different components of the nation, it wasn’t clearly seen at Callendar Park.
The mansion was house to the Livingston household from the 14th century till the 18th century.
Callendar Home. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Callendar Home was constructed by William de Livingston within the 14th century, based on an exhibition I considered throughout my go to.
Although initially constructed as a tower home for protection functions, it was additionally house to the Livingston household for 4 centuries.
The constructing is free to go to. Upon getting into, you will discover a present store with postcards, books, and youngsters’s toys.
The doorway and present store. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
There have been a number of “Outlander” impressed presents, together with books concerning the making of the present.
Books about “Outlander” within the present store. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
The mansion has greater than 15 rooms throughout three flooring.
The principle hallway and staircase resulting in the primary flooring. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Some rooms aren’t open to the general public as they’re used as places of work or for personal occasion rent.
The constructing was beforehand used as a marriage venue. After my go to, a spokesperson for Callendar Home knowledgeable me that the venue solely presently permits weekday ceremonies and that it now not has a marriage coordinator.
Life-size replicas of the Livingston household may be present in a everlasting exhibition concerning the mansion’s origins on the primary flooring.
Statues of the Livingston household. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Alexander, the fifth Lord Livingston, and his spouse — whose identify is unknown – have been shut with Mary, Queen of Scots, the exhibition mentioned.
They hosted her at Callendar Home on quite a few events, as Alexander was a guardian to Mary following the demise of her father, James V.
Like most of society through the sixteenth century, the Livingston household was Protestant. In keeping with the exhibition, they have been “loyal supporters” of Mary, who was Catholic.
A duplicate of a costume worn by Mary, Queen of Scots. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Catholicism was outlawed in Scotland after the Reformation in 1560.
The faith was formally and legally reintroduced within the nineteenth century with The Emancipation Act of 1829, which “permitted civil and political liberty to Catholics in Scotland,” based on the Scottish Catholic Heritage Collections Belief.
The mansion’s Georgian kitchen was used as a filming location for “Outlander” in 2015.
The Georgian kitchen the place “Outlander” was filmed. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
The Georgian kitchen was used to painting the Duke of Sandringham’s home within the eleventh episode of season two, titled “Vengeance is Mine.”
Behind-the-scenes photographs of the set have been on show.
Photographs from the set of “Outlander.” Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Callendar Home is round a 30-minute drive to Wardpark Movie Studios in Glasgow, the place a lot of the season is filmed.
The mansion’s second and third flooring are used for varied exhibitions. One exhibition is “Reside it Paint it” by Falkirk-based artist Lys Hansen.
An artwork exhibition. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
Hansen is a up to date painter who makes use of artwork to painting her ideas on motherhood, intercourse, and politics.
Most of the work I considered had nudity in them. Hansen spoke of her determination to color bare our bodies in a video proven on the exhibition.
“We cover issues away. We cowl up, and we predict extra about our imperfections than our magnificence,” she mentioned within the video.
“It is the factor you reside in, breathe in… it is the one factor we ever personal.”
The exhibition is on show till August 24.
I used to be blown away by the mansion’s colourful decor.
A mural on the ceiling. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
This mural on the ceiling above the staircase was considered one of my favourite items of decor.
After finishing the tour, I sat down within the tea room on the primary flooring.
The tearoom at Callendar Home. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
The tea room overlooks the leafy Callendar Park. The menu included a collection of teas, sandwiches, and truffles.
I seen the tea room was busier than different components of Callendar Home, and I puzzled if some locals had visited solely for the meals since entry was free.
I opted for a cup of English breakfast tea and a banana-and-chocolate scone.
Tea and scones within the tearoom. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
The scone was scrumptious, and the full value got here to simply over £5, or round $6.40, which I assumed was cheap.
Whether or not you’re a historical past buff or an “Outlander” fan, I like to recommend visiting Callendar Home.
Callendar Home in Scotland. Mikhaila Friel/Enterprise Insider
I totally loved my go to to Callendar Home and was shocked by its magnificence and historical past.
I realized a lot concerning the native historical past and was thrilled that entry to the customer attraction was $0.
I might undoubtedly suggest it to royal fanatics or “Outlander” followers — or to these on the lookout for a enjoyable, free day trip.
