View from west

Description View from west

Date 8/10/2001

Collection Records of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland (RCAHMS), Edinbu

Catalogue Number SC 768818

Category On-line Digital Images

Copy of E 15490 CN

Scope and Content Curling Pond Pavilion, Balmoral Estate, Aberdeenshire This charming little rustic timber pavilion was built c.1852, and stands beside a man-made curling pond in the wooded grounds of the castle. It is constructed in the rustic style that was highly fashionable in the Victorian era, and painted in 'Balmoral beige', a colour originally chosen by Prince Albert. The swept roof has deep eaves that project forward to form a covered verandah supported by six roughly-hewn tree-trunks. An elaborate iron cresting runs the length of the roof ridge, and a small chimney in the centre provides a vent for a wood-burning stove. The bench along the front of the pavilion provided sheltered seating for spectators watching the activities on the ice. The curling pond, a shallow pond that froze over in winter, was constructed at a time when there was a huge growth of interest in the sport, and it was played by thousands in nearly every Scottish parish. It was built for the staff, servants and tenants, and was one of several recreational and sporting activities that the royal family provided for their employees (particularly when they were unlikely to be in residence at the time). The game was played on outdoor ice until the early 20th century when the Scottish winters became gradually milder, and the low temperatures required to freeze the pond occurred less frequently. The pavilion provided a store to keep the heavy granite stones that were hurled across the ice in the course of the game, and the brooms or brushes used to sweep the ice to guide the path of the stones. The Balmoral estate was bought in 1852 by Prince Albert and Queen Victoria at their own expense as a Highland retreat from the stresses of London life. Prince Albert initiated many improvements, including the building of a new holiday home, Balmoral Castle, in 1853-5, and the construction of new cottages for estate workers, new stables, new bridges, roads and a model dairy. Much of the Balmoral estate owes its present appearance to Albert's activities. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/768818

File Format (TIF) Tagged Image File Format bitmap