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1314 - Robert the Bruce led the Scots to
victory over the English at the Battle
of Bannockburn, leading to the English
accepting Bruce as King of Scotland. William Irvine
was one of the Kings most loyal followers.
Robert the Bruce then began taking Castles
and Estates from Scots Clans that tried to
prevent him becoming King, so as to award them
to Clans that fought with him.
1325 - Robert the Bruce granted Drum Castle
and Estate to William de Irwyn / Irvine. It is
thought William Irvine had the Tower heightened
at that time.
1619 - a large wing was added by the 9th
Laird. This wing has little defense, so the
Tower was retained for safety during times of
War.
1640s - the Covenanters Wars begin as most
Scots Clans rebel against King Charles I
Stuart, based in England, as he was trying to
control Scottish Churches. The Irvine's of Drum
Castle remained loyal to the Stuart King,
leading to Drum Castle being fought over and
captured by Covenanters two times. The end of a
series of Wars at that time, Covenanters, Wars
of the Three Kingdoms, and English Civil War,
ended with the Stuart Kings back in control of
the Country.
1714 - Queen Anne Stuart died in 1714, with
her second cousin, George I of the House of
Hanover in Germany, becoming king of Great
Britain. This led to a series of Jacobite Wars
as Scots Clans wanted a Stuart King, with these
Clansmen known as Jacobite's.
1746 - Alexander Irvine, 17th Laird of Drum,
fought with the Jacobite's at the Battle of
Culloden. After the defeat of the
Jacobite's, Alexander was captured with him
dying in an Edinburgh prison. His younger
brother Robert survived the Battle, then hid in
a secrete room in Drum Tower to avoid capture
by Government Troops. This secret room was
discovered in 2014.
The Battle of Culloden was the last major
Battle in Britain, with the Hanover Kings and
their descendants being the Monarchs of the
country to this day.
It is unclear how the Irvine's managed to
retain control of Drum Castle at that time, as
most Clans that fought with the Jacobite's at
Culloden, had their properties taken by the
Crown to be sold to the highest bidder.
Alexander is said to have hid in the Tower
for three years while his sister Mary ran the
Estate. Alexander is then said to have traveled
to France, living in Paris for a number of
years before being allowed back to
Scotland.
1875 - architect David Bryce added a new
entrance and hall for the Irvine's.
1975 - the death of the
24th Laird of Drum, Henry Quentin Forbes
Irvine, saw Drum Castle gifted to the National
Trust for Scotland as part of his will, so it
could be preserved as a tourist
attraction.
2009 - the Mains of Drum Garden
Centre opened on land at the entrance to Drum
Castle with a Restaurant and Food Hall.
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