The Castle of Mey
THE CASTLE OF MEY
The Castle and Gardens of Mey was the beloved holiday home of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother. Situated in Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland, the beautifully restored castle and gardens is where The Queen Mother spent many happy summers. She was particularly fond of and dedicated to the Castle’s shell garden and its flowers.
The Castle caught the eye of The Queen Mother in 1952, whilst mourning the death of her husband, King George VI. It was then known as Barrogill Castle, and was about to be abandoned and left to ruin. The Queen Mother fell for its secluded charm and magical setting and was determined to save it. She was devoted to restoring and renovating the castle, ensuring that its Scottish heritage was cherished.
Today, the gardens are becoming more sustainable and the wide variety of fruit, vegetables and flowers that were first planted by The Queen Mother and grown in the garden are used in produce at the tearoom. The Queen Mother contributed greatly to many royal gardens, but none more so than the Castle of Mey which remains truly her own. It is a remarkable example of the way that vision and energy can create an accomplished garden in the most unlikely of locations.
THE COLLECTION
Capturing the charm of the Queen Mother’s favourite castle and gardens is the Castle of Mey collection of fine bone china tea and tableware, all lovingly handcrafted in England. The essence of the garden to which she devoted so much time and dedication is captured in the pastel palette of decorative flowers, and each piece is hand gilded for a gleaming finish.
" WE ARE THRILLED TO COLLABORATE WITH THE CASTLE & GARDENS OF MEY TO FORM THE MOST EXQUISITE COLLECTIONS REFLECTING THE TRUE BEAUTY OF THE CASTLE AND ITS GROUNDS. "
Pamela Harper, Chairman & CEO of Halcyon Days
THE SHELLS COLLECTION
In 1980, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, The Queen Mother, was presented with a gift of a mosaic from the Gordon family. The creative piece was made using groatie buckies and other shells from the nearby coastline to depict The Queen Mother’s cypher surrounded by shells emulating floral patterns. The beautiful piece has inspired soft pink version, forming The Shells Collection, an extension of The Shell Garden Floral Collection.
OUR CONNECTION
The magnificent gardens provided many sources of inspiration for our enchantingly British collection, particularly the Shell Garden, where The Queen Mother would spend sunny afternoons sitting with her corgis. The Shell Garden remains as it was in Her day, and contains pansies, primulas, carnations and the Albertine rose – all of The Queen Mother’s favourite flowers. In the Shell Garden Floral Collection, we have paired each of her favourite flowers with a pastel colour to create timeless pieces that combine traditional designs with contemporary shapes.
A percentage of sales from the collections will be generously donated to The Castle & Gardens of Mey Trust.
VISIT THE CASTLE OF MEY WEBSITE
