Scottish Country Dancing Dictionary

Crathes Castle

Scottish Country Dance Instruction

CRATHES CASTLE (One For The Millennium) (S3x48) 3C set Ted Willitt RSCDS Book 44

1- 8 1s set, ½ turn RH to face down in prom hold, dance down below 3s, cross LH and cast up to 2nd place own sides
9-16 2s+1s+3s dance reflection reels of 3 on sides (1s in and up to start and all giving hands where possible)
17-24 1s dance ½ Fig of 8 round 2s and ½ Fig of 8 round 3s
25-32 1s dance RH across (1L with 2s and 1M with 3s), all chase clockwise ½ way to opposite sides. (3)(1)(2)
33-40 1M+3s (at top) also 1L+2s circle 3H round to left and 1s end turning to face each other, 1s set, dance out through 2nd place opposite sides up to top. (1)(3)(2)
41-48 1s+3s+2s advance and retire for 1 and Link for 3 and repeat. 231

(MINICRIB. Dance crib compiled by Charles Upton, Deeside Caledonian Society, and his successors)


Keith Rose's Crib Diagrams


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Crathes Castle - Scottish Country Dancing Instruction Video

Dance Information

Crathes Castle (pronounced "crath-es") is a 16th-century castle near Banchory (pronounced "ban kuh ree") in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. The castle and grounds are owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland and are open to the public.

This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for almost 400 years. (In Scottish usage, harling describes an exterior building-surfacing technique which results in a long-lasting weatherproof shield for a stone building.)

Crathes sits on land given as a gift to the Burnett of Leys family by King Robert the Bruce in 1323. In the 14th and 15th centuries the Burnett of Leys built a fortress of timbers on an island they made in the middle of a nearby bog. (This method of fortification, known as a crannog, was common in the Late Middle Ages.)

Construction of the current tower house of Crathes Castle was begun in 1553 but delayed several times during its construction due to political problems during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.

Crathes Castle was completed in 1596 by Alexander Burnett of Leys, and an additional wing added in the 18th century.

Crathes Castle - Information Video

Crathes Castle
Crathes Castle


Dance information licensed under this Creative Commons Licence 3.0.
Text from this original Crathes Castle article on Wikipedia.
Text from this original Harl article on Wikipedia.
Image copyright Bill Harrison under this Creative Commons Licence 2.0.

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