Earl John's Room

The next room, Earl John's Room, is devoted to the royalist Murray Earl already mentioned. His portrait hangs by the window, on the same wall are portraits of his son John, the 2nd Earl, afterwards 1st Marquis, with his wife Lady Amelia Stanley. Above the fireplace is a picture of the great Marquis of Montrose who raised the King's standard at Blair in 1644. The bed, hung with red velvet, dates from about 1650 and the carved walnut chairs from about 1665. The clock is by Joseph Knibb, clock-maker to King Charles II. An item of particular interest here is one of four original copies of the National Covenant of 1638, in which the Scottish Covenanters pledged themselves to resist Popery, Prelacy and Superstition. Here are also preserved the helmet and breastplate worn by Viscount Dundee when he was mortally wounded at the battle of Killiecrankie. He was buried in the Kirk of St Bride in Old Blair.