DOUNE, CENTRAL SCOTLAND
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MONTY PYTHON'S SIEGE CASTLE IN "THE HOLY GRAIL"

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        Doune capitalized on the success of Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Python pilgrims from the UK, America, and elsewhere continue to flock to the hulking castle in hopes of expressing their irreverence. Some video themselves acting out short-but-famous scenes from the film. Others cannot resist crying out silly quotes ("Bring out your dead!" or "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelt of elderberries!") when they arrive. Historic Scotland—who manages the castle on a 999-year lease—reckons that visitors to Doune have increased more than 40% (they receive about 25,000 visitors a year) since the Pythons searched it for the Holy Grail.

3-HEADED PYTHON: TERRY JONES,
GRAHAM CHAPMAN, MICHAEL PALIN.

THE CASTLE TODAY
        Best preserved? Doune is a fairly large courtyard-type castle with most of its architecture dating from the 14th and early 15th centuries. Its most prominent features are two great keeps about 6 stories high. There is an imposing 40-foot-high curtain wall and parapet. Among the many room’s, the great Lord’s Hall with its musicians’ gallery, double fireplace and carved oak screen are the most memorable. Doune Castle provides a living, working castle with a labyrinth of rooms, interconnecting passageways and staircases.

DOUNE ON BROADWAY — ERIC IDLE’S ‘SPAMALOT’
        Doune Castle hit the big time again in 2005 with the March Broadway opening of the musical, Spamalot, starring David Hyde Pierce, Tim Curry, and Hank Azaria, and directed by Mike Nichols. Superb reviews ("The best musical to open on Broadway this year." – the Times) made Spamalot the hottest ticket in town with the biggest Broadway buzz in years. The play was nominated for 14 Tony Awards including the prestigious "Best Musical.
        Former Python Eric Idle penned Spamalot, based on the 1974 film, Monty Python and the Holy Grail. Idle also penned these comments about his musical play:

        "It’s endearingly silly. It has a freshness and a simplicity which is rare. I think it has some of the same charm as ‘A Hard Day’s Night’: young men ignorant of what exactly they are doing but totally confident about it."

        "Arthur’s attempts to round up his knights and stop them bickering and running away is perfectly mock heroic. Almost epic."

        "Let’s just say that it is an odd hybrid of Vaudeville, Stand-up, Drag show, Variety, Revue, Broadway Musical and Fairy Tale. It’s full of double-entendres and cheap theatrical effects" and "as good as or quite likely better than any other show with killer rabbits and a legless knight opening on Broadway this season."

DOUNE CASTLE OPENING DAYS & TIMES: Open all year by this schedule:
• Summer: April thru Sept.: Mo-Su 9:30AM – 6:30PM
• Winter: Oct thru March: Sa-We 9:30AM- 4:30PM.
• Closed Th & Fr during winter and Dec. 25 & 26 and Jan. 1 & 2.

DOUNE CASTLE ADMISSION:
• Castle: Adult £3.00, Child £1.20, Senior/Student £2.30
• Grounds: Free
• Parking: Free
        You may park and walk the grounds at Doune Castle for free. But the fairly minor entrance fee gives you the run of the place, whether you are there to imagine Mary Queen of Scots, murder most foul, Witherspoon the imprisoned Signer, or Michael Palin and the boys.

IMPORTANT NOTES:
• Safety: American guests will be surprised at the openness of the high walkways and stairwells, which would probably be closed to the public in the U.S. for safety (lawsuit) concerns. Keep an eye on your children. All that openness is a great temptation to unsupervised kids with vivid imaginations.

• Access: The castle courtyard and cellar, including display, is accessible via a steep, cobbled (but partially timbered) tunnel. Assisted access is possible for the determined, but is difficult. There are 24 steps to the great hall and kitchens and 14 steps to the Baron’s Hall.

NEAREST HOME AT FIRST LODGINGS:
    Doune Castle is within easy day-trip range of Home at First’s cottages in Central Scotland (20-50 minutes to the northwest), or to Home at First’s apartments in Edinburgh (90 minutes northwest).

GETTING TO DOUNE CASTLE:
      Home at First guests coming from Central Scotland cottages drive the A84 south twenty minutes past Callander (direction Stirling). Before crossing the landmark bridge in Doune, turn left into town, on the A820 east—direction Dunblane. Watch carefully for the castle driveway on the right side of the A820 about ¼ miles after leaving the town of Doune. The driveway is a one-laner with blind turns—go slowly!

SPECIAL EVENTS AT DOUNE CASTLE: Doune Castle hosts some special events you might want to participate in, or avoid:
• The Quest for the Chivalrous Heart (Medieval Tournament Events)
        The Society of Creative Anachronism hold a medieval tournament with armored combat and renaissance swordplay, archery, medieval and renaissance dancing, historical cooking (and feasts) and historical costuming. Expect anything that would have been done in the dark ages, middle ages or renaissance—barring things like pestilence and torture—all in a recreated medieval setting at Doune Castle. Visitors are welcome to view the activities and talk to the participants.
• When? Third Saturday in August, 11AM – 5PM.

MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL AT DOUNE CASTLE

• Monty Python Day at Doune Castle
      Screening of Monty Python and the Holy Grail in the Doune Castle courtyard. Also a sing-a-long of favorite Python songs and contests to determine the best Pythonesque impersonation/performance and the best Python costumes. All visitors get a souvenir goody bag.
• When? First Sunday in September 4:30PM – 8:30PM
• Tickets: 500 tickets available at £15/adult and £10/seniors/students.
• Get tickets from Hub Tickets, Tel: +44 (0)131 473 2000.

PYTHONS INVADE DOUNE CASTLE AGAIN!

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