Inspired by Paris’s Pont des Arts, which groaned under the weight of the ‘love locks’ symbolically fastened onto it, Dundas Castle marked the 600th birthday of its Auld Keep by giving couples the chance to attach a silver lock onto one of the Keep’s gated windows.
As one of the country’s oldest venues, the Auld Keep’s past is as colourful as you might expect – it has been a prison, a home, a fortress and an RAF base – and, now, the locks have allowed some of the castle’s newlyweds to make their own mark on this exclusive-use gem. Scottish jeweller Highland Angel provided the heart-shaped padlocks, which were engraved with the new Mr and Mrs’ names and date.
“We have thoroughly enjoyed celebrating the Keep’s 600th year with our happy couples,” says general manager Louise Andrew. “They have all said how special it is to leave a lock behind, giving them a piece of its amazing history. We’d managed to keep the token as a surprise for each pair, and they were all extremely touched by the gesture.”
Bride Katy Carmichael, whose mother owns Highland Angel, was blown away by the romance of it all. “We didn’t know anything about the locks when we first booked our wedding at Dundas Castle,” she admits. “To have made it into the 600th anniversary celebrations and also to receive one of my mother’s locks was a treasured addition to our day. We’re so proud to be part of this lovely commemoration.”