Scottish Castles Association

Charles McKean & Lord Steel

The Nigel Tranter Memorial Award is an annual event, where the Scottish Castles Association, recognises an individual or group whose efforts have contributed significantly to an area that is of interest to the Association and its membership.

The Council hope this award will encourage the recipient and will further the memory of our founding President Nigel Tranter O.B.E, who during his lifetime worked tirelessly to promote Scotland, its culture, its history and the preservation and rescue of its historical buildings.

The 2004 award was made to Professor Charles McKean of Dundee University for his work in the the area of Scottish history and in its architecture.

The Scottish Chateau

The particular work that prompted the Scottish Castles Association Council to grant the award to Professor McKean was his recent publication "THE SCOTTISH CHATEAU - The Country House of Renaissance Scotland".

This is a radical, and controversial, reassessment of the development of the country house in Renaissance Scotland. The book begins by examining why Scotland's country houses were called castles and how by reconsidering the periodic divisions, a different interpretation emerges.

The award was made during the 2004 annual general meeting, held in Huntly during the April castles tour in Aberdeenshire. The presentation was made by our President The Rt. Hon. The Lord Steel of Aikwood, KT, KBE, PC, DL.