Drummond Castle
Drummond Castle Gardens is a seasonal historic garden visitor attraction in Perthshire, Scotland, operated by a charitable trust. It sells day tickets, season passes, holiday cottage rentals, group tours, and seasonal events to tourists, Outlander fans, and day visitors.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersMuthill, Crieff, United Kingdom
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Drummond Castle does
Drummond Castle Gardens is a historic formal garden visitor attraction located in Muthill, near Crieff in Perthshire, Scotland, operated by The Grimsthorpe & Drummond Castle Trust, a registered charity in Scotland (SC039364) and England & Wales (507478). The gardens date to 1630 and comprise a 9-acre parterre with 5 miles of beech and box hedging, ancient yew hedges, a beech tree planted by Queen Victoria in 1842, and a 17th-century polyhedral sundial by John Mylne; the castle itself remains closed to the public. The attraction is seasonally operated, open 1 May to 31 October annually.
The business sells directly to consumers through a third-party TYG Tickets online booking platform, offering day admission (£4 adult, £3 senior, £2 child, £10 family), season passes, and gift vouchers. Supporting revenue streams include holiday cottage rentals (Drummond House and Thornhill House) with unlimited garden access, private one-hour group guided tours, and a calendar of seasonal events: an annual Charity Open Day (benefiting BLESMA, Maggie's, and others), Easter and Christmas family events, and the historic Papingo archery shoot. The site also generates incremental income as a filming location, most notably doubling for Versailles in the Starz series Outlander (Season 2) and previously for United Artists' Rob Roy. Marketing is dominated by earned media — Visit Scotland's Outlander location map, BBC iPlayer's Monty Don's British Gardens (January 2025), Country Life editorial coverage, and active Facebook and Instagram channels — supplemented by partnerships with Scotland's Gardens Scheme and on-site food and beverage operators.
Drummond Castle firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Drummond Castle
- Legal name
- The Grimsthorpe & Drummond Castle Trust
- Website
- https://drummondcastlegardens.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Drummond Castle Gardens is a seasonal historic garden visitor attraction in Perthshire, Scotland, operated by a charitable trust. It sells day tickets, season passes, holiday cottage rentals, group tours, and seasonal events to tourists, Outlander fans, and day visitors.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Drummond Castle industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Heritage Garden Visitor Attraction
- NAICS
- Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219)
- SIC
- Hotels, Rooming Houses, Camps & Other Lodging Places (7000), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions (THAJACAH)
Keywords
Where Drummond Castle is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Muthill, Crieff
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Drummond Castle business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Admission Tickets: Revenue from day tickets, season passes, and gift vouchers for garden admission. Gardens open 1 May to 31 October annually.
- Holiday Cottage Rental: Stay on grounds of Drummond Castle with unlimited garden access. Drummond House accommodates up to 4 guests and two dogs.
- Group Tours: Private guided tours arranged for groups, lasting approximately one hour.
- Events and Charity Days: Special events including charity open days, Easter activities, Christmas events, and filming location services.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Standard Day Admission |
| Subscription | Annual | Season Pass |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Gift Vouchers |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Charity Open Day |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Drummond Castle product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Drummond Castle operates one of Europe's most important formal gardens as a seasonal visitor attraction in Perthshire, Scotland. It sells day tickets, season passes, and gift vouchers for garden admission from 1 May to 31 October, offers on-site holiday cottage accommodations, and hosts private group tours plus recurring events such as the annual Charity Open Day, Easter, Christmas, and the Papingo archery competition.
Product overview
Drummond Castle Gardens is a historic formal garden visitor attraction offering a portfolio of ticketed garden admission experiences, accommodation services, and seasonal events. The core offering consists of day tickets and season passes granting access to one of Europe's most important formal gardens. Supporting services include holiday cottage accommodations on the estate grounds and private guided group tours. The event portfolio encompasses annual special events including the Charity Open Day, Easter celebrations, Christmas in the Gardens, and the traditional Papingo archery competition. The gardens have also served as filming locations, notably for the TV series Outlander and the film Rob Roy.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Garden Admission Tickets Day tickets providing access to Drummond Castle Gardens during the open season from 1 May to 31 October, for individual visitors, families, and tourists.
- Season Passes Unlimited access passes to the gardens for the entire open season, available for purchase upon entry or online, targeted at returning visitors and local enthusiasts.
- Holiday Cottages Self-catering holiday cottages on the Drummond Castle estate (Drummond House and Thornhill House), accommodating up to 4 guests and two dogs with unlimited garden access during stays.
- Group Tours Private guided tours of approximately one hour led by knowledgeable guides, followed by free time to explore the gardens, for organised groups and private parties.
- Charity Open Day Annual ticketed charity open day with pipe bands, Highland dancers, vintage cars, face painting, raffles, and family entertainment, with proceeds supporting BLESMA and Scotland's Gardens Scheme.
- Easter Events Seasonal Easter weekend activities including egg hunts, treasure trails, and special appearances by the golden bunny, designed for families and children.
- Christmas in the Gardens Seasonal Christmas event featuring Santa visits, treasure hunts, sleigh rides, woodland walks, and seasonal refreshments, for families.
- Papingo Shoot Annual ancient archery competition hosted by the Ancient Society of Kilwinning Archers, where participants attempt to dislodge a decorated wooden bird from atop the Drummond Castle Keep to win the Drummond Silver Arrow.
- Gift Vouchers Gift vouchers available for purchase as presents for garden visits via the TYG Tickets secure payment site.
- Classic Car Events Ticketed special events hosting classic and vintage car displays, including Rolls-Royce gatherings, on the castle grounds.
Quantifiable outcome
- 9 acres of formal parterre garden with 5 miles of hedging
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use Drummond Castle
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Drummond Castle technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Drummond Castle partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- BLESMAcoreBLESMA is a regular beneficiary of Drummond Castle Gardens' annual Charity Open Day events. Substantial amounts have been raised surpassing previous years, donated to support BLESMA's charitable mission.
- Scotland's Gardens SchemecoreDrummond Gardens participates in Scotland's Gardens Scheme, opening to raise money for hundreds of charities. The annual Charity Open Day proceeds support multiple charitable causes including BLESMA, Maggie's Cancer Care Centres, The Queens Nursing Institute Scotland, The Garden Fund of the National Trust for Scotland, and Perennial.
- Visit ScotlandcoreVisit Scotland - Perthshire promotes Drummond Castle as part of Outlander filming location tourism routes. The gardens served as filming location for Versailles in Outlander Season 2, and Visit Scotland features the location in their interactive Outlander map and promotional materials.
- Ally Jupp's 'Little Red' Coffee WagonminorLocal business providing hot drinks and cakes in the castle courtyard during the 2025 open season, starting from 5th May.
- Julia's 'The Wee Red Wagon'minorCoffee wagon providing hot and cold drinks and cake in the castle courtyard during summer seasons for visitor refreshments.
- Grimsthorpe & Drummond Castle TrustcoreThe gardens are operated by the Grimsthorpe & Drummond Castle Trust, a charity registered in Scotland (SC039364) and England & Wales (507478). The trust manages both Grimsthorpe Castle and Drummond Castle estates.
Scale indicators4 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Drummond Castle competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Glamis Castle: Angus castle estate with formal gardens, ticketed seasonal admission, and events. Comparable Scottish heritage attraction with similar product mix and operating model.
- Falkland Palace: Scottish royal palace and gardens operated by NTS with ticketed admission. Also a featured Outlander filming location, sharing the same fandom-driven visitor segment as Drummond.
- Inverewe Garden: Historic Scottish garden (NTS) with ticketed seasonal admission and similar rural Highland location. Comparable as a heritage botanical attraction monetised through day tickets and season passes.
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh: Scotland's leading botanical garden visitor attraction. Directly comparable as a Scottish garden destination with ticketed admission, season passes, events, gift retail, and educational programming targeting garden enthusiasts and tourists.
- Crathes Castle and Garden: NTS castle and historic walled garden near Aberdeen with ticketed admission and seasonal opening. Comparable as a heritage garden attraction monetised through day tickets and events.
- Doune Castle: Historic Scotland castle and prominent Outlander/Monty Python filming location with ticketed visitor access. Closely comparable as a heritage site monetising film tourism in Scotland.
- Culzean Castle and Country Park: National Trust for Scotland heritage property combining castle, designed gardens, and country park with ticketed admission and seasonal opening. Comparable Scottish heritage attraction with formal gardens and event programming.
- Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens: Perthshire castle estate with formal gardens, holiday accommodation, and ticketed admission. Near-neighbour geographic peer with overlapping visitor base and product mix (gardens, events, holiday stays).
- Castle of Mey: Charitable trust-operated Scottish castle with gardens, ticketed seasonal opening, and event programming. Closely comparable operating structure (charity) and visitor experience.
Broad incumbents
- National Trust for Scotland: Largest operator of heritage gardens and castles in Scotland, running dozens of properties including Culzean, Crathes, Falkland, and Inverewe. Comparable as the dominant incumbent operator of paid Scottish heritage garden attractions.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Drummond Castle social profiles
Digital presenceDrummond Castle financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Drummond Castle leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Drummond Castle funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Drummond Castle M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Drummond Castle
What does Drummond Castle do?
Drummond Castle operates one of Europe's most important formal gardens as a seasonal visitor attraction in Perthshire, Scotland. It sells day tickets, season passes, and gift vouchers for garden admission from 1 May to 31 October, offers on-site holiday cottage accommodations, and hosts private group tours plus recurring events such as the annual Charity Open Day, Easter, Christmas, and the Papingo archery competition.
Is Drummond Castle a public or private company?
Drummond Castle is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Drummond Castle founded?
Drummond Castle was founded in -1.
Where is Drummond Castle based?
Drummond Castle is headquartered in Muthill, Crieff, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Drummond Castle make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Admission Tickets are the primary driver. The others are holiday Cottage Rental, group Tours and events and Charity Days.
Who are Drummond Castle's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Glamis Castle, Falkland Palace, Inverewe Garden, Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Crathes Castle and Garden, Doune Castle, Culzean Castle and Country Park, Blair Castle and Hercules Gardens and Castle of Mey. National Trust for Scotland is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Drummond Castle have an API?
No public API is recorded for Drummond Castle.
What industry is Drummond Castle in?
Drummond Castle's product category is Heritage Garden Visitor Attraction. Its primary akta.pro industry code is THAJACAH, Parks, Gardens & Botanical Attractions. Its NAICS code is 712130 and its SIC code is 7000.