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Step Back in Time to 1945
Over 4000 visitors enjoyed this superb event on
Saturday 18th September to celebrate 60 years of Culzean in the care
of the National Trust for Scotland. The weather was fine and
everybody had a great time.
The Kennedy family handed over the magnificent Culzean Estate to the
Trust in 1945. Since then, much work has been undertaken by way of
restoration and nowadays, conservation, to ensure the Castle and its
estate are preserved for future generations to
enjoy and admire. ‘Step Back in Time’ celebrated this work and the
foresight of the Kennedy family by presenting the castle as it might
have been in 1945.
There were many attractions to entertain visitors. At Home Farm
there was a wonderful old funfair carousel with horses and music to
excite younger visitors. Outside the restaurant was an anti-aircraft
gun and on the walk down to the castle there were displays of old
farming equipment, wartime mobile medical units and a range of very
fine American army vehicles. In the courtyard outside the castle
shop there was a street party; fruit juices, sandwiches, jellies and
ice cream - as much as you could eat! What a brilliant idea. In a
large marquee on the castle lawn there were a range of
entertainments throughout the day including comedians and bands. The
castle itself was of course beautifully decked out and full of
activities to get visitors involved and enjoying themselves, from
singing and dancing in the Round Room to catering in the Kitchen.
And everywhere you looked there were people in costume. Nurses,
soldiers, ladies and gentlemen in the latest ’45 fashions as well as
 General
Patton and Field Marshall Montgomery zipping around in a jeep. There
was one poor heavily bandaged soldier who staggered around all day
and never seemed to get medical help!
It was also a great pleasure to see so many influential visitors
there, including the Provost and the Marquis of Ailsa.
On the night before the event a large diner-dance was held in a
marquee on the fountain lawn. This too was a great success.
It only remains to thank all those
who worked tirelessly to make this event such a great success.
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