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65-451: Fell Ponies vary a good deal in weight and size, so ponies may be found to carry almost any rider. The average height of the breed is 13.2  hands (54 inches, 137 cm), and the upper height limit for the breed is 14  hands (56 inches, 142 cm). The breed was bred for the unforgiving mountainous environment of Cumbria in north-west England, so they are adaptable to almost any temperate climate. The colours accepted in

130-441: A male human hand, either with or without the thumb, or on the height of a clenched fist. On surviving Ancient Egyptian cubit-rods , the royal cubit is divided into seven palms of four digits or fingers each. Five digits are equal to a hand, with thumb; and six to a closed fist. The royal cubit measured approximately 525 mm, so the width of the ancient Egyptian hand was about 94 mm. In Biblical exegesis

195-525: A residence of the British royal family . It is near the village of Crathie , 9 miles (14 km) west of Ballater and 50 miles (80 km) west of Aberdeen . The estate and its original castle were bought from the Farquharson family in 1852 by Prince Albert , the husband of Queen Victoria . Soon afterwards the house was found to be too small and the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned. The architect

260-433: A dog and a gun by William Theed , was inaugurated on 15 October 1867, the twenty-eighth anniversary of their engagement. Following Albert's death, Victoria spent increasing periods at Balmoral, staying for as long as four months a year during early summer and autumn. She placed numerous mementos of Albert on display. Few further changes were made to the grounds, with the exception of some alterations to mountain paths,

325-476: A granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was born to Princess Beatrice , the fifth daughter of Victoria and Albert. Victoria Eugenie became queen of Spain when she married King Alfonso XIII in 1906. In September 1896, Victoria welcomed Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and Empress Alexandra , a granddaughter of Victoria, to Balmoral. Four years later Victoria made her last visit to the estate, three months before her death on 22 January 1901. After Victoria's death,

390-400: A hand is a base 4 system, a horse 64 inches high is 16.0 hands high, not 15.4. A designation of "15.5 hands" is not halfway between 15 and 16 hands, but rather reads 15 hands and five inches, an impossibility in a base 4 radix numbering system, where a hand is four inches. The hand, sometimes also called a handbreadth or handsbreadth, is an anthropic unit , originally based on the breadth of

455-701: A major factor in promoting the adoption of Highland culture by Lowland Scots . Historian Michael Lynch comments that "the Scottishness of Balmoral helped to give the monarchy a truly British dimension for the first time". Even before the completion of the new house, the pattern of the life of the royal couple in the Highlands was soon established. Victoria took long walks of up to four hours daily and Albert spent many days hunting deer and game. In 1849, diarist Charles Greville described their life at Balmoral as resembling that of gentry rather than royalty. Victoria began

520-420: A policy of commissioning artists to record Balmoral, its surroundings, and its staff. Over the years, numerous painters were employed at Balmoral, including Edwin and Charles Landseer , and Carl Haag . During the 1850s, new plantations were established near the house and exotic conifers were planted on the grounds. Prince Albert had an active role in these improvements, overseeing the design of parterres ,

585-523: A population of 2,000 to 2,500 head. The areas of Lochnagar and Ballochbuie were designated in 1998 by the Secretary of State for Scotland as Special Protection Areas (SPA) under the European Union (EU) Birds Directive . Bird species inhabiting the moorlands include red grouse , black grouse , ptarmigan , and the capercaillie . Ballochbuie is also protected as a Special Area of Conservation by

650-537: A recreational activity has provided the Fell a renewed job, which it traditionally performed for centuries. A few Fell Ponies are still used in Scotland carrying the stags and grouse panniers down from the moors. Some of the ponies of Queen Elizabeth II are sometimes used for this purpose at Balmoral , while others are used for both riding and driving by the royal family. Fell Ponies have recently been used to carry equipment into

715-560: A week. They were favoured by the Vikings as packhorses, as well as for ploughing, riding, and pulling sledges. Their use as pack ponies continued into the 20th century, when they were also used in pack-pony trains and by postal services. Some Fells were famed in the north as fast trotters. Tales are told of distances covered at great speeds by these ponies. Fells at the present are being used for pleasure riding and competitive uses, pack-work, trekking, and shepherding. The Fell Pony can be seen in

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780-584: A working breed of pony with activity, stamina, hardiness, and intelligence that enables them to live and thrive in tough conditions out on the fells in the Lake District . The Fell Pony was originally used as a packhorse , carrying slate and lead , copper , and iron ores . They were also used for light agriculture and the transportation of bulky farm goods such as wool . With their sturdy bodies, strong legs, and equable disposition, and being good, fast walkers, they would travel up to 240 mi (390 km)

845-417: Is "fifteen hands", 15.2 is alternately "fifteen-two" or "fifteen hands, two inches", and so on. To convert inches to hands, the number in inches is divided by four, then the remainder is added after the radix point . Thus, a horse that measures 60 inches is 15 hands high (15 × 4 = 60) and a horse halfway between 15 and 16 hands is 15.2 hands, or 62 inches tall (15 × 4 + 2 = 62) Because the subdivision of

910-407: Is built from granite quarried at Invergelder on the estate. It consists of two main blocks, each arranged around a courtyard. The southwestern block contains the main rooms, while the northeastern contains the service wings. At the southeast is an 80-foot-tall (24-metre) clock tower topped with turrets, one of which has a balustrade similar to a feature at Castle Fraser . Being similar in style to

975-492: Is four-fingers' breadth, being the fist clenched, whereby the height of a horse is measured", thus equating "hand" with both the palm and the fist. Similarly, Wright's 1831 translation of Buffon mentions "A hand breadth (palmus), the breadth of the four fingers of the hand, or three inches", but the Encyclopædia Perthensis of 1816 gives under Palm (4): "A hand, or measure of lengths comprising three inches". Today

1040-424: Is in base 4 , so subdivisions after the radix point are in quarters of a hand, which are inches. Thus, 62 inches is fifteen and a half hands, or 15.2 hh (normally said as "fifteen-two", or occasionally in full as "fifteen hands two inches"). "Hands" may be abbreviated to "h", or "hh". The "hh" form is sometimes interpreted as standing for "hands high". When spoken aloud, hands are stated by numbers, 15.0

1105-583: Is private property and, unlike the monarch's official residences , is not the property of the Crown . It was originally purchased privately by Prince Albert, for Queen Victoria, meaning that no revenues from the estate go to Parliament or the public purse, as would otherwise be the case for property owned outright by the monarch by the Civil List Act 1760 . Along with Sandringham House in Norfolk, ownership of Balmoral

1170-529: The Crimean War , resulting in wild celebrations by royalty and locals alike. While visiting the estate soon afterwards, Prince Frederick of Prussia asked for the hand of Victoria, Princess Royal . The new house was completed in 1856, and the old castle was later demolished. By autumn 1857, a new bridge across the Dee, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel linking Crathie and Balmoral was finished. Balmoral Castle

1235-526: The United Kingdom , and the United States . It was originally based on the breadth of a human hand. The adoption of the international inch in 1959 allowed for a standardized imperial form and a metric conversion. It may be abbreviated to "h" or "hh". Although measurements between whole hands are usually expressed in what appears to be decimal format, the subdivision of the hand is not decimal but

1300-480: The horse show world, seen in in hand , under saddle, and working hunter pony classes. They also do well in driving and endurance riding . They are very suitable for riding and driving for persons with disabilities . A Fell Pony can be used as an all-round family pony. It is capable of carrying both children or adults, and versatile enough to fulfill a variety of jobs otherwise carried out by two or three more specialised animals. The rise of carriage driving as

1365-425: The "King of Prussia's Fountain" was removed from the grounds. In the 1950s, Prince Philip added herbaceous borders and a water garden. During the 1980s, new staff buildings were built close to the castle. Queen Elizabeth II had been at the castle since July 2022 for her annual summer holiday and had been receiving medical care there. In a break with tradition, Balmoral Castle, rather than Buckingham Palace ,

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1430-479: The EU Habitats Directive , as "one of the largest remaining continuous areas of native Caledonian Forest ". In addition, there are four sites of special scientific interest on the estate. The royal family employs approximately 50 full-time and 50–100 part-time staff to maintain the working estate. There are approximately 150 buildings on the estate, including Birkhall , formerly home to Elizabeth

1495-524: The Farquharsons of Auchendryne . In 1798, James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife , acquired Balmoral and leased the castle. Sir Robert Gordon , a younger brother of George Gordon, 4th Earl of Aberdeen , acquired the lease in 1830. He made major alterations to the original castle at Balmoral, including baronial-style extensions that were designed by John Smith of Aberdeen. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first visited Scotland in 1842, five years after she acceded to

1560-503: The Fell Pony Society has risen gradually. All Fell Ponies are registered through the society, with an annual stud book published each year. The society's patron was Queen Elizabeth II . Hand (unit) The hand is a non- SI unit of measurement of length standardized to 4 in (101.6 mm). It is used to measure the height of horses in many English-speaking countries, including Australia , Canada , Ireland ,

1625-495: The Queen Mother. Craigowan Lodge is regularly used by the family and friends of the royal family and has also been used while Balmoral Castle was being prepared for a royal visit. Six smaller buildings on the estate are let as holiday cottages . In 1931, the gardens and castle grounds were opened to the public for the first time. They are now open daily between April and the end of July, after which royal family members arrive at

1690-639: The US, a horse can be measured with shoes on or off. In the United Kingdom, official measurement of horses is overseen by the Joint Measurement Board (JMB). For JMB purposes, the shoes must be removed and the hooves correctly prepared for shoeing prior to measurement. Balmoral Castle Balmoral Castle ( / b æ l ˈ m ɒr əl / ) is a large estate house in Aberdeenshire , Scotland, and

1755-563: The Victorian period. The tower and "pepper pot turrets" are characteristic features of the residence's Scottish baronial style. The seven-storey tower is an architectural feature borrowed from medieval defensive tower houses . The "pepper pot" turrets were influenced by the style of 16th-century French châteaux . Other features of the Scottish baronial style are the crow-stepped gables , dormer windows, and battlemented porte-cochère . Balmoral

1820-556: The ballroom of the castle for three days, to allow the Royal Family, estate staff and neighbours to pay their respects. On 11 September, the coffin was transported to the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh for the start of the state funeral proceedings. Though called a castle, Balmoral's primary function is that of a country house. It is a "typical and rather ordinary" country house from

1885-514: The breed are black, dark chestnut , bay , grey , and chestnuts (if both parents are registered). Piebalds, and skewbalds are not allowed. A star on the head and/or a small amount of white on or below the hind fetlock is acceptable. However, excess white markings are discouraged. The Fell Pony should be hardy and show good pony characteristics, including strong, flat bone. It should exhibit intelligence and self-preservation considered common to British mountain and moorland pony breeds, and at

1950-496: The castle for their annual stay. The ballroom was the only room in the castle that could be viewed by the public until 2024. In April 2024, it was announced that during a month-long summer tour programme the public would be able to view the interior and several rooms used by members of the royal family. Craigowan Lodge is a seven-bedroom stone house approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) from the main castle in Balmoral. More rustic than

2015-443: The castle, the lodge was often used by Prince Charles and Princess Diana when they visited. In May 1981 Charles and Diana posed for a photo at the lodge before their July 1981 wedding . In the obituary of Prince Michael Andreevich of Russia in 2008, it was noted that his family spent most of World War II at Craigowan Lodge. The lodge has been in the news periodically since 2005 because Elizabeth II and Prince Philip often spent

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2080-464: The demolished castle of the 1830s, the architecture of the new house is considered to be somewhat dated for its time when contrasted with the richer forms of Scots baronial being developed by William Burn and others during the 1850s. As an exercise in Scots baronial, it is sometimes described as too ordered, pedantic, and even Germanic as a consequence of Prince Albert's influence on the design. However,

2145-436: The diversion of the main road north of the river via a new bridge, and plans for farm buildings. These buildings included a model dairy that he developed in 1861, the year of his death. The dairy was completed by Victoria. Subsequently, she also built several monuments to her husband on the estate. These include a pyramid-shaped cairn built a year after Albert's death, on top of Craig Lurachain . A large statue of Albert with

2210-418: The equestrian regulations stipulate that both measurements are to be given. In those countries where hands are the usual unit for measuring horse height, inches rather than hands are commonly used in the measurement of smaller equines including miniature horses /ponies, miniature mules , donkeys , and Shetland ponies . A horse is measured from the ground to the top of the highest non-variable point of

2275-409: The erection of various cairns and monuments, and the addition of some cottages ( Karim Cottage and Baile na Coille ) built for senior staff. It was during this period that Victoria began to depend on her servant, John Brown . He was a local ghillie from Crathie, who became one of her closest companions during her long mourning. In 1887, Balmoral Castle was the birthplace of Victoria Eugenie ,

2340-410: The estate are covered by trees, with almost 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares) used for forestry that yields nearly 10,000 tonnes of wood per year. Ballochbuie Forest , one of the largest remaining areas of old Caledonian pine growth in Scotland, consists of approximately 3,000 acres (1,200 hectares). It is managed with only minimal or no intervention. The principal mammal on the estate is the red deer with

2405-648: The estate from James Duff, 4th Earl Fife . After seeing a corrugated iron cottage at the Great Exhibition of 1851 , Prince Albert ordered a prefabricated iron building for Balmoral from E. T. Bellhouse & Co., to serve as a temporary ballroom and dining room. It was in use by 1 October 1851, and would serve as a ballroom until 1856. The sale was completed in June 1852, the price being £32,000 (equivalent to £4,400,000 in 2023) and Prince Albert formally took possession that autumn. The neighbouring estate of Birkhall

2470-585: The estate is managed by trustees under Deeds of Nomination and Appointment. Balmoral Estate is within the Cairngorms National Park and is partly within the Deeside and Lochnagar National Scenic Area . The 50,000-acre (20,000-hectare) estate contains a wide variety of landscapes, from the Dee river valley to open mountains. There are seven Munros (hills in Scotland over 3,000 ft or 914.4 m) within

2535-485: The estate, the highest being Lochnagar at 3,789 ft (1,155 m). This mountain was the setting for a children's story, The Old Man of Lochnagar , told originally by Charles III to his younger brothers, Andrew and Edward . The story was published in 1980, with royalties accruing to The Prince's Trust . The estate also incorporates the 7,500-acre (3,000-hectare) Delnadamph Lodge estate, bought by Elizabeth II in 1978. The estate extends to Loch Muick in

2600-466: The existing structure would not provide enough space, and a larger house needed to be built. In early 1852, this was commissioned from William Smith . The son of John Smith (who designed the 1830 alterations of the original castle), William Smith, was the city architect of Aberdeen from 1852. On learning of the commission, William Burn sought an interview with the prince, apparently to complain that Smith previously had plagiarised his work, however, Burn

2665-577: The first few days of their summer holiday there. During the summer, the castle is a lucrative source of income from tourists. Sometimes, the Queen arrived at Balmoral before the tourist season was over. Parts of the films Mrs Brown (1997) and The Queen (2006) were based on events at Balmoral. In both films, substitute locations were used: Blairquhan Castle in The Queen and Duns Castle in Mrs Brown . In

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2730-646: The hand is used to measure the height of horses , ponies , and other equines . It is used in the US and also in some other nations that use the metric system, such as Australia , New Zealand , Canada , Ireland and the UK. In other parts of the world, including continental Europe and in FEI -regulated international competition, horses are measured in metric units, usually metres or centimetres. In South Africa , measurements may be given in both hands and centimetres, while in Australia,

2795-568: The hand measurement, as for example in the Vision of the Temple, Authorized Version Ezekiel 40:43 , is usually taken to be palm or handbreadth, and in modern translations may be rendered as "handbreadth" or "three inches". The hand is a traditional unit in the UK. It was standardised at four inches by a statute of King Henry VIII , the Horses Act 1540 ( 32 Hen. 8 . c. 13), but some confusion between

2860-457: The hills for repair of footpaths in the Lake District and they are increasingly being used for British Dressage "Team Quest" competitions (FPS Magazine, Spring 2016, p61) The Fell Pony Committee resolved to become a society in 1916, "to keep pure the old breed of pony that has roamed the northern hills for years". However, with the end of World War I , the resolution became reality. In 1922,

2925-555: The now-extinct Galloway pony , which was also the root of the Dales Pony . It is believed to have originated on the border between England and Scotland, quite probably antedating Roman times. The Fell Pony Society makes no claims about any input from imported Roman war stallions being crossed with these ponies. In the early stud books , 50% of ponies were brown in colour, though over the last few decades, black has become predominant, followed by brown, bay, and grey. They are primarily

2990-409: The old house. Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on 28 September 1853, during her annual autumn visit. By the autumn of 1855, the royal apartments were ready for occupancy, although the tower was still under construction and the servants had to be lodged in the old house. By coincidence, shortly after their arrival at the estate that autumn, news circulated about the fall of Sevastopol , ending

3055-401: The purchase of a Scottish estate by Victoria and Albert and their adoption of a Scottish architectural style were influential for the ongoing revival of Highland culture . They decorated Balmoral with tartans and attended highland games at Braemar. Queen Victoria expressed an affinity for Scotland, even professing herself to be a Jacobite . Added to the work of Sir Walter Scott , this became

3120-516: The royal family continued to use Balmoral during annual autumn visits. George V had substantial improvements made during the 1910s and 1920s, including formal gardens to the south of the castle. During the Second World War , royal visits to Balmoral ceased. In addition, due to the conflict with Germany, Danzig Shiel , a lodge built by Victoria in Ballochbuie, was renamed Garbh Allt Shiel and

3185-513: The same time, have a lively and alert attitude. The breed generally has a steady temperament. The Fell Pony has the regular gaits , noted for correct movement and is considered sure-footed in rough terrain. Fell Ponies are reliable jumpers and agile, which makes them useful for cross-country riding or hunting . Most animals of the breed lack the scope to make top-class jumping ponies, but Fells generally are well up to local show or Pony Club event standards. The Fell Pony shares its origins with

3250-464: The skeleton, the withers . For official measurement, the spinous process of the fifth thoracic vertebra may be identified by palpation, and marked if necessary. Some varieties of Miniature horses are measured at the base of the last true hairs of the mane rather than at the withers. For international competition regulated by the Fédération Équestre Internationale (FEI) and for USEF competition in

3315-518: The society restructured itself on "more liberal lines" to attract more members to the support of the Fell Pony. Nonetheless, the breed's numbers decreased considerably, until 1945, when a breeding "stallion enclosure" program and a grading-up system were started. The program was discontinued in 1970. In the affluent 1950s, riding for pleasure began to gain popularity, securing the future of many British native breeds. The number of ponies being registered with

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3380-470: The southeast where an old boat house and the Royal Bothy (hunting lodge) now named Glas-allt-Shiel , built by Victoria, are located. The working estate includes grouse moors , forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle , and ponies. It also offers access to the public for fishing (paid) and hiking during certain seasons. Approximately 8,000 acres (3,200 hectares) of

3445-623: The throne and two years after their marriage. During this first visit they stayed at Edinburgh , and at Taymouth Castle in Perthshire, the home of John Campbell, 2nd Marquess of Breadalbane . They returned in 1844 to stay at Blair Castle , and in 1847, when they rented Ardverikie House by Loch Laggan . Frequent rain during the last trip led Sir James Clark , the queen's doctor, to recommend Deeside instead, for its healthier climate. Sir Robert Gordon died in 1847 and his lease on Balmoral reverted to Lord Aberdeen. In February 1848 an arrangement

3510-453: The various types of hand measurement, and particularly between the hand and the handsbreadth, appears to have persisted. Phillips's dictionary of 1706 gives four inches for the length of the handful or hand, and three inches for the handsbreadth; Mortimer gives the same, three inches for the Hand's-breadth, and four for the "Handful, or simply, Hand", but adds "The hand among horse-dealers, &c.

3575-485: Was William Smith of Aberdeen, and his designs were amended by Prince Albert. Balmoral remains the private property of the monarch and is not part of the Crown Estate . It was the summer residence of Queen Elizabeth II , who died there on 8 September 2022. The castle is an example of Scottish baronial architecture , and is classified by Historic Environment Scotland as a category A listed building. The new castle

3640-468: Was bought at the same time, and the lease on Abergeldie Castle secured as well. To mark the occasion, the Purchase Cairn was erected in the hills overlooking the castle, the first of many cairns on the estate. Space was needed for the growing family of Victoria and Albert, for additional staff, and for accommodation for visiting friends and official visitors such as cabinet members. Thus extension of

3705-501: Was built on the estate by the Gordons. In 1662, the estate passed to Charles Farquharson of Inverey , brother of John Farquharson , the "Black Colonel". The Farquharsons were Jacobite sympathisers and James Farquharson of Balmoral was involved in both the 1715 and 1745 Jacobite risings . He was wounded at the Battle of Falkirk (1746) . The Farquharson estates were forfeited , and passed to

3770-477: Was completed in 1856 and the old castle demolished shortly thereafter. The Balmoral Estate has been added to by successive members of the royal family, and now covers an area of 21,725 hectares (53,684 acres) of land. It is a working estate, including grouse moors , forestry and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle , sheep and ponies. Balmoral is pronounced / b æ l ˈ m ɒr əl / or sometimes locally / b ə ˈ m ɒr əl / . It

3835-516: Was first recorded as 'Bouchmorale' in 1451, and it was pronounced [baˈvɔrəl] by local Scottish Gaelic speakers. The first element in the name is thought to be the Gaelic both , meaning "a hut", but the second part is uncertain. Adam Watson and Elizabeth Allan wrote in The Place Names of Upper Deeside that the second part meant "big spot (of ground)". Alexander MacBain suggested this

3900-436: Was inherited by Edward VIII on his accession in 1936. When he abdicated later the same year, however, he retained ownership of them. A financial settlement was devised, under which Balmoral and Sandringham were purchased by Edward's brother and successor to the Crown, George VI . Elizabeth II inherited the Balmoral estate from her father, and then after her death, ownership passed to her eldest son King Charles III , but

3965-571: Was made that Prince Albert would acquire the remaining part of the lease on Balmoral, together with its furniture and staff, without having seen the property first. The royal couple arrived for their first visit on 8 September 1848. Victoria found the house "small but pretty", and recorded in her diary that: "All seemed to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils". The surrounding hilly landscape reminded them of Thuringia , Albert's homeland in Germany. The house

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4030-475: Was originally the Pictish *mor-ial , "big clearing" (c.f. Welsh mawr-ial ). Alternatively, the second part could be a saint's name. King Robert II of Scotland (1316–1390) had a hunting lodge in the area. Historical records also indicate that a house at Balmoral was built by Sir William Drummond in 1390. The estate was later tenanted by Alexander Gordon, second son of the 1st Earl of Huntly . A tower house

4095-451: Was soon confirmed to be too small, and in 1848, John and William Smith were commissioned to design new offices, cottages, and other ancillary buildings. Improvements to the woodlands, gardens and estate buildings were also being made, with the assistance of the landscape gardener James Beattie, and possibly the painter James Giles . Major additions to the old house were considered in 1849, but by then negotiations were under way to purchase

4160-429: Was the location of the appointment of British Prime Minister Liz Truss on 6 September 2022, due to concerns regarding the Queen's mobility issues. Elizabeth died at Balmoral at 15:10 BST on 8 September 2022 at the age of 96. She was the first monarch to die at Balmoral, and this was the first time a monarch had died in Scotland since James V died in 1542 at Falkland Palace . The Queen's coffin lay in repose in

4225-418: Was unsuccessful in depriving Smith of the appointment. William Smith's designs were amended by Prince Albert, who took a close interest in details such as turrets and windows. Construction began in mid-1853, on a site some 100 yards (90 metres) northwest of the original building that was considered to have a better vista. Another consideration was that during construction the family would still be able to use

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