The Maitland Room is named for Rear Admiral John Maitland, who briefly lived in the castle at the turn of the nineteenth century during the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.
The room is styled in the manner of the same period with age of sail naval themes prominent.
Invasion from France was a real threat during this time and without as large or as strong an army as the French, at times the British relied on the ‘wooden walls’ of the Royal Navy to keep the country safe. For the majority of the war however the aim for both parties was more one of European prestige and global wealth. The conflict therefore spread far beyond the confines of the English Channel. British and French ships and armies fought each other around the world, most notably for control of plantations in the Caribbean and over trade with India.
Lickleyhead passed through numerous hands in the late 1700’s before it was inherited by Elizabeth Ogilvie. Her marriage to then Captain John Maitland in 1799 brought the career officer to the castle, but only briefly. By 1800 he was back at sea, and there he remained for the best part of the next fifteen years as the long struggle against France ground on. Regarded by many as one of the bravest men in the Royal Navy, John Maitland was noted for several acts of valour during his career. He was first over the walls during the attack on Fort Fleur d'Épée, and saved the life of Captain Faulknor by killing several of his attackers. In 1797 he thwarted a mutiny by personally leading an attack on the mutineers armed only with a sword, a solution described by his superior Admiral Jervis as ‘Doctor Maitland’s recipe’. He continued to be appointed to the command of larger vessels throughout the war and captured numerous enemy ships, until he was eventually given command of the 98 gun HMS Barfleur in 1813 (shown above in combat). In 1821 he was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
The castle was sold to the Lumsden family early in the nineteenth century, possibly while the war was still being fought. Elizabeth Ogilvie died before her husband, who went on to remarry, before himself passing away in 1836 at the age of 65.