Balhousie Castle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Balhousie Castle

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Established	As a museum in 2009
Location	Perth, Scotland
Type	Regimental museum

Balhousie Castle is an old castle located in Perth, Scotland. It was first built in the 17th century, which means it's over 300 years old! Today, it's home to a special museum.

A Look Back at Balhousie Castle's History

Building the Castle

Balhousie Castle was built in 1631. However, people believe there might have been an even older building on this spot about 300 years before that! For a long time, the castle was the home of the Earls of Kinnoull, an important noble family. It was surrounded by walls and had gardens, looking over the North Inch area.

A New Look for an Old Castle

By the early 1800s, the castle started to fall apart. So, between 1862 and 1864, it was almost completely rebuilt and made much bigger. An architect named David Smart designed it in a style called Scottish Baronial. This style makes buildings look like old Scottish castles, with towers and fancy stonework. Because of this big rebuild, not many parts of the original 1631 castle are left today, except for some of the old stone walls on one side.

The Black Watch Museum

In January 2009, a famous Scottish army group called The Black Watch bought Balhousie Castle. They turned it into their main office and a museum. The museum tells the amazing story of The Black Watch regiment, from when they started in 1739 all the way to today.

To help create the museum, The Black Watch started a special fundraising effort in 2009. They raised over £3.2 million! This money helped them make Balhousie Castle a permanent home for their museum and all their historical records.

Inside the castle, you can see many interesting things. One famous painting is called No Surrender by Frank Feller. It shows what happened after a battle called the Battle of Magersfontein during the Second Boer War.

Images for kids

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  The entrance to the castle, viewed through the main gate

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  A close-up of the castle's entrance

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  The castle's turrets

See also

• List of listed buildings in Perth, Scotland