Balnagown Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Balnagown Castle |
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Listed Building – Category B
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| Designated | 25 March 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB7866 |
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Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
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| Designated | 1 July 1987 |
| Reference no. | GDL00046 |
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Balnagown Castle is a historic building near the village of Kildary in Easter Ross, Scotland. People have lived in a castle here since the 1300s! The castle you see today was updated in the 1700s and 1800s.
For a long time, Balnagown was the family home of the Chiefs of Clan Ross. Since the 1970s, it has been owned by Mohamed Al-Fayed, a businessman from Egypt. The castle is a "category B listed building," which means it's an important historical site that needs to be protected. Its beautiful gardens are also officially recognized as special places in Scotland.
Contents
History of Balnagown Castle
Early Days of the Castle
The first castle at Balnagown was started in the early 1300s. It was built by Hugh, who was the Earl of Ross. Hugh was married to Maud, who was the sister of King Robert the Bruce.
After Hugh died in 1333, his family lost some of their special standing with the king. Their lands were taken back by the crown. But in 1375, one of Hugh's stepsons took over Balnagown. He made the estate bigger, and this continued for many years.
In 1501, King James IV visited the castle. He was entertained by the laird's (landowner's) harper. Later, in 1585, Alexander Ross, who was the 9th laird of Balnagown, faced legal trouble. His son George also had similar problems.
Balnagown During the Wars
During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms, David Ross, the 12th laird of Balnagown, fought for King Charles II. This was at the Battle of Worcester in 1651. Sadly, David was captured and later died in the Tower of London.
The 13th laird, also named David, married Anne in 1666. Anne was the daughter of James Stuart, 4th Earl of Moray. David and Anne rebuilt parts of Balnagown. You can see a stone with the year 1672 on it, showing when they finished their work. They did not have children, so the estate passed to the Rosses of Halkhead in 1711.
Changes and Improvements
In 1754, Balnagown went to a different part of the family. It was inherited by Admiral Sir John Lockhart-Ross. The Admiral spent a lot of time and money making the Balnagown estate better. He was known as a very good manager of Highland estates.
His son, Sir Charles Lockhart-Ross, made more changes to the castle. He worked with an architect named James Gillespie Graham. They added Gothic Revival style features to the castle. Beautiful Italian gardens were also created around the castle.
Later, Sir Charles Ross, 9th Baronet, took over in 1911. He continued to improve the farming on the estate. He was one of the first to bring new farming tools like the silo and the combine harvester to the area. He also invented the Ross rifle, which was made in Canada.
To protect Balnagown from financial problems, Sir Charles Ross took a special legal step. This meant he could not return to Britain for fear of legal issues. From his death in 1942 until 1972, the castle was empty and started to fall apart.
Modern Restoration
In 1972, Mohamed Al-Fayed bought Balnagown Castle. He started a big project to restore the house and its grounds. A famous interior designer from Paris, Philippe Belloir, was in charge of decorating the castle.
