Blairquhan Castle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Blairquhan Castle
Entrance front of Blairquhan Castle
Location	Straiton, South Ayrshire, Scotland grid reference NS 36531 05468
Built	1824
Built for	Hunter-Blair family
Architect	William Burn
Architectural style(s)	Tudor revival
Listed Building – Category A
Designated	14 April 1971
Reference no.	LB19094
Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland
Criteria	Historical Horticultural Architectural
Designated	1 July 1987
Reference no.	GDL00063
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Blairquhan Castle is a beautiful old castle located near Maybole in South Ayrshire, Scotland. It's a special type of castle built in the Regency era. For a long time, it was the home of the Hunter-Blair family. In 2012, a company from China bought the castle. Blairquhan is a very important building, protected as a Category A listed building. Its gardens are also famous and are part of a national list of important gardens in Scotland.

A Look Back at Blairquhan's Past

Who Lived at Blairquhan?

Over many years, four different families have called Blairquhan home. The first family, the McWhirters, built a tower house there around 1346. Later, the Kennedy family took over the estate through marriage. They built more parts of the old castle around 1573.

In the early 1600s, the Whiteford family became the owners. However, in 1798, they faced financial difficulties. They sold Blairquhan to Sir David Hunter Blair, 3rd Baronet. Sir David was the second son of Sir James Hunter Blair, 1st Baronet. His family added "Blair" to their name after his father married Jean Blair, who inherited her own family's estate.

Building the New Castle

In 1820, Sir David asked a Scottish architect named William Burn to design a brand new house for Blairquhan. The old castle was in ruins because of past fires and neglect. It was taken down to make way for the new building.

The new castle was built in the Tudor-style. Some decorative pieces and carved stones from the old castle were saved. These were used in the kitchen courtyard of the new house. The new mansion was finished in 1824. It holds many old treasures, including a valuable collection of paintings by Scottish artists.

New Owners for Blairquhan

In late 2012, Sir Patrick David Hunter-Blair, 9th Baronet, sold Blairquhan. It was bought by Ganten Scotland, which is part of a Chinese company. This company bottles mineral water and sends it all over the world.

Exploring the Estate and Grounds

The Beautiful Driveway

You can reach Blairquhan by driving about 3 miles (5 km) from the north. The road follows along the River Girvan. It's a very scenic approach to the castle.

Caring for the Gardens

The late James Hunter Blair (1926–2004) was very important to Blairquhan. He was a younger brother of Sir Edward Hunter-Blair, 8th Baronet. James spent most of his life working to restore the castle and preserve its beautiful grounds. He was an expert in growing plants (a horticulturalist) and managing forests (a forester).

The estate has very old trees and a special walled garden. There is an ancient sycamore tree near the castle. People believe it might be a "Dule Tree," or gallows tree. These trees were sometimes used for hangings in the 1500s during the time of King James V of Scotland. In 1997, the tree's wide branches were cut back. This helped save its trunk from falling apart.

Blairquhan as a Tourist Spot

Hosting Events and Filming

To help pay for the castle's upkeep, James Hunter Blair opened the 2,000-acre (810 ha) estate to visitors. It became a place for private events like weddings and company gatherings. It was also used for filming movies and TV shows.

The current owners continue to offer the castle for these special uses. Blairquhan was featured in the UK television show Beauty and the Geek. The castle's inside rooms and grounds were also used in the 2006 film The Queen. In the movie, starring Helen Mirren, Blairquhan stood in for Balmoral Castle.