Fairburn Tower facts for kids
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Fairburn Tower is an old, ruined castle in Scotland. It stands on a hill near Inverness and the Muir of Ord. People believe this tower house was built in 1545 for a man named Murdo Mackenzie.
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Meet Murdo Mackenzie
Murdo Mackenzie was an important person in his time. He was the son of Roderick Mackenzie. His family owned farms nearby, like Comrie and Scatnell. They also owned a mill at Contin.
Murdo's Royal Job
Murdo Mackenzie became a special helper to King James V of Scotland. From 1538, he worked as a "groom of the bedchamber." This meant he was a personal assistant to the king. He traveled with the king to places like Stirling Castle and Falkland Palace.
In 1540, Murdo even helped the king buy gunpowder for his handguns. He and other royal helpers received money for their special clothes. This shows how close he was to the king!
Fairburn Tower's Story
Murdo Mackenzie was given the lands of Fairburn in 1542. He was asked to build a new house there with gardens. For every home on his land, he had to pay a special tax: one hen! This was called a "reik hen."
More Land and Family Life
In 1549, Murdo married Mariobelle Urquhart. After their marriage, Mary, Queen of Scots gave them even more land. Murdo Mackenzie lived a long life and passed away in 1590. He wanted to be buried with his family at Beauly Priory.
Changes to the Tower
Later, in the 1600s, a new part was added to the tower. This included a staircase. The tower also had special openings called "shot-holes" at the bottom. These were for defending the castle. At the top, there were small turrets called "bartizans" on the walls.
Mysteries and Legends
Fairburn Tower is mentioned in old Scottish stories. One famous story comes from the Brahan Seer. He was a person believed to have special powers to see the future. His real name was Kenneth Ower.
The Brahan Seer's Prophecy
The Brahan Seer made a prophecy about Fairburn Tower. He said that the Mackenzie family would eventually lose the tower. He also predicted that the building would become a ruin. One strange part of his prophecy was about a cow appearing upstairs in the tower! Sadly, the Brahan Seer was executed in 1578.
The Tower's Decline
Around the year 1780, people stopped living in Fairburn Tower. It slowly became a ruin. In 1803, a big storm blew off the roof. The roof was made of special oak shingles.
A writer named Hugh Miller later described the tower. He called it a "ghastly spectre of the past." This means it looked like a spooky ghost from long ago.
Today, Fairburn Tower is a very important historical building. It is listed as a Category A building by Historic Environment Scotland. This means it is a building of national importance.
