Tulloch Castle facts for kids
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Tulloch Castle is an old castle found in the town of Dingwall in the Highlands of Scotland. It was likely built in the mid-1500s. Over many years, it was home to different families, including the Bain family, Clan Davidson, and the Vickers family.
During World War II, the castle was used as a hospital after soldiers were rescued from Dunkirk. Later, it became a place for students to stay. Today, Tulloch Castle is a hotel and a place where people hold meetings and events.
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A Look Back: Tulloch Castle's History
Tulloch Castle probably started its life around the mid-1500s. This was when a man named Duncan Bane (also known as Bain or Bayne) was given the land. Later, in 1678, King Charles II officially made the lands of Tulloch a "free barony" for Sir Donald Bain.
New Owners and Changes
In the 1700s, the castle changed hands. Kenneth Bayne, who was the 8th owner, sold the estate to his cousin, Henry Davidson, in 1762. When Henry passed away in 1781, his younger brother, Duncan Davidson, took over. Duncan was also a Member of Parliament (MP) for Cromartyshire from 1790 to 1796. An MP is a person chosen to represent a group of people in a country's parliament.
After Duncan, his son Henry, then his grandson Duncan, and great-grandson Duncan Henry Caithness Reay Davidson owned the castle. The last Davidson to own Tulloch was Duncan, who passed away in 1917.
Fire, Fixes, and New Uses
Tulloch Castle was damaged by a fire in 1845, but it was fixed and made bigger in 1891. In 1917, the castle left the Davidson family when Duncan Davidson passed away. He left it to his daughter and her son, Colonel Angus Vickers, whose family owned the Vickers aircraft company.
In the early 1920s, a famous architect named Sir Robert Lorimer designed some changes for the castle. After being a family home for the Vickers, it became a hospital in 1940 for soldiers injured at Dunkirk.
In 1957, the local education group bought Tulloch Castle. It was used as a hostel for students from the west coast of Scotland who went to Dingwall Academy. This continued until 1976.
From Ruin to Hotel
After 1976, the castle started to fall apart. But in 1996, a local family, the MacAulays, bought it. They fixed it up and turned it into the hotel and conference center it is today. Tulloch Castle even hosted a big meeting for the Clan Davidson family in October 2007. The castle is also a "category B listed building", which means it's an important historic building.
Spooky Stories: Ghosts of Tulloch Castle
Tulloch Castle is known for its ghost stories! People say it is haunted by a "green lady" and other spirits. These ghost stories were even shown on a TV show called Beyond Explanation in 2005.
In 2008, a 14-year-old boy named Connor Bond reportedly took a picture with his digital camera. The photo seemed to show a "hand" holding onto a stair railing with a ghostly shape floating behind it!
Exploring the Castle Grounds
Tulloch Castle has many interesting things to see around it.
Secret Tunnels and Old Graveyards
There's a tunnel that runs from the castle's basement all the way under the town of Dingwall to where Dingwall Castle used to be. The tunnel has now fallen in, but you can still peek into it through a vent on the front lawn of the castle.
There's also a special cemetery on the castle grounds for members of the Davidson family and their pets. The graveyard is surrounded by a metal fence and has become quite overgrown, but you can still see some of the old gravestones.
Gardens and Gatehouses
Originally, there were two walled gardens on either side of the castle. These are now overgrown, and some parts have become woods or have houses built on them.
The castle used to have two gatehouses and paths leading to it. The old west gatehouse is no longer there, but you can see it in old pictures of Dingwall. The east gatehouse, built in 1876, is still standing and is now a private home. The path from this gatehouse to the castle has become a public road, and it's still the main way to get to the castle today.
Caisteal Gorach
On a hill north of the castle, you'll find "Caisteal Gorach." This is a decorative ruin from the late 1700s, designed by Robert Adam for Duncan Davidson of Tulloch. It looks like a ruined round tower with walls on either side. It's also a "category A listed building," meaning it's very important historically.
