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Blair Castle
Blair Castle is unique not only for its seven hundred year history, but also because it is one of the most beautiful and original castles open in Scotland today, welcoming guests and travellers, telling them about the centuries-old history of the country and the people who lived here.
Blair Castle is located in a picturesque place at the foot of wooded cliffs in the centre of the Grampian Mountains which are recognized as the highest in the kingdom. The location is of great strategic importance as the main road connecting Edinburgh to Inverness passes through here. The mediaeval residence includes a complex of historical buildings which, over their long history, have undergone numerous transformations, reconstructions and have been rebuilt.
The first Castle on this site was built by John Cumming of Badenoch in 1269. It so happened that he erected a large tower, not on his own land, but on a plot belonging to his neighbour, the Earl of Atholl, who was away on a crusade at the time. Upon returning home, Atholl lodged a complaint with King Alexander III, declaring a violation. King contributed to the fact that the land, together with the already built tower, remained in the possession of the Earl of Atholl. The tall tower decorated with crenellated walls was not destroyed and is well preserved to this day. The structure is the oldest part of the county of Atholl.
The Earl of Atholl had no heirs and his possessions were not passed on to any relatives after his death in the early 1300’s. The fortress was actively expanded from the 14th century and in the years following.
Blair Castle rebuild
King James II bestowed the title of Earl of Atholl onto his brother John Stewart in 1457 and gave him the castle itself. The fortress was expanded by the third Earl of Atholl in 1530 when a great hall was built which was located to the south of the tower above a series of rooms. A significant event took place on the estate in 1564. Queen Mary Stuart was a guest at the castle that year and took part in a hunt in Glen Tilt where 360 deer and 5 wolves were killed.
The male line of the earldom died out in 1625 and the estate passed into the hands of Sir William Murray who was the husband of the daughter of the last 5th earl. The first Murray to become Earl of Atholl was John Murray who was William’s son, in 1629.
The fortress was captured by Oliver Cromwell’s troops during his invasion in 1652. The castle was besieged by the Jacobites during the rebellion of 1745-1746, but did not survive withstanding a long siege and starvation. The Jacobites were soon forced to retreat to fight at the Battle of Culloden.
In 1740, James Murray, then the 2nd Duke of Atholl, took up residence in the castle and began transforming its mediaeval style into a Georgian fortress. During renovation the towers and battlements were replaced with modern chimneys and the interiors were decorated with luxurious stucco. At the same time the owner of the estate began to develop the grounds, founding the famous and beautiful Diana’s Grove and the Garden of Hercules.
Queen Victoria’s visit and the founding of the Atholl Highlanders
A momentous occasion took place at Blair Manor in 1844 when Queen Victoria spent three weeks visiting the castle. She became so enamoured of the area and the Highlands that she presented the Duke and the Atholl people who defended her with royal colours. This marked the founding of the Atholl Highlanders, the only private army in Europe that still exists today and is not subordinate to the English Crown. Today, the army serves as little more than a ceremonial representation of history. The 11th Duke of Atholl comes to Blair Castle in May of each year to lead the army in a ceremonial procession for guests and residents of the estate.
Subsequent recreation
In 1850, when the kingdom was once again engulfed in interest in recreating the former grandeur of Scottish castles, Blair Castle was rebuilt again. The 7th Duke of Atholl hired architect David Bryce from Edinburgh to transform the Georgian architectural appearance of the castle and return it to the features of a mediaeval fortress. The gun turrets and battlements were restored as a result. A new ballroom and vestibule were built. The castle received the latest scientific advances – a telephone, baths and gas.
The castle housed a hospital during the First World War. During the Second World War it housed a private school and Glasgow residents who had been evacuated.
The family left the estate and moved into apartments in 1922. The 10th Duke of Argyll inherited Blair Castle in 1957 and made it a public attraction. Today, the fortress belongs to the Atholl Charitable Foundation. Its doors are open to tourists. It hosts ceremonial events, filming and excursions.
Interior of Blair Castle
The snow-white facade of Blair Castle with its pointed towers and spires stands out against the forest landscape. Approaching the main entrance to the fortress the family coat of arms hangs above the door and immediately catches the eye.
There are about 32 rooms in the castle, each of which can claim to be the most beautiful and luxurious. Guests are greeted by a stuffed deer named Tittle in the main hall. The animal lived on the estate for 13 years and died in 1850. It has continued to occupy one of the most honourable places in Blair for 150 years.
A passage to the second floor of the castle through vaulted rooms leads guests to a staircase that is hung with a magnificent collection of paintings and a gallery of family portraits.
The second and third floors contain private rooms, a dining room decorated with stucco by Thomas Clayton and a living room with Louis XVI chairs. The castle’s bedrooms are decorated in a very original way. One of them is called Red – according to the predominant colour in the interior, the other is Blue, done in pastel shades. In other rooms you can see delightful collections of antiques including porcelain dishes and family silver, art objects and archaeological finds, luxurious tapestries and much more.
The armoury deserves special attention. It was created by the seventh duke. A collection of weapons and round shields (targets) hang on the walls of the room. There are hunting trophies decorated with deer antlers hanging from the wall of the dance hall where various celebrations are held today.
Blair Castle parkland
The Blair estate covers an area of about 600,000 hectares. There are also amazingly beautiful gardens and groves. The most popular is Diana’s Grove, famous for the fact that the tallest trees in the Kingdom grow here – Japanese larch which is 44m high and red fir which is 39m high. This amazingly beautiful coniferous forest was planted in 1737. It is dedicated to the goddess of moon and crops of Ancient Rome.
The Hercules Garden is another natural attraction of the estate. It was planted in the 18th century. Initially it was enclosed by a wall and occupied an area of nine acres. The garden was named after the statue of Hercules and was installed at the end of the alley in 1743. There is a cosy pond in the central part of the garden around which young fruit trees are planted. There are ancient statues and vases throughout the territory.
Blair Castle is now open to travellers who can not only take a fascinating tour and learn about the history of the family living on the estate and local traditions and events that took place in the past, but also take a walk in the vicinity of the fortress and enjoy the amazing beauty and purity of local nature.
