Balthayock Castle, also known as ''Tower of Balthayock'', is a medieval tower house located 3 miles east of
Perth, Scotland
Perth (; ) is a centrally located Cities of Scotland, Scottish city, on the banks of the River Tay. It is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and is the historic county town of Perthshire. It had a population of about ...
. It was built in late 14th century. It is measured at 52 by 37 ft and has very thick walls. The Balthayock castle is said to have been owned by family of Blair since the time of William I (1165-1214). It was very ruinous prior to 1870. James Maclaren saved the tower by building the present battlements, modern roof,
cap-house
A cap-house (sometimes written cap house or caphouse) is a small watch room, built at the top of a spiral staircase, often giving access to a parapet on the roof of a tower house or castle. They provided protection from the elements by enclosin ...
, forestair to the entrance and also altered the interior. It was inhabited until the middle of the last century.
It is now unoccupied but is in good condition.
In September 1594
James VI
James may refer to:
People
* James (given name)
* James (surname)
* James (musician), aka Faruq Mahfuz Anam James, (born 1964), Bollywood musician
* James, brother of Jesus
* King James (disambiguation), various kings named James
* Prince Ja ...
raised a force against the northern earls and met them at the
battle of Glenlivet
The Battle of Glenlivet was a Scottish clan battle fought on 3 October 1594 near Glenlivet, Moray, Scotland. It was fought between Protestant forces loyal to King James VI of Scotland who were commanded by Archibald Campbell, 7th Earl of Arg ...
. When he was at Perth, Euphemia Douglas, the wife of the
Master of Glamis wrote to Alexander Blair, laird of Balthayock asking him to come with
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis (, ) in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public.
Glamis Castle has been the home of the Clan Lyon, Lyon family since the 14th cent ...
with his followers, armed and ready to follow the king to the north. In 1599 the young laird of Balthayock and Lawrence Blair with
William Row
William Row (1563–1634) was a Scottish presbyterian divine.
Early life and education
William Row was born in 1563. He was the second son of John Row (reformer), John Row, the reformer and minister of Perth. His mother was Margaret, daughte ...
, kirk minister at
Kinnoull
Kinnoull is a parish in Perth, Perth and Kinross, Scotland, approximately half a mile northeast of Perth city centre. Beginning at the level of the River Tay, which separates the parish from Perth, Kinnoull's terrain continues to rise as it cont ...
, were captured at
Kinross
Kinross (, ) is a burgh in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, around south of Perth, Scotland, Perth and around northwest of Edinburgh. It is the traditional county town of the Counties of Scotland, historic county of Kinross-shire.
History
Kinro ...
by the
Lord Sanquhar and imprisoned for two weeks.
[Robert Chambers, ''Domestic Annals of Scotland'', vol. 1 (Edinburgh, 1858), p. 308.]
Architecture
The walls of castle are almost 10 ft thick and are made of sandstone and whin rubble. On the castle's east side an armorial panel displaying the date 1370 is present on the side of the stone stair. Another armorial with the initials AB (Blair) GM dated 1578 is located at the castle's southeast corner over an archway. Tusking in the building indicates the presence of a
barmkin
Barmkin, also spelled barmekin or barnekin, is a Scots word which refers to a form of medieval and later defensive enclosure, typically found around smaller castles, tower houses, pele towers, and bastle houses in Scotland and the north of Engla ...
. The main block of the castle consists of three storeys, an attic and a wing of two storeys; the first floor of the wing is divided into a chamber and hall. It was remodelled in 1870 with the addition of a forestair, crenellated parapet and cap-house. It is now uninhibited but it is in considerably good condition.
See also
*
Ardstinchar Castle
Ardstinchar Castle is a late medieval castle at Ballantrae, in the west coast of Ayrshire at the mouth of the River Stinchar. It was built by Hugh Kennedy of Ardstinchar in the mid-15th century. In the 1770s, the castle was demolished and the sto ...
References
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Listed castles in Scotland
Renaissance architecture in Scotland
Castles in Perth and Kinross