Balconie Castle
Encyclopedia
Balconie Castle lay in the parish of Kiltearn
, about half a mile east of the village of Evanton
in the Highlands of Scotland
.
, chiefs of Clan Ross
. It was later held by their successors, the Clan MacDonald
, Earls of Ross
. Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh, chief of the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
and relative of the MacDonald Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles
held a party at Balconie. He invited all of the dependants of his own clan and many of the Highland chieftens of other clans. Kenneth Mackenzie, chief of Clan Mackenzie
arrived at the party with 40 men but after some disturbance he and his men made a wise retreat.
From the late 15th to the end of the 17th century the castle was held by a cadet branch of the Clan Munro
; the Munros of Coul and Balconie, who descend from George Munro 10th Baron of Foulis Castle
, chief of the clan. Balconie Castle's owners were chronologically; John Munro 1st, John Mor Munro 2nd, John Munro 3rd, Hugh Munro 4th, Robert Munro 5th, Donald Munro 6th and John Munro 7th, all of Balconie. John Munro 7th of Balconie sold the lands.
Later the castle went through a period of Mackenzie ownership and an interlude of Fraser ownership in the 19th century which saw the nearby village of Evanton
laid out. See:Evan Fraser of Balconie
.
Alterations and additions were documented in 1891 by architects Andrew Maitland & Sons.
By the start of the Second World War, the castle was owned by one George Bankes and used as a summer home. During the War, the building was requisitioned by the army and used as a billet. After the war, the castle was bought by A.J.M. Munro, a timber merchant from Alness
, and lay empty for some years, dry rot being only one of the problems. It fell into disrepair and by the 1960s was unsafe. Local children were prone to explore the place and to prevent a serious accident, it was demolished. The rubble was used in the construction of the new aluminium smelter a few miles away at Invergordon
. Nothing is left of the building - it is just a field. A small ice-house remains. The location was approximately . However, the castle's walled garden survives and is privately owned.
Kiltearn
Kiltearn is a parish in Ross and Cromarty, Scotland. The principal settlement is the village of Evanton, and the parish extends almost to Dingwall and about halfway to Alness. The old Kiltearn church and burial ground are on the shore of the Cromarty Firth. The current church is on the main...
, about half a mile east of the village of Evanton
Evanton
Evanton is a large village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the river Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of the city of Inverness, some south-west of Alness, and north-east of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being...
in the Highlands of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
History
The castle was an old seat of the Mormaers and Earls of RossEarl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
, chiefs of Clan Ross
Clan Ross
Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan. The original chiefs of the clan were the original Earls of Ross.-Origins:Clan Ross is a Highland Scottish clan first named as such by King Malcolm IV of Scotland in 1160...
. It was later held by their successors, the Clan MacDonald
Clan Donald
Clan Donald is one of the largest Scottish clans. There are numerous branches to the clan. Several of these have chiefs recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms; these are: Clan Macdonald of Sleat, Clan Macdonald of Clanranald, Clan MacDonell of Glengarry, Clan MacDonald of Keppoch, and Clan...
, Earls of Ross
Earl of Ross
The Mormaer or Earl of Ross was the leader of a medieval Gaelic lordship in northern Scotland, roughly between the River Oykel and the River Beauly.-Origins and transfers:...
. Alexander MacDonald of Lochalsh, chief of the Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
Clan MacDonald of Lochalsh
-History:The MacDonald of Lochalsh branch was founded by Celestine MacDonald . Celestine MacDonald was the second son of Alexander of Islay, Earl of Ross, 3rd Lord of the Isles and 8th chief of Clan Donald...
and relative of the MacDonald Earl of Ross and Lord of the Isles
Lord of the Isles
The designation Lord of the Isles is today a title of Scottish nobility with historical roots that go back beyond the Kingdom of Scotland. It emerged from a series of hybrid Viking/Gaelic rulers of the west coast and islands of Scotland in the Middle Ages, who wielded sea-power with fleets of...
held a party at Balconie. He invited all of the dependants of his own clan and many of the Highland chieftens of other clans. Kenneth Mackenzie, chief of Clan Mackenzie
Clan MacKenzie
Clan Mackenzie is a Highland Scottish clan, traditionally associated with Kintail and lands in Ross-shire.-Origins:The Mackenzies, a powerful clan of Celtic stock, were not among the clans that originated from Norman ancestry. Descendants of the long defunct royal Cenél Loairn of Dál Riata, they...
arrived at the party with 40 men but after some disturbance he and his men made a wise retreat.
From the late 15th to the end of the 17th century the castle was held by a cadet branch of the Clan Munro
Clan Munro
-Origins:The main traditional origin of the clan is that the Munros came from Ireland and settled in Scotland in the 11th century and that they fought as mercenary soldiers under the Earl of Ross who defeated Viking invaders in Rosshire...
; the Munros of Coul and Balconie, who descend from George Munro 10th Baron of Foulis Castle
Foulis Castle
Foulis Castle lies in the parish of Kiltearn, about 1.5 miles southwest of the village of Evanton in the Highland area of northern Scotland. The castle has been the seat of the Clan Munro for over eight hundred years. During the 11th century, the clan chief was given the castle and Foulis lands as...
, chief of the clan. Balconie Castle's owners were chronologically; John Munro 1st, John Mor Munro 2nd, John Munro 3rd, Hugh Munro 4th, Robert Munro 5th, Donald Munro 6th and John Munro 7th, all of Balconie. John Munro 7th of Balconie sold the lands.
Later the castle went through a period of Mackenzie ownership and an interlude of Fraser ownership in the 19th century which saw the nearby village of Evanton
Evanton
Evanton is a large village in Easter Ross, in the Highland Council Area of Scotland. It lies between the river Sgitheach and the Allt Graad, is north of the city of Inverness, some south-west of Alness, and north-east of Dingwall. The village has a dozen or so streets, the main one being...
laid out. See:Evan Fraser of Balconie
Evan Fraser of Balconie
Captain Evan Baillie Fraser of Balconie was the son of Alexander Fraser of Inchcoulter/Balconie who founded the modern town of Evanton, naming it after his son. Evan married Christine Nicol in 1838 who bore him children: Alexander Thomas , John Thomas and Elma...
.
Alterations and additions were documented in 1891 by architects Andrew Maitland & Sons.
By the start of the Second World War, the castle was owned by one George Bankes and used as a summer home. During the War, the building was requisitioned by the army and used as a billet. After the war, the castle was bought by A.J.M. Munro, a timber merchant from Alness
Alness
Alness is a town and civil parish in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland. It lies near the Cromarty Firth, with the town of Invergordon to the east and the village of Evanton to the south west...
, and lay empty for some years, dry rot being only one of the problems. It fell into disrepair and by the 1960s was unsafe. Local children were prone to explore the place and to prevent a serious accident, it was demolished. The rubble was used in the construction of the new aluminium smelter a few miles away at Invergordon
Invergordon
Invergordon is a town and port in Easter Ross, in Ross and Cromarty, Highland, Scotland.-History:The town is well known for the Invergordon Mutiny of 1931. More recently it was also known for the repair of oil rigs which used to be lined up in the Cromarty Firth on which the town is situated...
. Nothing is left of the building - it is just a field. A small ice-house remains. The location was approximately . However, the castle's walled garden survives and is privately owned.