Blair Castle History
The Cumming family built the first castle in 1269 and part of this still survives. In 1457 James II granted Blair to Sir John Stewart of Balvenie. It passed to the Murrays in 1629.
The Blair Castle was extended in 1503, but in 1768 it was partially demolished and rebuilt as a Georgian mansion, known as Atholl House.
However, in 1869 David Bryce remodeled the castle in its current neo-baronial manner and copied the entrance tower from Fyvie Castle. The white-painted towers and turrets are visible from miles around.
Cromwell’s men attacked the castle in 1633. In 1746 Blair was attacked by General Lord George Murray to remove the Hanoverians, the last British castle to suffer a siege.
The Duke of Atholl is the only person in Britain to retain a private army, the Atholl Highlanders, who parade on certain days throughout the year.
Blair Castle Tour
This vast baronial mansion has 32 rooms open to the public, ranging from tiny turrets to a large dining room and ballroom.
Each one is packed with the Murray family’s collection of treasures and lesser artifacts built up over many centuries. These include things as diverse as Jacobite relics to a Norwegian sleigh.
Blair Castle Location
Blair Castle Address: Blair Atholl, Pitlochry, Perthshire PH18 5TL, United Kingdom. Get help with directions using the map provided below: