Balnagown Castle, Category B listed country house in Kildary, Scotland.
Balnagown Castle is a category B listed country house in Kildary, Scotland, standing on raised ground near the village and displaying architectural elements from several centuries. The stone building is surrounded by maintained gardens and shows features from different building phases that developed over the centuries.
Hugh, Earl of Ross, began construction in the 14th century, though the present building mainly reflects rebuilding work from the 18th and 19th centuries. On November 11, 1501, King James IV visited the site and listened to the resident harper perform.
The fortress served as the ancestral seat of Clan Ross chiefs until the 1970s, when Egyptian businessman Mohamed Al-Fayed acquired the estate. The name Balnagown comes from Gaelic and means "settlement of the smith," reflecting the early use of the surrounding land.
The estate functions as a private residence and is not open to visitors, but sits close to Kildary and can be viewed from outside. The surrounding roads offer views of the outer walls and the gardens that wrap around the building.
The fortress contains its own chapel within the courtyard, still visible today and pointing to the religious importance of the estate for the Ross family. In the woods around the grounds grow old trees likely planted during the early building phases.
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