Balmanno Castle, Tower house in Dron, Scotland
Balmanno Castle is a tower house in Dron, Perth and Kinross, built in an L-shaped plan characteristic of Scottish defensive design. The structure is surrounded by water-filled moats that still preserve part of its original medieval defense system today.
George Auchinleck commissioned the tower house between 1570 and 1580 after purchasing the estate from Alexander Balmanno. In 1915, architect Sir Robert Lorimer carried out extensive renovation work and added new wings that formed a courtyard.
The name Balmanno comes from Gaelic 'baile manach', meaning monks' farm, reflecting early religious ties to the land. This origin shapes how visitors understand the place as a site rooted in monastic history.
The site sits on rural grounds and is best approached on foot from the access road leading to the building. The moats and surrounding landscape are visible from outside and offer different viewpoints of the structure.
The building still retains partially water-filled moats, a rare medieval defensive feature seldom found in Scottish castles. This preserved system allows visitors to understand the original protective function of water that would otherwise have been lost.
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