Tour Scotland travel video clip, with Scottish music, of the Ballroom, on ancestry visit to Blair Castle in Blair Atholl, Highland Perthshire. This Scottish castle is the ancestral home of the Clan Murray, and was historically the seat of their chief, the Duke of Atholl. A ballroom or ballhall is a large room inside a building, the designated purpose of which is holding large formal parties called balls. Traditionally, most balls were held in private residences; many castles and mansions contain one or more ballrooms. Blair Castle is said to have been started in 1269 by John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, died 1275, a northern neighbour of David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, died 1270, who started building on the Earl's land while he was away on crusade. Upon his return, the Earl complained about the interloper to King Alexander III, won back his land and incorporated the tower that had been built into his own castle. David II Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl, died 1326, forfeited the titles and estates after rebelling against Robert the Bruce in 1322. The earldom was granted to a number of individuals until 1457 when King James II granted it to his half brother John Stewart, born 1440, died 1512. John Murray, son of the second Earl of Tullibardine, was created Earl of Atholl in 1629, and the title has since remained in the Murray family.
The castle stands in Glen Garry, and commands a strategic position on the main route through the central Scottish Highlands. The surname Murray was first found in Moray, where the Clan founder, Freskin, received a grant of the lands of Strathbrock in 1100 AD. He was descended from the first Earl, and his grandson, William, married the heiress of the Bothwell Clan in Lanarkshire. His sons founded many other houses, including the Murrays of Tullibardine, who later became the Dukes of Atholl, and Chiefs of the Clan. Murray has appeared in many spellings, including; Murray, Murrey, Moray, Morey, Morrey, Morry, Murry, MacMhuirich in Gaelic, and many more.
Margaret Murray landed in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1773; Christopher Murray landed in Pictou, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1773; Mary Murray landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1778; Morton Murray arrived in Nova Scotia, Canada, in 1783; Barbara Murray who landed in Cape Fear, North Carolina, America, in 1737; Charles Murray landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, in 1746; Garret Murray arrived in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, in 1746; Elizabeth Murray landed in Boston, Massachusetts, America, in 1755; Archibald Murray, aged 17, arrived in New York, America, in 1755; Mary Murray, an English convict who was convicted in Middlesex, England for 7 years, was transported aboard the ship Canada in March 1810, arriving in New South Wales, Australia; Jane Murray, born 1775, aged 38, an Irish convict was convicted in Dublin, Ireland for 7 years, and transported aboard the ship Catherine on 8th December 1813, arriving in New South Wales, Australia; William Murray, aged 21, a labourer, arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship Bengal Merchant in 1840; John Murray, aged 24, a ploughman, arrived in Wellington, New Zealand aboard the ship Blenheim in 1840.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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