Tour Scotland 4K travel video, with Scottish fiddle music, of Burleigh Castle on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit outside Milnathort, Perthshire. The castle dates from the 15th and 16th centuries. The lands of Burleigh were held by the Balfours from 1456, when they were granted by King James II to John Balfour of Balgarvie, and a tower house was erected in the late 15th or early 16th century. Sir James Balfour of Pittendreich extended the castle in the late 16th century, adding a curtain wall with a corner tower, and other outbuildings. King James VI of Scotland was a frequent visitor in the time of his son, Sir Michael Balfour. James was at Burleigh in January 1589 after spending Christmas at Kinneil House. An Act of Parliament in 1600 made Michael Balfour wealthy, directing landowners and people of standing to buy armour from him, for defence musters. Several men complained that Balfour tried to make them buy more armour than their rank and income demanded. In 1607 Michael Balfour was raised to the peerage as Lord Balfour of Burleigh. Legend tells how Robert Balfour, before his accession as 5th Lord, narrowly escaped death when, in 1707, he was sentenced to beheading for the murder of the schoolmaster of Inverkeithing in Fife, who had the misfortune to have married Balfour's childhood sweetheart. Escaping from Edinburgh tolbooth, Balfour joined the Jacobite cause, proclaiming the Old Pretender James Stuart king at Lochmaben, and fighting in the 1715 rising. Following the defeat of the Jacobites, Balfour was attainted, dying in France in 1757. The castle was forfeit to the Irwins, then passed to the Grahams of Kinross. The surname Balfour was first found in Fife, where they held a family seat from ancient times. Balfour has been spelled Balfour, Balfoure, Balfower, Balfowir, Balford, Balforde and many more. The Balfour clan takes its name from the barony of the same name and is located near the joining of the rivers Ore and Leven in Fife. The first record of the name is that of John de Balfure who appears on an assize in 1304, and there is note of a William de Balfure who witnessed a charter by Duncan, Earl of Fife. James Arthur Balfour was the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1902 until 1905. Robert Balfour, aged 31, arrived in South Australia in 1854 aboard the ship Star Queen; William Balfour, a Scottish settler travelled from Glasgow on the Clyde aboard the ship Sir William Eyre arriving in Bluff, Southland, South Island, New Zealand in April 1863; James Balfour arrived in Newfoundland, Canada, in 1764; George Balfour landed in Rhode Island, America, in 1701; William Balfour landed in Virginia, America, in 1738; Janet Balfour landed in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, America, in 1775; Andrew Balfour arrived in North Carolina, America, in 1782. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.
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