Tour Scotland short 4K Spring travel video clip, with Scottish bagpipes music, of Taymouth Castle on ancestry, genealogy, family history visit to Kenmore, Perthshire Highlands, Britain, United Kingdom. This Scottish castle largely dates from the 19th century, though Taymouth Castle stands on the site of the ancient Balloch Castle which was built in 1550 for Sir Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, descendent of Duncan Campbell, 1st Lord Campbell. Sir Colin's son, Sir Duncan Campbell, was made a baronet in 1625. King James VI visited the castle in August 1582. Sir Duncan Campbell's descendent John Campbell was created Earl of Breadalbane and Holland in 1681. In 1720 the 2nd Earl commissioned William Adam to remodel the house and lay out extensive formal gardens. The 2nd Earl's son oversaw further changes in the 1750s, and by the 1780s the formal gardens had been replaced with a picturesque landscape. The present castle was built to the designs of the brothers James and Archibald Elliot. Colin Campbell born 1499- was the son of Colin Campbell, died 1523, 3rd laird of Glenorchy, and Margaret Stewart, died 1524, daughter of John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Atholl. As a child he was fostered with Fearnan MacGregors. As a younger son he was given the lands of Crannich on the north shore of Loch Tay. He married Margaret Stewart, daughter of Andrew Stewart, Bishop of Moray, and widow of Patrick Graham of Inchbrakie. He became laird of Glenorchy in 1550 upon the death of his older brother John in 1550. He married Katherine Ruthven, a daughter of William Ruthven, 2nd Lord Ruthven and Janet Haliburton, heiress of Patrick Haliburton of Dirleton and sister of Mariotta Haliburton, Countess of Home.In middle age he became known as Grey Colin or Cailean Liath because of his white hair and long flowing beard.One of his first actions as laird, was to evict the Clan Gregor from Balloch at the east end of Loch Tay. In 1552 he built a tower house known then as Balloch Castle, and now as Taymouth Castle. Balloch means house at the narrow pass. Colin is said to have chosen the site of the castle in a novel manner. He was apparently instructed in a dream to found the castle on the spot where he first heard a blackbird sing, whilst making his way down the strath of the Tay. On 3 August 1564 Mary, Queen of Scots wrote from Glen Tilt to Colin Campbell of Glenorchy, asking him to demolish a house of strength on an island in Loch Rannoch. The Clan Macdonald of Clanranald were rebuilding the house, which her father King James V had previously ordered to be demolished. There was a feud between the Campbells and the Clan Gregor. In 1569, when Colin captured the clan chief Gregor Roy whilst visiting his wife. On 7 April 1570, after securing the consent of the Regent Morton, Colin personally beheaded Gregor at Balloch, in the presence of the Earl of Atholl, the Justice Clerk. Gregor's wife, Marion Campbell, who also witnessed her husband's execution, wrote a bitter lament about the affair, called Griogal Cridhe. The fighting continued until a settlement was finally reached between the two clans in the winter of 1570. As a landowner, Colin claimed to have the power of pit and gallows, which was the right to imprison and execute. In the Black Book of Taymouth, Sir Colin was described as a great justiciar of his time, who sustained the deadly feud with the Gregor clan and executed many notable rogues. King James VI visited Balloch Castle in August 1582, tipping the gardener 40 shillings. However, only a few days later, the king was seized at the Ruthven Raid. He died on 11 April 1583 and was buried at Finlarig. Of interest to folks with ancestry, genealogy or Scottish Family Roots in Scotland who may wish to visit one day.
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
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