Ardtornish
Encyclopedia
Ardtornish is a Highland estate in Scotland located in, Morven
, Lochaber
. Ardtornish House is famous for its gardens and the estate is the location of the ruined Ardtornish Castle
and the still-inhabited Kinlochaline Castle
.
. A small area near the head of Loch Aline
was owned by Murray of Stanhope. By 1800 Cameron's lands were under the control of a variety of new superiors including MacLean of Inverscaddle, MacDonald of Borrodale and MacLachlan of Callart with Stanhope's land also being held by MacLachlan.
By 1850 radical changes had occurred. In 1845 MacDonald's land to the east of Loch Aline had become the 9000 acres (3,642.2 ha) Achranich Estate owned by Octavius Smith, a Londoner whose father had made his money in grocery wholesaling and who was himself a successful distiller. To the west, part of Argyll's substantial holdings had been broken up with John Sinclair owning the Lochaline Estate and in the east Argyll's land was in the hands of the notorious Patrick Sellar
, who had also purchased the holdings of MacLean and MacLachlan in 1844, which he named the Ardtornish Estate after the pre-existing castle.
The clearances
had by this time affected Morvern - over 3,200 left the parish in the 19th century, 750 of them forcibly evicted - and the bitter memories of the actions of Sellar and his neighbours lived long in the area. Ardtornish, however, seemed to strike a favourable chord with those fortunate enough to be entertained by the estate. Tennyson who missed the opportunity to visit Skye
whilst staying there wrote:
Smith's holdings now ran to 30000 acres (12,140.6 ha) and employed a staff of thirty. He embarked on the construction of a substantial mansion house with a high clock tower, designed by Alexander Ross of Inverness
, which was completed in 1866. However, Octavius did not enjoy his new summer home for long as he died in London in February 1871. Nor did his house long survive him. His son Valentine, who had inherited the estate and the distilling business, knocked it down and built a much larger version in 1884. Only the clock tower from the original remains.
Valentine's new structure is on an heroic scale. At its height, construction employed 160 workers in 1888, and did much to improve local employment prospects at a time when agitation for land reform
was at its height. Valentine also bought the neighbouring Lochaline estate in 1880, adding another 9000 acres (3,642.2 ha) including Morvern's largest settlement, Lochaline
. He died in 1906 on board his yacht Rannoch in Gourock
Bay, having become something of a recluse in his old age. Latterly, he forbade trespassing on the estate and lived in fear of holidaymakers and tourists.
Ardtornish was inherited by his sister Gertrude, who had married Alexander Craig Sellar, Patrick Sellar's son in 1870. Gertrude took on the management of the estate until 1909 when she handed it over to her unmarried son Gerard, then 38 years old. They continued to live in the new house until the winter of 1929 when they both died within a few weeks of one another. Within a year Ardtornish was sold to new owners.
in Rutland
bought Ardtornish in 1930, the extensive gardens may have been a significant part of the attraction. Valentine Smith had laid out 28 acres (11.3 ha) of formal landsacpe including lawns, rockeries and walled herbaceous and kitchen gardens and employed up to 12 gardeners to maintain them. The Hugh Smiths, inspired by the gardens of Colonsay House
planted a variety of new shrubs, especially rhododendron
.
Owen and Emmeline's daughter Faith married the Cambridge don John Raven
and the former eventually inherited Ardtornish from her parents.
Morven
-Scotland:* Morven, Aberdeenshire, a mountain near Ballater* Morven, Caithness, mountain in northern Scotland* Morrone , a mountain near Braemar in Aberdeenshire* Morvern, peninsula in west Scotland...
, Lochaber
Lochaber
District of Lochaber 1975 to 1996Highland council area shown as one of the council areas of ScotlandLochaber is one of the 16 ward management areas of the Highland Council of Scotland and one of eight former local government districts of the two-tier Highland region...
. Ardtornish House is famous for its gardens and the estate is the location of the ruined Ardtornish Castle
Ardtornish Castle
Ardtornish Castle is situated in the grounds of the Ardtornish estate in Morvern, on the west coast of Scotland. It stands at the seaward end of a promontory which extends in a southerly direction into the Sound of Mull, approximately a mile south-east of the village of Lochaline, Highland...
and the still-inhabited Kinlochaline Castle
Kinlochaline Castle
Kinlochaline Castle is a 12th century Scottish fortress on the Ardtornish estate in Morvern in the Highland council area. It is also known as Caisteal an Ime because a Lady of Clan MacInnes, Dubh Chal , is said to have paid the builder with butter equal to the volume of the...
.
History
In the mid-18th century the area occupied by the current estate was largely in the hands of Cameron of Glendessary, with some property to the east and south the lands of MacLean of Kingairloch and the Duke of ArgyllDuke of Argyll
Duke of Argyll is a title, created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1701 and in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1892. The Earls, Marquesses, and Dukes of Argyll were for several centuries among the most powerful, if not the most powerful, noble family in Scotland...
. A small area near the head of Loch Aline
Loch Aline
Loch Aline is a small salt water loch home to fish, birds and game, located in Morvern, Lochaber, Scotland. Key features of interest are Kinlochaline Castle, Ardtornish Castle and the Ardtornish Estate located at its head....
was owned by Murray of Stanhope. By 1800 Cameron's lands were under the control of a variety of new superiors including MacLean of Inverscaddle, MacDonald of Borrodale and MacLachlan of Callart with Stanhope's land also being held by MacLachlan.
By 1850 radical changes had occurred. In 1845 MacDonald's land to the east of Loch Aline had become the 9000 acres (3,642.2 ha) Achranich Estate owned by Octavius Smith, a Londoner whose father had made his money in grocery wholesaling and who was himself a successful distiller. To the west, part of Argyll's substantial holdings had been broken up with John Sinclair owning the Lochaline Estate and in the east Argyll's land was in the hands of the notorious Patrick Sellar
Patrick Sellar
Patrick Sellar was a Scottish lawyer who is notorious for his role in the Highland Clearances.Born into a wealthy family in Moray in 1780 and died in Elgin in 1851. He is buried in Elgin Cathedral...
, who had also purchased the holdings of MacLean and MacLachlan in 1844, which he named the Ardtornish Estate after the pre-existing castle.
Octavius Smith and family
At Whitsun 1860 Smith purchased Sellar's lands and immediately renamed the whole estate "Ardtornish", the name meaning "The headland of Thorir's (or Thora's) promontory".The clearances
Highland Clearances
The Highland Clearances were forced displacements of the population of the Scottish Highlands during the 18th and 19th centuries. They led to mass emigration to the sea coast, the Scottish Lowlands, and the North American colonies...
had by this time affected Morvern - over 3,200 left the parish in the 19th century, 750 of them forcibly evicted - and the bitter memories of the actions of Sellar and his neighbours lived long in the area. Ardtornish, however, seemed to strike a favourable chord with those fortunate enough to be entertained by the estate. Tennyson who missed the opportunity to visit Skye
Skye
Skye or the Isle of Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. The island's peninsulas radiate out from a mountainous centre dominated by the Cuillin hills...
whilst staying there wrote:
- If he did not see Loch Coruisk
Loch CoruiskLoch Coruisk is an inland fresh-water loch, lying at the foot of the Black Cuillin in the Isle of Skye, in the Scottish Highlands.-Geography:...- He ought to be forgiven;
- For though he miss'd a day in Skye,
- He spent a day in Heaven!
Smith's holdings now ran to 30000 acres (12,140.6 ha) and employed a staff of thirty. He embarked on the construction of a substantial mansion house with a high clock tower, designed by Alexander Ross of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
, which was completed in 1866. However, Octavius did not enjoy his new summer home for long as he died in London in February 1871. Nor did his house long survive him. His son Valentine, who had inherited the estate and the distilling business, knocked it down and built a much larger version in 1884. Only the clock tower from the original remains.
Valentine's new structure is on an heroic scale. At its height, construction employed 160 workers in 1888, and did much to improve local employment prospects at a time when agitation for land reform
Highland Land League
The first Highland Land League emerged as a distinct political force in Scotland during the 1880s, with its power base in the country's Highlands and Islands. It was known also as the Highland Land Law Reform Association and the Crofters' Party...
was at its height. Valentine also bought the neighbouring Lochaline estate in 1880, adding another 9000 acres (3,642.2 ha) including Morvern's largest settlement, Lochaline
Lochaline
Lochaline is the main village in Morvern. It is situated at the mouth of Loch Aline, on the northern shore. Lochaline is connected with Fishnish on the Isle of Mull by ferry....
. He died in 1906 on board his yacht Rannoch in Gourock
Gourock
Gourock is a town falling within the Inverclyde council area and formerly forming a burgh of the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. It has in the past functioned as a seaside resort on the Firth of Clyde...
Bay, having become something of a recluse in his old age. Latterly, he forbade trespassing on the estate and lived in fear of holidaymakers and tourists.
Ardtornish was inherited by his sister Gertrude, who had married Alexander Craig Sellar, Patrick Sellar's son in 1870. Gertrude took on the management of the estate until 1909 when she handed it over to her unmarried son Gerard, then 38 years old. They continued to live in the new house until the winter of 1929 when they both died within a few weeks of one another. Within a year Ardtornish was sold to new owners.
Smith-Raven family
When Owen (1859–1958) and Emmeline Hugh Smith from LanghamLangham, Rutland
Langham is a village in the county of Rutland in the East Midlands of England. It is situated about two miles north-west of Oakham.The village is located on the main road, the A606, linking Oakham to Melton Mowbray....
in Rutland
Rutland
Rutland is a landlocked county in central England, bounded on the west and north by Leicestershire, northeast by Lincolnshire and southeast by Peterborough and Northamptonshire....
bought Ardtornish in 1930, the extensive gardens may have been a significant part of the attraction. Valentine Smith had laid out 28 acres (11.3 ha) of formal landsacpe including lawns, rockeries and walled herbaceous and kitchen gardens and employed up to 12 gardeners to maintain them. The Hugh Smiths, inspired by the gardens of Colonsay House
Colonsay House
Colonsay House is a Georgian country house on the island of Colonsay, in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It is a Category B listed building, and is now in the ownership of the Barons Strathcona...
planted a variety of new shrubs, especially rhododendron
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a genus of over 1 000 species of woody plants in the heath family, most with showy flowers...
.
Owen and Emmeline's daughter Faith married the Cambridge don John Raven
John Raven
John Earle Raven , who published as J. E. Raven, was an English classical scholar, notable for his work on presocratic philosophy, and amateur botanist.-Early life and education:...
and the former eventually inherited Ardtornish from her parents.