Ballathie House
Encyclopedia
Ballathie House is a 19th century mansion in Perthshire
, Scotland
. It is located around 9 miles (14.5 km) north of Perth
, and 5.5 miles (8.9 km) west of Coupar Angus
, close to the River Tay
. The present house was built in 1886, and since 1972 it has operated as a country house hotel.
, the Earls of Perth
, owned the Ballathie lands in the 17th century, selling to the Robertson family. According to Historic Scotland
, the house was built during the 1850s. General Richardson Robertson of Tullybelton undertook the building of the current house but died in 1883, 3 years before it was completed.
General Richardson Robertson's nephew, Colonel Edmund Robert F. Richardson took over the house, selling it in 1910 to Sir Stewart Coates, from Paisley
. The house was enlarged by alterations to the servants quarters and a new entrance porch. Central heating and electric lighting were also installed. An army hut was erected for use as a dance hall after the World War I
and dances were held for staff and locals. A 9-hole golf course was laid out by professional golfer Ben Sayers
but this was ploughed up as part of the campaign to provide more food during World War II
.
Ballathie's fame as a sporting estate
led to many famous guests coming to stay during this period. These included:
In 1936, the estate was sold to Colonel Stephen Hardie, a chartered accountant in Glasgow and founder member of the British Oxygen Company. Hardie died in 1969 and the house was sold, and converted into a hotel in 1972 by the Maxwell family from the west of Scotland.
Christopher Longden has been the Manager since 1993, with Jonathan Greer Head Chef since 2006.
, a notable salmon
fishing river. Clay pigeon
and grouse
shooting are available, with Scone Palace
, Atholl
and Glamis Castle
all within easy reach.
You can take a virtual tour
of the hotel on the website.
The hotel has helicopter landing facilities.
Perthshire
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth , is a registration county in central Scotland. It extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
. It is located around 9 miles (14.5 km) north of Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
, and 5.5 miles (8.9 km) west of Coupar Angus
Coupar Angus
Coupar Angus is a town in Perth and Kinross, Scotland, situated eight kilometres south of Blairgowrie.The name Coupar Angus serves to differentiate the town from Cupar, Fife...
, close to the River Tay
River Tay
The River Tay is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui , then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay , in...
. The present house was built in 1886, and since 1972 it has operated as a country house hotel.
Before 1886
The Drummond familyClan Drummond
Clan Drummond is a Scottish clan deriving its name from the parish of Drymen, in what was western Stirlingshire. Legend gives Maurice of Hungary as founder of the clan...
, the Earls of Perth
Earl of Perth
The title Earl of Perth was created in the Peerage of Scotland in 1605 for James Drummond, 4th Lord Drummond.The Drummond family claim descent from Maurice, son of George, a younger son of King Andrew I of Hungary...
, owned the Ballathie lands in the 17th century, selling to the Robertson family. According to Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
, the house was built during the 1850s. General Richardson Robertson of Tullybelton undertook the building of the current house but died in 1883, 3 years before it was completed.
Country house, 1886-1972
Paisley
Paisley is the largest town in the historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland and serves as the administrative centre for the Renfrewshire council area...
. The house was enlarged by alterations to the servants quarters and a new entrance porch. Central heating and electric lighting were also installed. An army hut was erected for use as a dance hall after the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and dances were held for staff and locals. A 9-hole golf course was laid out by professional golfer Ben Sayers
Ben Sayers
Bernard "Ben" Sayers was one of the most successful early professional golfers...
but this was ploughed up as part of the campaign to provide more food during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Ballathie's fame as a sporting estate
Hunting
Hunting is the practice of pursuing any living thing, usually wildlife, for food, recreation, or trade. In present-day use, the term refers to lawful hunting, as distinguished from poaching, which is the killing, trapping or capture of the hunted species contrary to applicable law...
led to many famous guests coming to stay during this period. These included:
- Duke Michael of RussiaGrand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of RussiaGrand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia was the youngest son of Emperor Alexander III of Russia.At the time of his birth, his paternal grandfather was still the reigning Emperor of All the Russias. Michael was fourth-in-line to the throne following his father and elder brothers Nicholas and...
and his wife, Natalia, Princess BrassovaNatalia, Princess BrassovaNatalia Brasova, Countess Brasova was a Russian noblewoman who married, as her third husband, Grand Duke Michael Alexandrovich of Russia.-Early life:... - John Wolfe-BarryJohn Wolfe-BarrySir John Wolfe-Barry was an English civil engineer of the late 19th and early 20th century. His most famous project was the construction of Tower Bridge over the River Thames in London.-Early career:...
, civil engineer whose most famous projects included Tower Bridge and the District Line in London - Arthur Winnington-IngramArthur Winnington-IngramArthur Foley Winnington-Ingram KCVO PC was Bishop of London from 1901 to 1939.-Early life and career:He was born in Worcestershire, the fourth son of the Revd Edward Winnington-Ingram and of Louisa...
, Bishop of London from 1901 to 1939 - The Prince of WalesEdward VIII of the United KingdomEdward VIII was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth, and Emperor of India, from 20 January to 11 December 1936.Before his accession to the throne, Edward was Prince of Wales and Duke of Cornwall and Rothesay...
, later King Edward VIII - Hugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of WestminsterHugh Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of WestminsterHugh Richard Arthur Grosvenor, 2nd Duke of Westminster GCVO DSO was the son of Victor Alexander Grosvenor, Earl Grosvenor and Lady Sibell Mary Lumley, the daughter of the 9th Earl of Scarborough...
In 1936, the estate was sold to Colonel Stephen Hardie, a chartered accountant in Glasgow and founder member of the British Oxygen Company. Hardie died in 1969 and the house was sold, and converted into a hotel in 1972 by the Maxwell family from the west of Scotland.
Hotel, 1972-present
John Milligan purchased the estate separately in 1998, then also the hotel in 2005. The estate is still used for farming and sports. The Sportsman's Lodge was completed in 2003, within the grounds of the hotel.Christopher Longden has been the Manager since 1993, with Jonathan Greer Head Chef since 2006.
Hotel facilities
Ballathie has 41 bedrooms in the main hotel, plus 11 more at the Sportsman's Lodge. The Hotel restaurant has also received various awards. Ballathie is a venue for wedding ceremonies and receptions and also has rooms for conferences and meetings up a capacity of 50. The hotel is located on the River TayRiver Tay
The River Tay is the longest river in Scotland and the seventh-longest in the United Kingdom. The Tay originates in western Scotland on the slopes of Ben Lui , then flows easterly across the Highlands, through Loch Dochhart, Loch Lubhair and Loch Tay, then continues east through Strathtay , in...
, a notable salmon
Salmon
Salmon is the common name for several species of fish in the family Salmonidae. Several other fish in the same family are called trout; the difference is often said to be that salmon migrate and trout are resident, but this distinction does not strictly hold true...
fishing river. Clay pigeon
Clay pigeon shooting
Clay pigeon shooting, also known as clay target shooting, and formally known as Inanimate Bird Shooting, is the art of shooting at special flying targets, known as clay pigeons or clay targets, with a shotgun or any type of firearm....
and grouse
Grouse
Grouse are a group of birds from the order Galliformes. They are sometimes considered a family Tetraonidae, though the American Ornithologists' Union and many others include grouse as a subfamily Tetraoninae in the family Phasianidae...
shooting are available, with Scone Palace
Scone Palace
Scone Palace is a Category A listed historic house at Scone, Perthshire, Scotland. It was constructed in 1808 for the Earls of Mansfield by William Atkinson...
, Atholl
Atholl
Atholl or Athole is a large historical division in the Scottish Highlands. Today it forms the northern part of Perth and Kinross, Scotland bordering Marr, Badenoch, Breadalbane, Strathearn, Perth and Lochaber....
and Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle
Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public....
all within easy reach.
You can take a virtual tour
Virtual Tour
A virtual tour is a simulation of an existing location, usually composed of a sequence of video images. They also may use other multimedia elements such as sound effects, music, narration, and text....
of the hotel on the website.
The hotel has helicopter landing facilities.
Awards
- VisitScotlandVisitScotlandVisitScotland is Scotland's national tourism agency. It is a public body, with offices in Edinburgh, Inverness, London as well as other parts of Scotland...
, the Scottish tourist board, rates Ballathie as a 4 starStar (classification)Stars are often used as symbols for classification purposes. They are used by reviewers for ranking things such as movies, TV shows, restaurants, and hotels. For example, one to five stars is commonly employed to categorize hotels.-Restaurant ratings:...
hotel. - The hotel's restaurant received the Silver Award from EatScotland, the restaurant guide of VisitScotland.
- The AAThe Automobile AssociationThe Automobile Association , a British motoring association founded in 1905 was demutualised in 1999 to become a private limited company which currently provides car insurance, driving lessons, breakdown cover, loans and motoring advice, and other services...
gives the hotel 4 stars and 2 red rosettes. - Rural Restaurant Award win at the Scottish Hotel Awards 2010.