Culcreuch Castle
Encyclopedia
Culcreuch Castle is a Scottish castle close to the village of Fintry
, near Loch Lomond
. It has been the home of the Barons of Culcreuch since 1699, was turned into a hotel, venue and visitor attraction in the 1980s.
from 1320 to 1624, when it was sold to a cousin, Alexander Seton of Gargunnock
, to settle a financial debt. In 1632, it was purchased by Robert Napier, a younger son of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston
. The Napier family
held the estate for five generations. The castle was used to garrison Oliver Cromwell’s
troops in 1654. In 1796, the castle was sold to Alexander Spiers of Glasgow
, who built a cotton mill and a distillery in Fintry
. It was sold in 1890 to J. C. Dunwaters, then again in 1901 to Walter Menzies. It passed into the hands of Hercules Robinson in the 1970s, the last of that line of the Menzies family. It was sold in 1984 to Arthur Haslam, who operated the castle as a hotel. In 2007, ownership was transferred to a holding company in Los Angeles, and the property is now managed by Robert Reynolds.
, with three stories and an attic, topped by a parapet
and slate roof. The north and east extensions to the original tower were built after 1721 by the Napiers, and match the original tower.
Fintry
Fintry is a small village in central Scotland, nestled in the strath of the Endrick Water between the Campsie Fells and the Fintry Hills, some 19 miles north of Glasgow. It is within the local government council area of Stirling...
, near Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond
Loch Lomond is a freshwater Scottish loch, lying on the Highland Boundary Fault. It is the largest lake in Great Britain by surface area. The lake contains many islands, including Inchmurrin, the largest fresh-water island in the British Isles, although the lake itself is smaller than many Irish...
. It has been the home of the Barons of Culcreuch since 1699, was turned into a hotel, venue and visitor attraction in the 1980s.
History
Culcreuch Castle was built in 1296 by Maurice Galbraith. It was the clan seat of Clan GalbraithClan Galbraith
Clan Galbraith is a Scottish clan. The clan does not have a chief recognised by the Lord Lyon King of Arms. Because of this, the clan is considered an armigerous clan, and as such Clan Galbraith has no standing under Scots Law. The clan-name of Galbraith is of Gaelic origin, however its meaning...
from 1320 to 1624, when it was sold to a cousin, Alexander Seton of Gargunnock
Gargunnock
Gargunnock is a small village in the Stirling council area approximately seven miles west of Stirling, in Scotland. The 2001 census population was 944...
, to settle a financial debt. In 1632, it was purchased by Robert Napier, a younger son of John Napier, the 8th Laird of Merchiston
John Napier
John Napier of Merchiston – also signed as Neper, Nepair – named Marvellous Merchiston, was a Scottish mathematician, physicist, astronomer & astrologer, and also the 8th Laird of Merchistoun. He was the son of Sir Archibald Napier of Merchiston. John Napier is most renowned as the discoverer...
. The Napier family
Clan Napier
Clan Napier is a Scottish clan originally from lands around Loch Lomond, but with presence in Stirlingshire, Edinburgh, Aberdeenshire and Kincardineshire.-Origins of the Clan:There is some debate about the origin of the name Napier...
held the estate for five generations. The castle was used to garrison Oliver Cromwell’s
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell was an English military and political leader who overthrew the English monarchy and temporarily turned England into a republican Commonwealth, and served as Lord Protector of England, Scotland, and Ireland....
troops in 1654. In 1796, the castle was sold to Alexander Spiers of Glasgow
Glasgow
Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...
, who built a cotton mill and a distillery in Fintry
Fintry
Fintry is a small village in central Scotland, nestled in the strath of the Endrick Water between the Campsie Fells and the Fintry Hills, some 19 miles north of Glasgow. It is within the local government council area of Stirling...
. It was sold in 1890 to J. C. Dunwaters, then again in 1901 to Walter Menzies. It passed into the hands of Hercules Robinson in the 1970s, the last of that line of the Menzies family. It was sold in 1984 to Arthur Haslam, who operated the castle as a hotel. In 2007, ownership was transferred to a holding company in Los Angeles, and the property is now managed by Robert Reynolds.
Design
Culcreuch is a rectangular tower houseTower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
, with three stories and an attic, topped by a parapet
Parapet
A parapet is a wall-like barrier at the edge of a roof, terrace, balcony or other structure. Where extending above a roof, it may simply be the portion of an exterior wall that continues above the line of the roof surface, or may be a continuation of a vertical feature beneath the roof such as a...
and slate roof. The north and east extensions to the original tower were built after 1721 by the Napiers, and match the original tower.