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Publication Account
Date 1987
Event ID 1016851
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Publication Account
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/1016851
The imposing white-harled Scots-Baronial exterior of Blair Castle dates from the 1870s when David Bryce of Edinburgh was commissioned by the 7th Duke of Atholl to remodel and extend the early Georgian mansion known as Atholl House. This building in its turn incorporated the truncated remains of an earlier Blair Castle. The whole history of the building appears to follow this pattern back to the earliest building reference of 1269. Fortunately many of the interiors survived one or more of these remodellings leaving a rich legacy of period interiors from the 18th and 19th centuries. The most magnifIcent of these are the classical interiors from the 1747 to 1758 remodelling. These were designed and executed by craftsmen of the highest order. The plasterwork in the principal apartments is the work of Thomas Clayton of Edinburgh. The woodwork is by Abraham Swan and the stone chimney-pieces are the work of Thomas Carter of London. Much of the 18th century and Regency furniture is of English manufacture, although some fme French pieces are in evidence.
Blair Castle has had many Royal connections. Queen Victoria visited Atholl House in 1844. In 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stuart stayed for a few days in the earlier Blair Castle. Mary Queen of Scots visited and was entertained with a hunt during which three hundred and sixty red deer and five wolves were killed. Edward III of England stayed at Blair in 1336 and in
the years after the Wars ofIndependence, Blair was owned by Robert II and his son WaIter.
The present Duke of Atholl boasts the only surviving private army in Europe, the Atholl Highlanders, who regularly parade in the castle grounds. The last siege of the building took place early in 1746 making this the last house on the British mainland to withstand a siege.
In addition to the architectural and historic interest of the buildings, Blair Castle also houses a number of excellent collections ranging from antique furniture, paintings, china, valuable books, documents, embroidery and lace to Atholl family trophies, mementos and a natural history collection.
The village of Blair Atholl houses a working corn (oats) mill and country museum.
Possibly Bryce did more than any other Scottish architect to break down the refinement of the late Georgian era. His boldness of concept and brashness of detail produced some very exciting buildings. On the whole these buildings have suffered badly, being constructed on such a grand scale that they have proved almost impossible to maintain on any but the largest estates. Many were demolished in the post-war period at a time when their architectural value was not fully appreciated. At Kinnaird Castle (NO 634571), 1854-56, Bryce reconstructed a Classical house as a French Gothic chateau to create one of the most splendid houses in the region. Unfortunately a fIre in 1921 resulted in the loss of its romantic roof-line and splendid interiors. Otherwise the house survives and remains the seat of the Earl of Southesk.
Information from ‘Exploring Scotland’s Heritage: Fife and Tayside’, (1987).
