Belmont Castle
Country House (18th Century), Tower House (Medieval)
Site Name Belmont Castle
Classification Country House (18th Century), Tower House (Medieval)
Alternative Name(s) Kirkhill Tower; Kirklands Tower; Kirkhill Of Meigle; Belmont Castle Policies
Canmore ID 30827
Site Number NO24SE 19
NGR NO 28614 43926
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/30827
- Council Perth And Kinross
- Parish Meigle
- Former Region Tayside
- Former District Perth And Kinross
- Former County Perthshire
NO24SE 19.00 28614 43926
(NO 2861 4391) Belmont Castle (NAT)
OS 6" map (1902)
NO24SE 19.01 NO 28577 44038 Stables
NO24SE 19.02 NO 20887 43495 South-West Lodge
NO24SE 19.03 NO 2884 4370 Walled Garden
NO24SE 19.04 NO 2904 4346 Lodge
NO24SE 19.05 NO 283 434 Military Camp
NO24SE 19.06 NO 2848 4414 Lodge
NO24SE 19.07 NO 2858 4314 Farmsteading
NMRS REFERENCE
Belmont Castle.
OWNER: Church of Scotland - Eventide home.
EXTERNAL REFERENCE
Sheffield City Library Archives Department
Wharncliffe Maps
53 and 55 - plan of house as existing in 1773.
(Undated) information in NMRS.
Publication Account (1859)
Belmont was a grange or residence of bishops and was formerly called Kirkhill.
A Jervise 1859
Publication Account (1963)
The modern mansion of Belmont was formerly Kirklands, a small fortalice. The site is a flat one, which may well have once been marshy and therefore strong. The slight batter to the walling at basement level would appear to support this.
The original building was a small and very plain square tower, rising three storeys to the parapet, the present modern and crenellated clock turret probably representing the former caphouse at the head of the stairway. A single quatrefoil gunloop survives at second-floor level. Belmont was the property of the family of Nairn of Dunsinane up to the 17th century.
N Tranter 1963.
Field Visit (13 February 1969)
As described by Tranter. "Kirkhill" rather than "Kirklands" is the locally accepted former name. The modern building is now an Old Peoples' Home.
Visited by OS (WDJ), 13 February 1969.
Field Visit (April 1989)
Incorporated into the S side of Belmont Castle (1752 with later additions) there is a 15th-century tower-house originally of at least three principal storeys. Although much altered, both the ground- and first-floor vaults remain, together with a number of mural chambers and a turnpike stair between the first and second floors. External detail is hidden by harling, but a circular loop lighting a first-floor chamber is visible in the N wall of the tower.
Until about 1775, Belmont was known as Kirkhill. The lands of Kirkhill of Meigle, the property of Dunkeld Abbey, are on record in 1501. The buildings and policies of Kirkhill are depicted by Roy.
Visited by RCAHMS (IMS) April 1989.
OSA; NSA; Dunkeld Rentale; Reg Mag Sig; W Roy 1747-49; A Jervise 1859.
