Blair Castle

Blair Castle is located in the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire, Scotland.  The castle is strategically located in the Strath of Garry, making it the gatekeeper to the Grampians, and the most direct route to Inverness.  John I Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, owned Blair Castle.  While Lord Badenoch was fighting in the Crusades, his northern neighbor David I Strathbogie, Earl of Atholl built upon Badenoch’s land.  Upon his return, Badenoch won back his land and incorporated the new tower into his own castle.  Although the castle was built in the 13^th century, the majority of construction was done during the 15^th century.  The castle was under siege twice, once by Cromwell’s army in 1652 and again in 1746 by the Jacobites.  Apartments were added in the mid-18^th century.  The clock tower was destroyed by fire and rebuilt in 1814.  In 1870’s, the castle was remodeled in the Scots Baronial style, and a ballroom was added.  A new ballroom wing was added during further remodeling in 1885.  There is a Grand Fir tree on the property, which is considered the second-tallest tree in Great Britain.  The castle is open to the public.

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