Fife, Scotland, was built in 14th century; the chapel was also built that time. Still lived in by the family of the Laird.
Balgonie Castle is a historic castle in Fife, Scotland, that dates back to the 14th century. It was built by the Sibbald family, and later passed to the Lundies, the Leslies, and the Balfours. The castle consists of a five-storey tower, a courtyard, and several ranges of buildings from different periods. The castle has been restored and is open for tours, weddings, and events. It is also a popular filming location, and has been featured in the TV series Outlander and the movie Fairy Flag.
In 1824 the castle was sold to James Balfour of Whittingehame, father of James Maitland Balfour, and grandfather of Arthur Balfour, who served as British Prime Minister from 1902 to 1905. He was unable to arrest the decay which was advancing, and in the mid nineteenth century the roofs were removed to avoid paying tax on the property. Much vandalism occurred in the 1960s, and it was not until 1971 that restoration of the castle, then owned by David Maxwell, began. Work continued through the 1970s and 1980s, aided by European funding as part of European Architectural Heritage Year, in 1975. (via Wikipedia)
14th century Balgonie Castle
Situated in the heart of the Kingdom of Fife and perched above the winding River Leven – home of the Laird, Lady and Younger of Balgonie and Eddergoll.
The Domain of Balgonie (Scotland) – the history
The Tower, the oldest still standing intact in Fife, was built for Sir Thomas Sibbald of Balgonie and is regarded as one of the finest 14th century towers in Scotland.
Built in Ashlar of the hardest of sandstone, it rises approximately 75 feet to the parapets. The walls on the ground floor are 10.5 feet thick reducing to 6 feet at the top.
The Great Hall is the only room that was never remodelled by the later Lairds and so still retains its original window seats. The Laird’s Hall, on the floor above, was remodeled in the 17th century and lost its window seats when the windows were enlarged.
The North Range was built in 1496 for Sir Robert Lundin of Balgonie, leaving a defensive 10 foot gap between this and the Tower. This range is a Hall House in its own right and incorporates an earlier corner tower. This date is so precise as King James IV visited on the 20th of August 1496. He was so impressed by the mason’s work that he gave them a gift of 20 shillings.
On the ground floor is the Chapel, complete with furniture saved from redundant churches. Both this and the preceding room are illuminated only by candlelight, creating a tremendously medieval ambience.
The gap between the Tower and Hall House was filled in by a Scale and Platt Tower in 1666. This ‘great’ stair was built by John Mylne of Balfarg, 7th generation Hereditary King’s Master Mason. Vandals destroyed the stone staircase in the 1960s and it later had to be restored in timber.
The Barmkin Wall is over 20 feet high and of two distinct periods. The South Wall is probably sixteenth century, whilst the West Wall is probably fifteenth century. The latter wall also houses the Gatehouse and Prison.
The first recorded Lairds were the Sibbald family. The Sibbalds probably descended from Sybaldi, who flourished in the middle of the 12th century. Sir Duncan Sibbald was living in Balgonie before 1246 (he is later mentioned in a Papal Bull of 1250). The Great Tower was built for Sir Thomas Sibbald of Balgonie, King’s Treasurer, around 1360.
Elizabeth, daughter of Sir John Sibbald of Balgonie, married George, 4th Earl of Angus. A descendant of this marriage was Lord Darnley, second husband of Mary Queen of Scots. Queen Mary spent the night at Balgonie before going on to Wemyss Castle, where she met Darnley for the first time.
Balgonie passed to the Lundin or Lundie family through the marriage of Elizabeth (daughter of Sir Andrew Sibbald of Balgonie, Sheriff of Fife) to Robert Lundin, second son of Sir John Lundin of that Ilk. The Lundin family descended from a natural son of King William ‘The Lion’. Sir Robert Lundin of Balgonie, who entertained James IV, was Lord High Treasurer of Scotland.
In 1624 Balgonie was bought by brothers James Boswell of Lochgelly and David Boswell of Craigincalt. Their creditors, including their father Sir John Boswell of Balmuto, sold Balgonie in 1635 to Sir Alexander Leslie (right).
Leslie, born around 1580, was the son of George Leslie, Captain of Blair Castle and Bailie of Atholl. He served in the Dutch Army before being offered a captaincy in the Swedish Army by King Gustavus Adolphus. Leslie spent 30 years in the service of Sweden, rising to the rank of Field Marshal before retiring in 1638. He was not finished with soldiering, however, as in 1639 he was made Lord General of the Army of the Covenant. He faced Charles I at Duns (this is the origin of the rhyme ‘There was a Crooked Man’), where a price of £500 was put on his head. In 1641 Charles I raised him to a peerage with the titles of Earl of Leven and Lord Balgonie.
David, 3rd Earl of Leven (who also inherited the Earldom of Melville) raised a regiment in Edinburgh in 1689 (today they are The King’s Own Scottish Borderers). In January 1716 the infamous Rob Roy MacGregor paid Balgonie a visit with some 200 clansmen and 20 Hanoverian prisoners.
Other famous visitors to Balgonie Castle have included Daniel Defoe, Dr Benjamin Rush (signatory of the American Declaration of Independence), James Boswell and Dr Johnson.
The 8th Earl of Leven sold Balgonie in 1824 to Sir James Balfour of Whittinghame (grandfather of A J Balfour, 1st Earl Balfour, Prime Minister 1902-05) who gave the estate to his second son Charles.
By the 1840s letters were appearing in the Edinburgh press concerning the appalling state of Balgonie. The roofs were later taken off to avoid paying Roof Tax.
Following heavy vandalism of the 1960s, the Castle was sold to David Maxwell, from Edinburgh, in 1971. He carried out restoration to the Tower before selling to the present Laird, Raymond Morris of Balgonie & Eddergoll, in 1985.
The Laird of Balgonie with his son and one of their Pipers
The Laird and his family are the first people to live in Balgonie for 160 years. It is their intention to restore the remainder of the Castle back to its former glory.
Balgonie Today
In recent years Balgonie Castle has been undergoing a slow but detailed restoration to return it to its former glory, with great effort being made to preserve its unique atmosphere.
Since the restoration of the Chapel in 1989, the Castle has become accepted as one of the most romantic wedding venues in Scotland and a public service is held in the Chapel on the third Sunday of each month.
Balgonie’s Great Hall is the ideal setting for weddings, banquets and receptions, corporate events and parties. In fact the whole Castle is the perfect backdrop for photographs of those unforgettable moments.
Balgonie Castle is within easy travelling distance of the major Scottish cities, less than an hour’s drive from Edinburgh, Stirling, Perth and Dundee.
The Laird of Balgonie
Balgonie Castle
by Markinch, Fife
KY7 6HQ, Scotland
Balgonie Castle is said to be haunted by several ghosts, including a Green Lady, a 17th-century soldier, and a spectral dog12345
Balgonie Castel (The Coat of Arms)
The first Lairds of Balgonie were the Sibbald family, who were the principal family of the name. Their Coat of Arms was Argent a cross moline Gules pierced with a square hole. It is believed that they also used the same cross as a crest. Mottos were not widely used at this time but they have been ascribed the motto “Justitia”. The other branches of the Sibbald family generally bore a blue cross moline (differencing by tincture).
The Lundins of Balgonie were a senior Cadet line of the name and simply differenced the Arms of Lundin of that Ilk by tincture. They bore paly of six Argent and Gules, on a bend Azure three cushions Argent. These were quarterd with Sibbald of Balgonie in 2 & 3. The Lundins also bore the Sibbald crest and motto, as representors of this important family.
Of the Boswell brothers, only David Boswell of Craigincalt appears to have recorded his Arms, viz quarterly 1 & 4 Argent on a fess Sable three cinquefoils Argent (Boswell of Balmuto), 2 & 3 Or a lion rampant Gules, overall a ribbond (bendlet) Sable (Abernethy of that Ilk) all within a bordure indented Gules. The crest was a hawk Proper, hooded and belled Or and the motto was “I Hope for Better”.
Sir Alexander Leslie of Balgonie, 1st Earl of Leven and Lord Balgonie, was descended from the Leslies of Balquain, a major branch of Clan Leslie. When Charles I elevated him to the peerage he also granted him new Arms, with an Augmentation-of-Honour. This was the crowned thistle, the Royal badge of Scotland. This was only the second time that this had been granted (the other being Lord Torphichen in 1565). His Arms were quarterly 1 & 4, Azure a thistle crowned with an imperial crown all Proper (Augmentation-of-Honour), 2 & 3, Argent on a bend Azure three buckles Or (Leslie). The crest was a demi man in armour holding in his dexter hand a dagger, point downwards, all Proper. For supporters on either side he bore two men in armour holding the Scottish flag, all Proper. This flag was red with a canton of St. Andrew, being the head quarter flag of the 1st Earl during the Bishop’s and English Civil Wars. His motto was “Pro Rege et Patria”. From the 7th Earl onwards, following the resumption of the Earldom of Melville (as Earl of Leven & Melville), the Arms were re-recorded to show the double honours. They became quarterly 1 Augmentation-of Honour, 2 Gules three crescents Argent on a bordure Argent eight roses Gules (Melville of that Ilk), 3 Argent a fess Gules (Melville of Raith), 4 Leslie. They used both crests, the second being a rachhound’s head erased Proper collared Gules. The sinister supporter was changed to the Melville one of a rachhound rampant Proper collared Gules. They also added the Melville motto of “Denique Caelum”.
The Balfours of Balgonie were Cadets of Balfour of Balbirnie and ultimately Balfour of Dovan (who had gained Dovan by marriage to a daughter of Sibbald of Balgonie). The Arms of Balfour of Balgonie & Newton Don were Argent on a chevron engrailed between three molets Sable an otter’s head erased Argent, all within a bordure engrailed Sable. The crest was a palm tree Proper and the motto was “Virtus ad Athera Tendit”.
The Arms of Morris of Balgonie & Eddergoll are Vert, on a chevron Argent, between three dirks Proper hilts Or, three roses Gules barbed and seeded Proper. These are impaled with those of Lady Balgonie viz Or a fess chequy Azure and Argent, in chief between two billets Gules a fetterlock Sable and in base a thunderbolt Gules (for Stuart). The crest is a Scots pine tree Proper between two roses Gules barbed and seeded Proper. The motto is “Truth and Chivalry”.
In Scotland, Lairds and Chieftains can be granted a Guidon of eight feet in length with a rounded end. That of Morris of Balgonie & Eddergoll has in the hoist the St. Andrew’s cross, of five tracts Argent and Vert, over which is placed the crest, a Scots pine tree Proper between two roses Gules Barbed and seeded Proper, and in the fly in letters Sable his Motto “Truth and Chivalry”.
In the Canadian Province of Saskatchewan is the Town of Balgonie, named after the Castle. In 1993, the Chief Herald of Canada granted the Town Arms; Quarterly 1, Vert a garb Or, 2, Argent a prairie lily Proper, 3, Argent a cross moline Gules quarter pierced (Sibbald of Balgonie), 4, Vert on a cheveron Argent three roses Gules seeded Or between three swords (dirks) in pale Argent hilts in base Or (Morris of Balgonie) all within a bordure quarterly counter changed Argent and Vert. For a crest upon a helmet mantled Vert doubled Argent within a wreath of these colours issuant from a mural crown Or masoned Vert bearing a frieze of thistles Purpure and prairie lilies Proper, a demi loin Gules holding a scythe Or. For supporters, on a field of grain Or, dexter a mare Argent seme of prairie lily flowers Proper, sinister a stallion Argent seme of crosses moline Gules quarter pierced. Motto “People Progress Prosperity”. And for a flag, quarterly Vert and Argent at the center the shield of the Arms of the Town of Balgonie.