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Balnagown Castle (Balnagowan House)
Classification and Statistics
Type: Castle or Tower
Latitude: 57.7497°N Longitude: 4.0834°W
Type: Historic Building
National Grid Reference: NH 760 753
The Balnagowan Castle, in Kildary, was the seat of the chiefs of Clan Ross
from early times until their line came to an end in the person of David, 13th Chief.
It was probably built in the 15th century, the west tower, with its high pointed roof and
turrets, being the oldest part. David, who was particularly interested in architecture,
rebuilt the main portion and also added to it about the end of the 17th century.
Since his time, the Castle has been repaired, and in 1838 the east tower was built in
harmony with the older parts. In the course of these repairs, a recess was discovered in
one of the walls of the dining room. The walls of the recess were covered with drawings of
figures in the military garb of the 15th century.
Recently, the castle has been bought by Mohammed "Al" Fayed. He erected a large
crest of the arms of the Chief of Clan Ross above the main doorway but was asked to remove
it by David Ross of Ross, 27th Chief of Clan Ross. Mr Fayed declined. Accordingly, as
Scottish law dictates, the case went before the Lord Lyon who upheld the rights of the
owner of the arms and ordered Mr Fayed to remove them. (If this order were to be ignored,
then Lyon would use his lawful powers to have them removed by the police, and any
repetition of the offence would jail Mr Fayed.)
Balnagown Castle
A photograph of the front of Balnagown Castle as it looked just over a century ago (1901)
taken by William Smith, Photographer, Tain. Note the heavily ivy covered walls.
Balnagowan, a mansion in Kilmuir-Easter parish, E Ross-shire, 1½ mile N of Nigg Bay in
Cromarty Firth, ½ mile NW of Kildary station, and 5¼ miles S by W of Tain. Standing amid
romantic grounds, it commands a magnificent prospect; was a seat of the Earls of Ross in
feudal times; is partly very ancient, partly an erection of 1836; and presents an imposing
appearance, chiefly in the old Scottish Baronial style. It is a seat of Sir Chs. Wm. F. A.
Ross (b. 1812; suc. 1814), seventh Bart. since 1668, and owner of 110,445 acres in the
shire, valued at £12,653 per annum.
The 15th Century tower house of Balnagown Castle in Easter Ross, Highland Council Area,
stands on the southern bank of the River Balnagown, 2 miles (3 km) north west of
Invergordon. Extended in the 17th Century and again in the Scottish Gothic style in 1838,
the castle was originally the seat of the Ross clan. Both the castle and the 12,145 ha
(30,000 acre) Balnagown Estate were purchased for £60,000 in 1972 by Mohammed Al Fayed,
the controversial Egyptian businessman and owner of the Harrods department store in
London. Since then Al Fayed has spent in excess of £20 million restoring the castle and
improving the estate.
Balnagowan Castle
Black Andrew strikes terror…
Balnagowan Castle, near Tain, is an ancient seat of the Ross family. They take their title
and surname from the County where their forbears held lands even before their Chief
brought his men to fight for Alexander II in 1215. and whose idea of showing loyalty was
to present the king with the heads of his enemies! The king showed his pleasure at the
gift laid before him by creating the Chief of Clan Ross a knight and bestowing on him an
Earldom!
Their influence centered round the Ross and Cromarty area and one of their prized
possessions was the sacred shirt of St. Duthac who had been horn in Tam. Wearing the
shirt, reputed to have magical properties. the Earls of Ross were safe in battle. When
Edward I was rampaging his victorious way over Scotland in 1306 one of the places he made
for was Kildrummy Castle where Bruce's wife, sisters and daughter were sheltering under
the protection of his brother. At the approach of the enemy the ladies escaped and sought
sanctuary in St. Duthac's chapel but were betrayed by the Earl of Ross and led away to
captivity. No doubt a seven year spell in the Tower of London had made him wary of
offending Edward yet again! Eight years later, however, he was leading his men firmly for
Bruce at Bannockburn, and after the victory a marriage was arranged between his son Hugh
and the king's sister. In spite of wearing his magic shirt Earl Hugh died at Halidon Hill.
In 1372 the chiefship of Clan Ross passed to Hugh Ross of Balnagowan and stayed with that
branch of the family for 350 years. The reputation of some of the chiefs was vicious at
times. One, Alexander, was notorious for keeping the countryside .in terror and running
his version of a protection racket in the area. It was more expedient to hand over rent
money to Alexander's men than to pay it to the lawful landlord!
Continual complaints to the Privy Council brought no reaction -- until tax money began to
find its way to the same recipient! Then the authorities sat up and took notice. Alexander
was declared a rebel, rounded up and imprisoned in Tantallon Castle where he died in 1592.
Son George followed his father's example, setting the whole countryside by the ears,
kidnapping, murdering, rampaging and aiding outlaws. He too was declared a rebel. The
females of the family were no better, for his sister was accused of witchcraft but was
acquitted by an intimidated jury!
In the early 18th century when the chiefship passed to Ross of Pitcalnie, Balnagowan was
so burdened with debt it had to be sold. The family who bought it were a Lowland family --
also called Ross! A cadet branch of the Balnagowan Rosses who emigrated to America seem to
have redeemed their reputation. Colonel George Ross was a noted patriot and friend of
George Washington, and tradition maintains it was Colonel George who asked Betsy Ross. his
nephew's widow, to make a flag for the new country on a verge of declaring its
Independence and the Stars and Stripes was the result.
The ghost who haunts Balnagowan is a malevolent one. He takes delight in clumping about
disturbing guests, especially female ones, for he is Black Andrew, who had an evil
reputation when he was living in the mid 16th century. Andrew Munro's speciality was
tormenting women --and as he was the laird he could demand what he wanted. If he said they
were to gather in the harvest stark naked -- then stark naked they had to work.
The Laird of Balnagowan wasn't prepared to put up with this --Black Andrew's reputation
would soon be as evil as his own! So the offending Andrew was rounded up, taken to
Balnagowan, a rope put round his neck, and flung out the window where he dangled till he
died. But Black Andrew has never been cured of his lusting after a pretty face -- as many
a lady visitor can testify when they have seen him leering at them in the Red Corridor of
the Castle.
Balnagowan Castle is haunted by at least two ghosts, that of a murdered Scottish princess
and the wicked Black Andrew. There are also said to be several skeletons confined within
the walls of the castle although their location is not known. It is believed that one of
the skeletons is that of the princess.
Over a period of time there have been several authenticated reports of footsteps having
been heard walking along the Red Corridor. These are thought to be those of Black Andrew,
who in life was Andrew Monroe, a smaller 16th century laird who had a reputation for
murder and rape for miles around. It is said that he forced his village women to work
naked in the fields at harvest time. Always "one for the women", his footsteps
only echo down the corridor when a new lady visitor is spending a night at the castle.
Eventually the chief of the Clan Ross decided to stop the antics of Black Andrew by
throwing him from a window in the Monument Room at the top of the tower with a rope
fastened round his neck. He is said to have died outside one of the bedroom windows that
leads off the Red Corridor. A portrait of Black Andrew hangs in the Red Corridor showing
him to be a hairy old man with large malevolent eyes.
The ghost of the murdered princess was once seen by Lady Jane Conyngham, who at that time
was alone in the castle. Whilst eating dinner Lady Jane heard the rustling sound of a
dress. Turning, she saw a female figure, with copper-gold hair and green eyes, dressed in
grey, coming from the corner of the room. She appeared to be very gentle and friendly.
Lady Jane followed her from the drawing-room, where the ghostly princess disappeared.
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