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Aberuchill Castle

Aberuchill Castle consists of a late 16th century tower house which has been extended over the centuries to form a country mansion.

The lands of Aberuchill, originally MacGregor country, were granted to Colin Campbell, second son of Sir John Campbell of Lawers, in 1596, with a charter allowing him to build a castle.

Aberuchill Castle

Lower Glen Almond; StrathearnTimothy Pont, c. 1583 – 1596map image courtesy of NLS

He built an L-plan tower house, three storeys plus an attic in height, which was completed in 1602. The main block of accommodation in the castle runs west to east, with a smaller wing extending to the north from the eastern end of the main block, and a staircase in the re-entrant angle. The walls are around 1.2m thick. A re-sited pediment on a later dormer window on the west of the tower is carved with the date 1602.

Colin Campbell died in 1618, and was succeeded by his son James Campbell, following whose death in 1640 the estate passed to his son Colin, later Sir Colin Campbell, 1st Baronet of Aberuchill. I have seen a reference to the estate being acquired by Sir James Drummond in 1642, however entries in the Records of the Parliament of Scotland continue to describe Sir Colin Campbell as “of Aberuchill” until his death in 1704.

Sir Colin became a Senator of the College of Justice in 1689 under the title Lord Aberuchill. He married twice and had nine children, and one of his sons, James, born in 1672 at Aberuchill, would succeed his father as Sir James Campbell, 2nd Baronet of Aberuchill.

Sir James was predeceased by his son Colin in 1738, so following Sir James’ death in 1754 the estate passed to Colin’s son, also James, who became Sir James Campbell 3rd Baronet of Aberuchill. In 1772 this Sir James sold Aberuchill to James Drummond of Strageath, and moved to another Campbell property, Kilbryde Castle.

The Drummonds extended Aberuchill to the east early in the 19th century with the addition of a two storey Gothic-style wing, and remodelled the interiors. In 1858 the Drummonds sold Aberuchill to Sir David Dundas of Dunira, who is thought to have developed the gardens, planting boundary hedges and trees in the parkland.

In 1864 Dundas sold the estate to Sir George Dewhurst, a Lancashire cotton magnate, who set about extensive developments between 1869 and 1874, including some work possibly by David Bryce. A two storey west wing was added to restore the balance to the castle with the east wing, and more work was done in laying out the ornamental gardens.

On the night of the 3rd or 4th of February 1914 Aberuchill was one of three properties in the Comrie area targeted by suffragettes (the others being the House of Ross and Allt-an-Fhionn at St Fillans). A fire was started in an arson attack and was discovered in a drawing room by six maids who had been asleep in the castle. Several sources differ on the extent of the damage. All seem to agree that numerous paintings, antiques and pieces of furniture were destroyed but some state that the castle was gutted while others say that the fire was quickly extinguished, the thick walls of the castle seemingly preventing the fire from spreading.

In the 1980s the descendants of Dewhurst sold Aberuchill to an American owner involved in the oil industry. In 1994 the castle suffered fire damage once again but was repaired and restored by Thomas Robinson Architects using plans that had fortuitously been drawn up some time previously.

Aberuchill was bought by the Russian steel tycoon Vladimir Lisin for £6.8 million in 2005.

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Alternative names for Aberuchill Castle

Aberruchill; Aberuchill House; Aberroughle; Aberucheill; Aberuchell; Aberuquhill; Aberurchill; Aberurquhill; Abirquhill; Abirrouchill; Abirurquhill; Abiruquhoill; Abirurchill; Abruchill House; Abruchill Castle; Abyr rucchill; Abyr-rucchill

Clans associated with Aberuchill Castle

Campbell

Drummond

Surnames associated with Aberuchill Castle

Campbell

Drummond

Dundas

Where is Aberuchill Castle?

Aberuchill Castle is in the parish of Comrie and the county of Perthshire.

Grid reference: NN 74492 21162

Lat / long: 56.366093, -4.033282

Bing Maps | Google Maps | Historic maps (NLS) | OpenStreetMap | Ordnance Survey | PastMap | Streetmap | Wikimapia

OS Map for Aberuchill Castle

OS map OL47
Crieff, Comrie & Glen Artney (Strathearn & Auchterarder)
OS Explorer map OL47


Directions to Aberuchill Castle

Enter a starting point

Weather at Aberuchill Castle

11°C
max 11°C / min 11°C
5km/h NNW
1026mb
90%
100%
03:26 21:08

Overcast clouds
Weather observed at Comrie at 00:36

References (books)

Modern Athens
John Britton
London, 1829
The Castellated and Domestic Architecture of Scotland Volume 3
David MacGibbon
Edinburgh, 1889
The Castles of Scotland
Martin Coventry
Prestongrange, 2015
The Register of the Great Seal of Scotland A.D. 1593-1608
John Maitland Thomson
Edinburgh, 1890

References (websites)

Listed Building record
Garden and Designed Landscape record
Canmore
Wikipedia

Castles near Aberuchill Castle

Cultybraggan (site of)

2.7km away

Coney Hill motte

3.3km away

Aberlednock (possible) (site of)

4.1km away

Auchingarrich (possible) (site of)

4.5km away

Fordie (possible) (site of)

5.7km away

Loch Earn Castle

6.2km away

Strowan (possible) (site of)

7.4km away

Balloch Castle (site of)

9.6km away

Ochtertyre (possible) (site of)

9.7km away
more castles....
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Ancient sites near Aberuchill Castle

Wester Tullybannocher stone circle and rock art

1.6km away

Craggish cursus

2.0km away

Tom na Chessaig stone circle

2.7km away

Tullichettle cursus

2.9km away

West Cowden Farm standing stone and rock art

3.0km away

Dalginross stone circle

3.6km away

Dundurn fort

4.1km away

Auchingarrich standing stone

4.6km away

Balmuick stone circle

5.5km away
more ancient sites....

Pictish stones near Aberuchill Castle

Fowlis Wester Class II cross-slab

18.5km away

Fowlis Wester Church Class III cross-slab

18.5km away

Old Kilmadock 1 Class II cross slab

19.0km away

Old Kilmadock 2 Class I symbol stone

19.1km away

Blackford Class I symbol stone

21.2km away

Bore Stone of Gask Class II cross slab

22.9km away

Dupplin Cross Class III cross

30.6km away

Hawkhill Class III cross-slab

32.4km away

Dunkeld 1 Class I symbol stone

34.2km away
more Pictish stones....
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Pictish sites near Aberuchill Castle

Norrie's Law hoard

67.6km away

Todholes (possible) silver chain

80.9km away

Borland silver chain

81.2km away

Haddington silver chain

90.0km away

Traprain Law silver chain

95.2km away

Whitecleugh silver chain

101.4km away

Whitlaw silver chain

104.5km away

Hoardweel silver chain

120.1km away

Torvean silver chain

122.5km away
more Pictish sites....
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Accommodation near Aberuchill Castle

The Four Seasons Hotel
hotelSt Fillans
5.9km away
Comrie Croft SYHA Hostel
hostelComrie
5.9km away
Drummond Hotel
hotel, pubSt Fillans
5.9km away
James Cottage Guest House
hotelCrieff
11.5km away
Knock Castle Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barCrieff
11.6km away
Crieff Hydro self-catering cottages and chalets
self-catering cottagesCrieff
12.1km away
Crieff Hydro Hotel and Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurantCrieff
12.2km away
Merlindale
bed and breakfastCrieff
12.3km away
Galvelbeg House
bed and breakfast, self-catering apartmentCrieff
12.4km away
Murraypark Hotel
hotelCrieff
12.5km away

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more accommodation....

Cafés, restaurants & bars near Aberuchill Castle

Torlum Café, Auchingarrich
caféComrie
4.5km away
Drummond Hotel
hotel, pubSt Fillans
5.9km away
Famous Grouse Experience
restaurant, café, barCrieff
11.4km away
Knock Castle Hotel & Spa
hotel, restaurant, barCrieff
11.6km away
Crieff Hydro Hotel and Leisure Resort
hotel, restaurantCrieff
12.2km away
Roman Camp Hotel
hotel, restaurantCallander
17.5km away
The Crags Hotel
hotel, restaurant, barCallander
17.6km away
Dreadnought Hotel
hotel, barCallander
17.7km away
Mhor Bread
caféCallendar
17.7km away
Poppies Hotel and Restaurant
hotel, restaurant, barCallander
17.8km away
more food.... / more drink....

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Published on the 27th of April 2011 at 12:31 am. Updated on the 27th of April 2024 at 3:19 pm.

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Andy Sweet above Fast Castle

Stravaiging around Scotland is written, photographed and researched by Andy Sweet.
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