Balgreggan (site of)

Balgreggan was a castle that belonged to the MacDowalls but nothing of it now remains.

A tower named Balgreggan is marked on Blaeu’s mid-17th century map of Galloway and in 1684 it was described as a “good strong house” belonging to the laird of Freugh.

The castle was ultimately replaced by Balgreggan House however it isn’t clear if the new house incorporated the old or if it was built on a new site nearby. Trove lists two sites around 100m apart with Balgreggan House to the west and the site of the castle to the east. However Balgreggan House is said to have incorporated part of a house from 1672 and it may be that this house itself incorporated part of the old castle.

In either case the 1672 house was remodelled, probably by William Adam between 1725 and 1730, a sundial on the wall of the house being carved with the date 1730. At that time the house rose to a height of three storeys and consisted of a symmetrical front flanked by projecting wings, with a symmetrical rear featuring a double bow.

Balgreggan House was demolished in 1966 but its walled garden, kennels, barn and boundary walls still remain.

I’ve placed the site of the castle at the site of Balgreggan House pending further research.