Tour
Historic Balvaird Castle
Balvaird
Castle in Perthshire was a symbol of feudal times and is
well worth seeing. It sits about three miles from Glenfarg,
not far from the Fair City of Perth. From its elevated position
it commands an excellent view over the Eden valley and the
Lomonds. It used to belong to the Murrays, who figure so
largely in history, then became the property of the Earl
of Mansfield, the lineal descendant of that ancient house,
and is now managed by Historic Scotland.
At
one time it must have been a splendid baronial pile, as
well as a place of considerable strength and importance.
Even yet it is in a fair state of preservation. There is
no date on the building, but there are the remains of several
coats of arms, almost wholly obliterated, on different parts
of it, from which the date may be gathered. Above the door
which opens into the principal building from the courtyard
is a shield, on which two coats of arms are emblazoned.
They are very indistinct, but they appear to be those of
Margaret Barclay and her husband, Sir Andrew Murray. And
if this be the case, the building must have been erected
in the reign of James IV., about the end of the fifteenth
century. It is first mentioned on a document dated 1507.
On the first floor above is the great hall, measuring
31 feet by 18 feet. Over the staircase tower there
is a peculiar watch-turret, from which a large tract of
the surrounding country is visible. It will he noticed that
some buildings of a more recent date, 1567, have been added
to the castle. The name " Balvaird " is Celtic, signifying
" The town of the Bard." This means that long before the
castle was erected the spot was the residence of the old
Druidical Bard, the poet laureate of his tribe. Here, on
this identical eminence, when writing was unknown, the Bard
sang of the deeds of the neighbouring heroes, their prowess
in battle, their loves, and their romances. Here he helped
to mould the Celtic language and to develop the national
sentiment.
The
Ochils poet wrote a beautiful idyll about this old baronial
castle:
Who
is to-day the real laird,
Who
was, in ages long ago,
This
ancient castle's, 'clept Balvaird,
I
neither know, nor care to know.
But
lately--Fortune will'd it so--
A
pair of lovers, newly pair'd,
As
up Glenfarg they chanced to go,
By
chance to that old castle fared.
How
sweet the summer eve was air'd
With
pink wild-roses, all a-blow,
And
larches, long and waving-hair'd,
In
many a ridgy terraced row
The
Farg sang humbly far below;
A
lark the heaven of heavens dared,--
It
drew them, and they chanced to go
To
that old castle of Ba'vaird.
The
lady, nestling closer, shared
The
cloak that round them twain did go,
And
thus the castle's frown they dared,
And
scaled the battlement--when lo!
Out
flashed the moon with magic glow,
And
on the instant they were laird
And
lady, living long age,
In
their strong castle of Ba'vaird !"
Situated
between Gateside and Bridge of Earn within Perth and Kinross,
the L-shaped tower house of Balvaird Castle sits atop an
exposed ridge, overlooking Glen Farg. The Murrays of Balvaird
were the forebears of the family which eventually acquired
the titles of Lord Balvaird, Viscount Stormont and Earl
of Mansfield. The castle underwent extensive alterations
and additions in 1567 were made when the courtyard buildings
were significantly added to. The Murray family left this
castle in favour of Scone in 1685 and although it served
as accommodation for farm workers, the sophisticated buildings
had fallen into disrepair by 1845. Acquired by Historic
Scotland in 1974, it has been restored to its former glory.
