Balfour Castle

Balfour Castle is a manor house on the Scottish Orkney island of Shapinsay. In 1971 the building in the Scottish lists of monuments was first included in the category B. The be upgraded to the highest category A was 1995.

History

In the 17th century, the Buchanans purchased the lands on Shapinsay and sold them in the 17th century to the Feas of Clestrain of Stronsay. The property was then sold to the Laings of Papdale and finally in 1770 to the Balfour of Trenabie of Westray. The first Balfour to Shapinsay planted forests in the vicinity of the later Balfour Castle, which today form the largest contiguous forest in the Orkney Islands. David Balfour, 4th Laird of Balfour Balfour Castle was built 1846-1859. As an architect he hired David Bryce with a significant architects of his time. On the property there were two previous buildings. The 17th -century House of Sound, the Hanoverian troops burned down in 1746, and the Cliffdale House, which has been partially integrated into Balfour Castle. Today, the former mansion houses a hotel operation.

Description

Balfour Castle is situated on a sheltered bay in the southwest of Shapinsay. It it is a vast mansion in the Scottish Baronial style with designs from the Georgian architecture. The main building has three floors with a four-storey tower and two - storey and extensions. The gable of the slate-roofed gable roofs are made as gable. In the gardens are remains of the House of Sound to find. Thus, a segmental arch with flanking columns with the monogram AB / MB from the year 1674th