Dalcross Castle

Dalcross Castle is a restored 17th century tower house, about 1 1⁄2 miles (2.5 kilometres) southwest of Croy, Highland, Scotland, and about 7 miles (11 kilometres) northeast of Inverness.[1] The castle stands on a ridge.[2]

Dalcross Castle viewed from grounds
Dalcross Castle gateway

History

The Frasers of Lovat owned the property[1] and the 8th Lord Lovat[3] built a castle here in 1620, but it passed to the Mackintoshes soon after. Prior to the battle of Culloden the Hanoverian troops mustered here in 1746. The house was abandoned, and became ruinous, but it was restored and reoccupied in the 20th century,[1] by descendants of the Mackintosh lairds.[2] The restoration of the castle was probably by W L Carruthers, in 1896.[4]

Structure

Although referred to as an L-plan castle, it may be better described as two offset wings joined at the corner.[1] One wing has five storeys and an attic, while the other has three, their connection being a projecting square tower, which has a bartizan, and is topped by a garbled watch-chamber.[1] this creates two re-entrant angles.[2] There have been extensions since the castle was originally built,[1] including a two-storey 18th-centuryaddition to the north gable.[2]

There are many gunloops and shot-holes in the walls, while many windows still have their iron yetts.[1] At the foot of the square stair-tower is the entrance from the courtyard, leading to a vaulted basement. This basement contains cellars, a kitchen with a large arched fireplace, and a wine cellar with a small staircase to the fine first storey hall, which may also be reached by the wide main stair. above.[1] The ashlar chimney piece has a moulded surround a coat of arms, and the motto, “Je Trouve Bien”.[4] The upper bedroom quarters may be reached by a small turnpike stair.[2] A massive chimney stack tops the east wall of the north wing.[2]

The building is of red rubble, with tooled and polished ashlar dressings. The doorway has filletted roll to moulded door jambs, and stepped hood mould. The panel above the doorway shows the date 1720.[4]

Some windows, including dormers, were added in 1896.[4]

There are gardens surrounded by a coped wall of red rubble.[4]

It is a category A listed building.[4]

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References
  1. Coventry, Martin (2001). The Castles of Scotland. Musselburgh: Goblinshead. p. 140 ISBN 1-899874-26-7
  2. Lindsay, Maurice (1986) The Castles of Scotland. Constable. ISBN 0-09-473430-5 p.180
  3. "Dalcross Castle". Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 2016-10-26.
  4. "Dalcross Castle". British Listed Buildings. Retrieved 2016-10-25.

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