Ballindalloch Castle

Ballindalloch Castle has stood on the banks of the River Avon in Banffshire since 1546. The lands on which this grand residence sits were granted to John Grant of Freuchie in 1498 by King James IV. It was his grandson, also named John Grant, who had the castle built as a fortress to both protect and defend the family and estate following the rise of clan warfare in the region, along with raids into the Highlands by the monarchs of both England and Scotland.

The construction of the castle itself is surrounded by mystery. It is positioned close to the junction of the River Avon and the River Spey, which provide natural protection. However, there was closer higher land that would have given the castle the same natural protection but a far better position to see any approaching forces and make it more difficult to attack.

According to local legend, construction of the castle initially started on the hill but the stonemasons' work was constantly stalled. It is said that when they returned to the site each morning, their work from the day before was found to have been destroyed, with the rubble in the river. Unable to even get the foundations laid, John Grant himself decided to investigate who was preventing his building work. He stayed after the masons had left and hid, waiting to see what would happen. As he watched, a mighty wind suddenly swept through the area, strong enough to lift the stones from the foundation of the castle and to sweep John Grant off his feet.

He ended up on the banks of the river, with the stonework of his castle lying in pieces around him. As the gust of wind passed, a voice echoed through it instructing Grant to build his castle ‘on the coo haugh’. The land on which he had landed was a cow meadow, and so with the warning delivered, plans to build the castle on the hill were abandoned and it was built on the cow meadow.

The resultant three-storey Z-shaped building provided living accommodation in the central part, flanked at both ends by protective towers, and a ‘murder hole’ at the entrance, through which stones would be dropped on any attackers who made it that far. During the wars between England and Scotland, the castle, however, finally fell. The Grant clan sided with the Covenanters and, in 1645, Royalist forces led by James Graham, the Marquis of Montrose, attacked and burned out the interior of the castle. After the war, the Grants returned, and the castle was restored.

By the 18th century, the risk of attack was decreasing and the desire for comfortable family homes rather than defensive structures grew. The castle was extended by successive heads of the Grant family, yet disaster struck again in 1829 when the rivers flooded and the former defensive walls collapsed under the pressure of the water. The force of the flood was such that it effectively formed a new river, cutting a ravine into the ground, sweeping away the gardens, and flowing through the ground floor of the castle.

The resultant restoration went way beyond repairing the damage, instead seeing the building again extended and modernised to form the impressive building we see today, which remains the family home of the now Macpherson-Grants.

The castle is said to be the home of several spirits, who have been witnessed by both the family and visitors to the castle during the few months of the year it is opened to the public. The Green Lady is seen in the dining room, which was formerly the great hall. Her identity or reason for remaining at the castle is unknown, and on the rare occasion she is seen, she is described as seemingly unaware of the presence of others.

Above, in one of the bedrooms of the Pink Tower, another female apparition is seen, believed to be one of the former senior members of the family. Those who have seen her report feeling calm and unthreatened by her presence. General James Grant, who passed away in 1806, is also reported to haunt the property. He had requested that he be buried close to the castle, and his wishes were carried out, which may be why he is still seen walking along the corridors at night, particularly near the wine cellar. This area was said to have been one of his favourite parts of the castle, however, the wine cellar used to be the dungeon, with possibly a pit prison below which was filled with silt and debris during the flood and supposedly never cleared. Perhaps there is something hidden which he is looking for. He is also seen within the grounds of the castle, riding around the estate on a great white horse, as though still observing and keeping guard over his former home.

Close to the castle is an old bridge over the River Avon, which also has reports of a phantom. It is believed she was one of the family members who fell in love with a local man, however, the feelings were not mutual. She would walk the bridge every day to post a letter to him declaring her love, and it seems she continues to do so in death. When a new bridge was built nearby, it is said the workmen spotted her making her sad journey on several occasions.