A History of the ‘Castle of Edradour’
Origins and Royal Connections
Redcastle was built in 1179 as ‘the castle of Edradour’ by David, Earl of Huntingdon, brother of William the Lion. It later came into the possession of the Douglas family, who held it until it was confiscated by the Crown on the execution of the Earl of Ormond in 1455. The Crown retained it (and Mary Queen of Scots came here in 1562) until it was granted in 1570 to the Mackenzies of Kintail.
The Mackenzie Era and Rebuilding
Roderick, a younger son of Kenneth Mackenzie of Kintail, obtained a Crown grant of the castle in 1599 and his descendant, Rory Mackenzie, built the present L-plan castle in about 1641 (datestone can be seen in the east gable). In 1649 the ‘new strong house of Redcastle’ was besieged and burnt by covenanting troops, but it was repaired soon afterwards.
17th-Century Design and the Grant Improvement
The 17th century building is a large three-storey L-shaped building of deep red rubble stone, the colour of which has given the house its name. In 1790 the Mackenzies sold the estate to the Grants, who improved the estate so much that they are said to have sold it c.1828 for six or seven times what they paid for it.
19th-Century Remodeling by William Burn
Col. Hugh Baillie (1777-1866) bought the estate in 1838 and brought in William Burn to remodel the old castle into a comfortable house over the next three years. Burn’s alterations included:
- The addition of a lower tower in front of the 17th century stair tower.
- The building of a loggia across the south front of the main block.
- The addition of a round north-east tower and utilitarian service extensions at the rear.
- The windows were enlarged and the structure generally repaired and overhauled.
Modern History and Future Vision
Redcastle was requisitioned during the Second World War and was returned in poor condition. It was partially stripped in the 1950s and has not been occupied since. Today, the family is committed to a sustainable long term vision for this landscape and step by step are looking forward to sharing the journey of this historic environment over the coming years.