Barra Castle

Barra Castle is an occupied and extended tower house that sits on sloping ground overlooking the now-drained lands that are the headwaters of the Lochter Burn, and is overlooked by the old hillfort at the top of Hill of Barra. The castle is clearly visible from the road, and at the time of writing, operates a farm shop and bistro, and as a venue.

The lands of Barra lie within the Garioch, lordship that was held by the crown in the 12th century, when it was granted to Earl David, the younger brother of King Malcolm IV and King William. From Earl David it descended first to an illegitimate son of King William, but was then granted to Earl David’s youngest son, John “the Scot” who was also Earl of Chester. When John the Scot died, his large estates were divided among his three sisters, and it was Isobel, married to Robert Bruce of Annandale. In 1307, when Robert Bruce claimed the throne, the lands of Garioch once again became royal. One of the principal agents of the lands was the forester, and this was held heritably by the Blackhall family, and it was these Blackhalls who had the earliest buildings we know of at Barra built. The estate was divided by about 1500, with part held by James Kyng, part by William Blackhall. A notable dispute between the landholders followed through the 16th century. By 1598, one of the families involved, the Setons, had achieved a degree of dominance, and George Seton received a charter of the lands. By 1615, the fortalice of Barra was the principal seat of the barony. In 1658 the heirs of George Seton sold Barra to James Reid, an Aberdeen advocate, and in 1754 the estate was sold again, at which point the north wing was added, and the courtyard reworked. From 1766 to 1909 it was used as a farmhouse, and it was then restored after this date.

The building sequence prior to 1598 is unclear, and it has been suggested that a small L-plan tower, now reworked as the south wing, predates the rest of the building. This may be the case, but evidence is equivocal at best. By comparison, the west range, consisting of three vaulted basement rooms with a round tower at the south-west corner, is most likely to be late 16th century, maybe then extended and reworked for George Seton, with the addition of an L-shaped wing at the south-east corner with a full height round stair turret to the south (rear) in the re-entrant, and a further square room with round tower at the south-east corner. An unfinished round feature noted by MacGibbon and Ross at the north-western corner would have provided a symmetry to the west, and there may have been a matching projecting wing to the north-east, although this may never have been built as the wing there today is definitely 18th century.

HES Canmore database entry

Barra Castle official website