BOTURICH CASTLE, near Balloch
ACCESS : Private. No access unless as an invited guest to a wedding.
Listed B.
You may have been at Duck Bay on Loch Lomond and looked across the water to the far side. You may have noticed a large interesting building almost surrounded by trees, lawns stretching out in front, sometimes with a large white marquee on those lawns. And wondered what that is. It is in fact Borurich Castle. The marquee has been replaced by an elegant purpose built modern pavilion - considered by all you have been there as perhaps the best wedding venue in Scotland. The amazing views that you may enjoy from around this end of the Loch are beautifully combined from this vantage point. Many of the islands are visible with Inchmurrin the most dominant. The hills stretch into the distance with Ben Lomond the crowning glory.
It is important to note that access is by invitation only for those attending functions such as weddings. The historic large and elegant main house is strictly private although as a guest, you will arrive past it.
It was designed by Robert Lugar in 1830 incorporating a 15th century castle. Later additions were by Scott, Stephen and Gale in 1834. An octagonal entrance tower dates from 1850 and some remodelling was done in the late 19th century.
Canmore tells us :
The present mansion, known as Boturich Castle, was erected in 1830 and incorporates the remains of an earlier building. The house plans, made in 1830, show the extent of the old castle, the walls of which can still be traced to a height of c.20ft. A sketch, made before 1830 by a Miss Findlay (information from Mrs N Findlay, owner, Boturich Castle), shows a ruinous, L-shaped building with crow-stepped gables.
The remains of the pre-1830 Boturich Castle consist of walls 4ft thick on the present ground level. A barrel vault extends through the SE corner of the old building, and two slit windows, one now blocked , are visible. The exterior of the building has been harled, and apart from the slit window, shows no trace of antiquity.
Note that the same Canmore utilising Pastmap show a site for the earlier castle several metres to the west shown as "B" on the map. This conflicts with their comment that the current building incorporated the earlier one. It has not been possible to verify if any ruins exist at that point although the records note that earlier masonry is discernible within the current fabric. The aforementioned sketch by Miss Findlay is included in the Canmore records and shows the original building almost central to the current one.
The typed notes on Canmore note that the original castle is said to have been built by the last Countess of Albany and Countess of Lennox (Isabelle, Countess of Lennox, died c. 1460.). [Canmore].
This map extract is dated 1860 and shows the castle in the centre with various other buildings on the estate. A = Boturich Castle. B = an earlier castle site ( ruins - see comments above); C = estate offices: Meikle Botturich. NLS © as ref below. Susbsequent buildings in this area include Boturich Cottage, Oak Cottage, North Stables Cottage and South Stables Cottage. NLS © as ref below.
Magnificent views from the steps of the pavilion with Inchmurrin the island in the foreground and Ben Lomond the main peak in the distance.
Excellent wedding facilities at the pavilion.
BRITISH LISTED BUILDINGS : https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/200339574-boturich-castle-kilmaronock#.X8ljvLlxdPY
CANMORE : https://canmore.org.uk/site/42486/boturich-castle
NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCOTLAND maps : Dumbartonshire, Sheet XIV Survey date: 1860, Publication date: 1865. https://maps.nls.uk/view/228777133
