Balfour Castle
Balfour Castle is a historic building on the southwest of Shapinsay, Orkney Islands.[1] Though built around an older structure that dates at least from the 18th century, the present castle was built in 1847, commissioned by Colonel David Balfour, and designed by Edinburgh architect David Bryce. It is a Category A listed building and the landscape and formal gardens are listed in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.[2][3]
History
[edit]The small island of Shapinsay has been inhabited since prehistoric times, the most notable evidence being the extant Broch of Burroughston, located not far from Balfour Castle to the northeast. The Mor Stein standing stone dating to the Neolithic is found also to the east of Balfour Castle, indicating the length of human activity in the area.[4] On the site of Balfour Castle was originally part of the Estate of Sound, which included a stately home that was destroyed by British Hanoverian soldiers during the Jacobite rising of 1745. In 1782, the area was sold to Major Thomas Balfour, who built a new house on the site. By 1846, all of the land on the island around the castle, including the nearby ruins of Linton Chapel, had been purchased by Balfour's grandson, David Balfour.[5] Balfour then constructed Balfour Castle to the designs of the architect David Bryce in Bryce's first large commission.[6] It was built as an L shaped house The gardens were also installed by the gardener Craigie Inglis Halkett.[6] In the 1850s, the castle was landscaped to give it a mock portcullis and parapets with the walled garden being renovated.[6]
During the Second World War, the Balfour family opened the castle to the public during the summer as a way to raise funds for the war effort.[6] The Balfour family remained at the castle until 1962 when they sold it to the Polish Captain Tadeusz Zawadski.[6] Zawadzki renovated the castle as his private home, apparently fulfilling a Gypsy prophecy he had heard back in Poland that he would one day live in a castle.[7] As of 2021, the castle was operating as a hotel,[8] but by 2025 had returned to its original use as a private residence.[9]
See also
[edit]Line notes
[edit]- ^ J. Gunn. 1932
- ^ (Historic Environment Scotland & LB18615)
- ^ (Historic Environment Scotland & GDL00038)
- ^ C. Michael Hogan. 2007
- ^ Tudor, John (1883). The Orkneys and Shetland: Their Past and Present State. E. Stanford. p. 242. ISBN 9780364387061.
{{cite book}}: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help) - ^ a b c d e "BALFOUR CASTLE (GDL00038)". Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Shapinsay Development Trust". Orkney.com. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "7 castles in Scotland you can actually stay in". The Culture Trip. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
- ^ "Balfour Castle". Balfour Castle Estate. Retrieved 7 July 2025.
References
[edit]- J. Gunn, Orkney, the Magnetic North, Thomas Nelson and Sons, Edinburgh (1932)
- Historic Environment Scotland. "BALFOUR CASTLE (WITH GARDEN GATEWAY) SOUND (Category A Listed Building LB18615)". Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- Historic Environment Scotland. "BALFOUR CASTLE (GDL00038)". Retrieved 5 March 2019.
- C. Michael Hogan. , Burroughston Broch, The Megalithic Portal, ed. Andy Burnham, October 7, 2007