Interesting Sites Nearby
User Reviews
Balthayock Castle is a medieval tower built in late 14th century. It is said to have been owned by family of Blair since the time of William I (1165-1214). It was very ruinous prior to 1870. James Maclaren saved the tower by building the present battlements, modern roof, caphouse, forestair to the entrance and also altered the interior. It was inhabited until the middle of the last century. It is now unoccupied but is in good condition.
In September 1594 James VI raised a force against the northern earls and met them at the battle of Glenlivet. When he was at Perth, Euphemia Douglas, the wife of the Master of Glamis wrote to Alexander Blair, laird of Balthayock asking him to come with Glamis Castle with his followers, armed and ready to follow the king to the north. In 1599 the young laird of Balthayock and Lawrence Blair with William Row, kirk minister at Kinnoull, were captured at Kinross by the Lord Sanquhar and imprisoned for two weeks.
The walls of castle are almost 10 ft thick and are made of sandstone and whin rubble. On the castle's east side an armorial panel displaying the date 1370 is present on the side of the stone stair. Another armorial with the initials AB (Blair) GM dated 1578 is located at the castle's southeast corner over an archway. Tusking in the building indicates the presence of a barmkin(tower house). The main block of the castle consists of three storeys, an attic and a wing of two storeys; the first floor of the wing is divided into a chamber and hall. It was remodelled in 1870 with the addition of a forestair, crenallated parapet and cap-house. It is now uninhibited but it is in considerably good condition.
References:I am Janet Blair, a direct descendent of the De Blair family whose home was your castle! I knew nothing of my ancestry til today. We would love to see the building or more photographs. Thank you
The Church of St Donatus name refers to Donatus of Zadar, who began construction on this church in the 9th century and ended it on the northeastern part of the Roman forum. It is the largest Pre-Romanesque building in Croatia.
The beginning of the building of the church was placed to the second half of the 8th century, and it is supposed to have been completed in the 9th century. The Zadar bishop and diplomat Donat (8th and 9th centuries) is credited with the building of the church. He led the representations of the Dalmatian cities to Constantinople and Charles the Great, which is why this church bears slight resemblance to Charlemagne's court chapels, especially the one in Aachen, and also to the Basilica of San Vitale in Ravenna. It belongs to the Pre-Romanesque architectural period.
The circular church, formerly domed, is 27 m high and is characterised by simplicity and technical primitivism.