Tulloch Castle

Dingwall, United Kingdom

Tulloch Castle probably dates to the mid-16th century, when Duncan Bane was granted the barony of Tulloch in 1542. Over the years, it has served as a family home for members of the Bain family and Clan Davidson, as a hospital after the evacuation of Dunkirk, and as a hostel for the local education authority. It is currently used as a hotel and conference centre.

Tulloch Castle has been subject to several structural changes throughout its existence. There are two records of fires, in 1838 and 1845, when areas of the castle were destroyed. There are also records of renovations and extensions to the castle in 1513, 1665, 1675, 1747 and in the early 1920s when the roof was replaced, stonework around the windows was repaired and electric lighting was installed.

Tulloch Castle has many interesting features. A tunnel runs from the basement of the castle under the town of Dingwall to the old site of Dingwall Castle. The tunnel has now collapsed, but it is possible to view this passageway through an air vent on the front lawn of the castle’s grounds.

There is a Davidson cemetery in the grounds of the castle for family members and pets. The graveyard is surrounded by a metal fence and has become overgrown, though some of its headstones are still visible.

The castle had two gatehouses and entrance paths. The west gatehouse no longer exists but the other gatehouse still exists as a privately owned house. This gatehouse was built in 1876 and the path which connects it to the castle has become a public road. This road is still used as the main entrance to the castle today.

On a hill to the north of the castle stands 'Caisteal Gorach', a late 18th-century folly which was designed by Robert Adam for Duncan Davidson of Tulloch. The folly comprises a ruined round tower and flanking walls, and is a category A listed building.

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It was Phyllis Vickers who in 1994 inherited the barony of Tulloch. The current Baron is Dr. David Willien of Tulloch.


Details

Founded: 16th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

Rating

4.2/5 (based on Google user reviews)

User Reviews

Richard Davidson (13 months ago)
What a wonderful stay the restaurant was great. The tavern was great the management and all the staff were fantastic. Just had a blast for a few days visiting the local sites.
Chris H (16 months ago)
Evening meal for 2. Nice friendly staff and we ate at 7.15pm. There were a lot of items on the menu which were not available, this was disappointing but we managed to find a decent meal for each of us. The food arrived quickly and was okay. Happy enough, but shame there wasn't a full choice available, and no reason was offered for that.
Kimberlee Lofink (16 months ago)
The room was fantastic, service was great, and the dinner menu was excellent. Breakfast was surprisingly good as well. Be aware that there are no elevators to the rooms. You will definitely get your stair climbing exercises in, but it's well worth it. If I get the chance, I will be returning.
Carlee VZ (17 months ago)
I booked Tulloch Castle for two nights as a brief stop passing through Inverness and I’m SO glad I did! The atmosphere was so fun, the decor was perfect for a cozy castle. The staff was absolutely lovely - attentive and kind with great recommendations. The food was wonderful, breakfast was particularly nice and the Green Lady drink (named for the resident ghost) at the bar was so fun! There were also some lovely walking paths near the castle that we greatly enjoyed. A top rate stay, I’d love to go back someday!
songej1 (17 months ago)
We stayed here for 3 nights and loved it! We received a warm welcome from Charlie the receptionist. She & a young man with blond hair (sorry I didn’t get his name) carried our luggage up to our rooms on the top floor. (There is no elevator) Rooms were very clean and very nice with a hot water pot and instant coffee,tea and short bread in each room. The beds were comfortable and there was plenty of hot water. Everyone we encountered was nice and helpful but Charlie went out of her way to make sure we were comfortable even if it wasn’t necessarily in her job description. She also gave us suggestions of places to go and things to do that were spot on to what we were looking for. She’s very personable and I believe a big asset to this business. The bartender Terry was also helpful in helping us find the elusive highland cow (coo) and Rodney for the tour and fascinating castle history. I don’t know if we’ll ever be in the area again but if we are, we’d definitely stay here again.
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