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MHG8948 - Country House at the site of Foulis Castle

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Type and Period (2)

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Full Description

NH56SE 2 5894 6411.
The Munros have experienced a succession of residences at Foulis since at least later 13th or early 14th centuries. It is usually assumed that the present neo-Classical mansion was built de novo on a cleared site to replace a burnt-out stone castle. The house and its adjacent ranges bear datestones of 1754, 1777 and 1792, but there are some features that clearly antedate this 18th-century building; plan and details of northern wing to rear of kitchen are probably ascribable to later 17th century; 16th- or 17th-century architectural fragments are grouped in re-use in central basement area; and a barrel-vaulted chamber in one of courtyard buildings appears to be of similar age.
NMRS record sheet RCR/21/1
G Stell 1986.
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OWNER: Captain Patrick Munro
ARCHITECT: Robert Hurd-restoration

Foulis Castle was one of twenty sites to have been part of the SCOT2K Native Pine Dendrochronology Project. One of the aims of this project included dating and provenancing of native Scottish pine timbers in buildings and archaeological sites and dates were found to range from the fifteenth to the nineteenth centuries, from high-status castles to modest cruck cottages. They were mostly located in the Highlands where Scots pine occurs naturally and so these areas were more likely to have had native pine used in buildings, although an early example of long-distance transport is also identified. More widely in Scotland, many historic buildings are dominated by imported timber from the 15th century onwards, and native timbers may be under recognised, something the project is helping to address. Sarking board from native Scots pine at Foulis Castle was dated to the 17th century, with a terminus post quem date of AD 1690. 17th century buildings were poorly represented in the project, Foulis Castle being the only example and a higher status building. This may partly be a reflection of the widespread destruction of property in the Highlands following the Battle of Culloden. <1> Summary of results. <2>

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Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 5894 6411 (40m by 40m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH56SE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	KILTEARN

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