Front Entrance of Balmacaan House

ID: PC_GLENURQUHART_DUNCANMACDONALD_009 DESCRIPTION: This view of Balmacaan house provides a view of the grove of conifer trees, which are amongst the very largest in Britain. The impressive range and size of trees in the estate include Grand Fir, Douglas Fir and Giant Sequoia. The horticultural value of land was greater at this time, and estates would compete with each other to cultivate their forestry. The building demonstrates fashions of the time. Hellenic architecture was popular at this time and is in evidence by the sculpted pillars of the portico. The use of creepers and vines to make the exterior of the building more striking was also a fashion of the time. However, this can also cause structural damage to buildings, and may have contributed to the destruction of Balmacaan house. The foundations of Balmacaan house had existed since the 16th Century. The photograph depicts the house after it had been redeveloped in the 1850s, when it incorporated many features typical of Victorian architecture, such as the portico and Hellenic columns. Before this time it was a far smaller thatched house. This building was used during World War II to host evacuees from urban areas. Unfortunately, by the early 1970s the building fell into such a bad state of disrepair that it had to be demolished. PLACENAME: Balmacaan DISTRICT: Inverness OLD COUNTY/PARISH: INVERNESS: Urquhart and Glenmoriston SOURCE: Duncan MacDonald COLLECTION: Glenurquhart Heritage Group (photographs) Asset ID: 22659 KEYWORDS:

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