Kilted fortnight holiday in scotland & france

[Mael Coluim]

We walked from that wing back toward the front entrance.


You could see Crinan Loch.




Chris thought this was the backing of a huge clock.

[Mael Coluim]

I found it rather depressing. Such a loss. I told Chris, I would be tempted to raze it completely to the ground. I could not be reminded of what was and now lost.


The mansion was completed in 1853 and was dismantled in 1957 to escape death/inheritance taxes. Chief Robin told me the story when I visited him in 2003 that Lady Malcolm of that time found Duntrune much to damp and dismal. She wanted a home to rival the Duke of Campbell’s Inveraray Castle. I can image the parties, politics and dalliances that occurred in this mansion for just over 100 years.

Chris gave me this link awhile back to St. Andrews University photo site of some pix of Poltalloch House in 1937, its heyday. Please don’t fail to check it out. It was something else.

[Mael Coluim]

Back to the church, I am by a native pine.


They are indeed beautiful trees. I have a few cones and hope to seed them.


From here you can look across Loch Crinan. The port of Crinan is to the left and to the right is Duntrune Castle.
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[Mael Coluim]

A close ups of Duntrune. We still had a few hours before our two PM tour.




I had a flashback to six years ago when I crewed the Irish curragh, Colmcille through these same waters on our voyage to Iona.


From the curragh I looked towards the shore at Duntrune thinking I would not be able to visit there.


We have a couple more hours before Chris and I would tour Duntrune. We have time to visit a nearby ruin village from the clearances. If your heart is not torn yet, it will be. To be continued.

[BoldHighlander]

Chris thought this was the backing of a huge clock.

That's what it looks like to me too.

Wonderful photos once again Mael
I understand the sentiment but I don't think I'd want to raze the old building as much as reclaim it from nature for future generations to explore.
Just my feelings.

[Jock Scot]

What super if rather sad pictures. This is not the place to discuss the rights and wrongs of death duties(taxes),but we are all the loosers when our history ends up like this.

[BEEDEE]

I have to agree with Jock, especially after seeing the photos in the St Andrews U archives. What a sad waste of such a beautiful building.

Brian

[KFCarter]

I have to agree with Jock, especially after seeing the photos in the St Andrews U archives. What a sad waste of such a beautiful building.

Brian

Truly. What an incredible loss. Kind of takes the breath away.

[Redshank]

Aye Poltalloch House is a sad shadow of it's former self, it's the kind of place that your imagination can get lost in, knowing a wee bit about it's former life, one can imaging Royalty discreetly visiting, grand parties, the citrus trees growing in the orangery at the back of the house, the Laid puffing on his cigar whilst consuming the finest single malt at the head of a grand table, the list goes on, one should also spare a thought for the numerous people that would have been employed to make the house run smoothly, cooks, butlers, cleaners, housemaids, again the list goes on, it is said that the great house was the heart of the glen, meaning that nearly everyone that lived in the glen was connected in some way to the house, with its demise all those people either had to move away or seek employment elsewhere, at the end of the day you have to ask WHY ?

As Jock pointed out this isnt the place to discuss taxes/death duties, but did the bean counters in power ever consider the consequences of their demands, NO of course not.

I commented to Ern as we walked up the steps in the garden to the house, that I recall seeing a photo somewhere of clan chief Robins father sat kilted in a chair at the top of the steps, a Laird not to be messed with but a bloody nice man by all accounts, if I can trace where I saw that photo I will certainly post it here.

[JSFMACLJR]

I commented to Ern as we walked up the steps in the garden to the house, that I recall seeing a photo somewhere of clan chief Robins father sat kilted in a chair at the top of the steps, a Laird not to be messed with but a bloody nice man by all accounts, if I can trace where I saw that photo I will certainly post it here.

This picture perhaps?