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MHG64028 - Pipers Knowe - Tarbat House, Kilmuir Easter

Summary

A man-made circular mound known as 'Piper's Knowe'.

Type and Period (2)

Protected Status

Full Description

Tarbat House stood on the site of the present ruin. Much flax yarn was spun in the east and there was for a short time a linen factory here, with hand spinning and hand looms. Most yarn was shipped to Edinburgh but a limited quantity was woven into linen cloth locally, a process which involved bleaching the finished cloth. Small bleachfields were established on the Cromarty links by the local merchant, William Forsyth, and by Munro of Culcairn, somewhere on his estate.
Ross & Cromarty - A Historical Guide by D Alston, 1999
J Aitken: 14/09/04

Built in 1650s as a successor to Ballone Castle (NH98SW 1) and replaced by the present Tarbat House (at NH 770 736) in 1787.
W Fraser 1876; G Stell 1986.

Replaced by present Tarbat House at NH 77SE 15 in 1787.

Milntown/Milton Castle is mentioned in several places in Monica Clough’s book: Two Houses, Aberdeen University Press, 1990.<1>

The site was visited by the North of Scotland Archaeological Society on 3rd May 2019.

On the ground, there is nothing to be seen except a platform on a previous raised beach, now a grassy pasture field. The platform almost certainly represents the site of New Tarbat, whose stones were re-used in the building of the later Tarbat House in the late 18th century, 250m to the west. The surviving remains at the site relate to the lower story or basement of Milntown Castle (MHG8623) contiguous with, and to the east of, this platform. The towerhouse remains would have been assimilated into the structure of New Tarbat. Sir George Mackenzie, later 1st Earl of Cromartie, purchased the lands of Milton, including the remains of the castle burnt in 1642, from Walter Innes of Inverbreakie in 1656 (Clough, 1990). In 1663 work started on building a new house at this site, with completion circa 1670. It was called New Tarbat, to distinguish it from “Old Tarbat”, ie Ballone Castle on the Tarbat peninsula, the previous residence of Sir George.

A Peter May map of 1756 (currently on the walls of Castle Leod) shows New Tarbat House just south, and above, a bend of the Balnagown River at approx. NH 772 737. To the south of the U-shaped building lies a large formal garden. On the map a mound bears a flagpost just to the east of the house. This probably represents a knoll 70m east of the towerhouse remains, now topped by a giant Wellingtonia, NH 7727 7370. In the shaded ground to the south of this knoll lie scattered dog graves, some with elaborate grave markers, from mid 19th century to 1948. <2>

The present Tarbat House is surrounded by parkland and woodland. To the east is a lower terraced garden containing yew trees considered to be 400-500 years old, possibly associated with Milntown Castle. Below the site of Milntown Castle is a man-made circular mound known as 'Piper's Knowe'. Conifers have been planted on this summit, and are surrounded by five yews, also thought to be 400-500 years old. More information available at the Historic Scotland web site. <3>

The feature is visible on SEPA LiDAR data. <4>

Sources/Archives (8)

Map

Location

Grid reference	Centred NH 7727 7370 (35m by 35m) (2 map features)
Map sheet	NH77SE
Geographical Area	ROSS AND CROMARTY
Civil Parish	KILMUIR EASTER

Finds (0)

Related Monuments/Buildings (1)

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External Links (4)