Blair Atholl

The history of Blair Atholl is also the history of the Atholl family. The Earldom of Atholl was given to Sir John Stewart of Balvenie in 1457 but the line failed and in 1629 the then heiress, daughter of John 5th Earl of Atholl, married John Murray, Earl of Tulliebardine on whom Charles I bestowed the earldom of Atholl. In 1644 Blair Castle was occupied by the Marquis of Montrose and was again garrisoned by Claverhouse in 1689. Claverhouse fell at the Battle of Killiecrankie (27th July 1689). The battle lasted only a few minutes and was fought not in the pass itself but on higher ground near Urrard House one mile to the North. The Soldier's Leap at Killiecrankie, the pass below the Visitor's Centre, is a formidable jump said to have been cleared in retreat by one Donald MacBean of Mackay's forces. On the way down to the leap there is a viewpoint that earned commendation in Queen Victoria's diary after a visit by her in 1844.

© 1997-2001 The Perfect Solution Last updated November 1999