Belmont Castle

Belmont Castle stands on the southern edge of Meigle in Perth and Kinross. The house began as a small tower built by monks from Dunkeld Abbey around 1501. That tower, a plain three-storey structure, still forms part of the present building. The estate belonged to the Nairn of Dunsinane family until the 17th century. A Georgian mansion was added in 1752 and later enlarged in several stages. In the first half of the 19th century the house was remodelled in the Tudor-Gothic style.

The castle’s most famous resident was Henry Campbell-Bannerman, British Prime Minister from 1905 to 1908. He lived here before the building became a care home for older people. Historic Environment Scotland recognised its importance by listing it as a category B monument in 1971. The status was upgraded to category A in 1988, the highest level of protection in Scotland.

Visitors approach along a tree-lined drive that leads to the main entrance. Inside, parts of the original tower survive with thick stone walls and narrow windows. The later mansion shows Georgian symmetry on the ground floor and Tudor-Gothic windows and battlements above. The surrounding parkland slopes gently away from the house, offering views across Strathmore to the Sidlaw Hills.