The Castles of Clan Munro

Clan Munro is an old and powerful family with the grand homes to match. Come with us to explore a few of the Munros’ most impressive strongholds, and discover the fascinating stories held within their walls. 

Where better to start than with the clan’s ancestral seat?

Foulis Castle is located in the parish of Kiltearn, Ross and Cromarty, and has been held by Clan Munro since the 14th century, or potentially even earlier! Few records of Foulis remain, however, there are clear signs of the Munros' influence, including a document signed at the Castle in 1491 that reads ‘caisteal biorach, nead na h-iolair.’ This is translated as ‘castle gaunt-peaked, the eagle’s nest,’ which draws on imagery from the Munros’ crest.

The clan also honour their great home in their war cry, ‘Caisteal Folais’n a Theine,’ meaning, ‘Castle Foulis ablaze.’ This refers to the enthralling scene that would have taken place whenever the chief wanted to call his men into battle. When the occasion arose, the chief would have lit a signal fire at the family’s official seat, Castle Foulis, and all Munros who saw it would have known to gather at the meeting point immediately, ready to take instruction and eager to serve their clan. We’re sure that smoke coming from the castle must have been a foreboding sight for any nearby enemies!

Foulis Castle by 笃行之

The family were also capable of significant kindness and mercy. Supposedly, in 1542, Donald Mackay of Strathnaver, the chief of Clan Mackay, was captured after the battle of Alltan-Beath, and held prisoner in Foulis Castle. The story goes that Mackay was so touched by the civility shown by the Munros that an enduring friendship blossomed between the two families. 

The castle stood unharmed until the 18th century, when it suffered two successive blows: Robert Munro, the 6th Baronet, was killed at the Battle of Falkirk Muir in 1746, and Foulis was sieged and burned by the Jacobites just months later. 

It stood empty until Sir Robert’s son, Sir Harry Munro, returned home from his own battles to find it largely destroyed. Determined to conserve the clan’s traditional seat, Harry set about repairing the building quickly. By this point, the Battle of Culloden had put an end to most Highland clan warfare, so many of the typical defensive features were no longer needed. 

As a result, Foulis was rebuilt as a large classical mansion - the height of Georgian style. However, a few elements of the original castle remained, and to this day the remnants of an 11th-century motte can be found in its grounds. 

The castle is still owned by the Munros of Foulis today and is open by appointment for visitors. We think it would be the perfect way to find out more about the family’s illustrious history and connect with your Munro peers – sometimes the Chief himself even leads the tours! 

Find out more on the Clan Munro Association’s website. 

The next stunning building we’d like to explore belonged to a different, but equally powerful, branch of Clan Munro: the Munros of Novar.

Novar House is nestled in the idyllic countryside of Ross-shire and is thought to be built on the site of an earlier castle. 

The Munros acquired the estate in 1589, quickly setting down roots and establishing a strong reputation in the local area.

The house that we see today was largely built by one of Novar’s most influential residents, General Sir Hector Munro, who made his fortune as an officer in the British Army fighting in India. 

Novar House by Sylvia Duckworth

In 1720, Sir Hector extended Novar House dramatically, adding a three-storey building facing south. He made further additions after returning from India in 1765, including a large ballroom with a gallery where musicians could play. He also made significant improvements to the house’s land, planting around 778,000 fir and Scots pine trees between 1788 and 1792! 

Sadly, both of Sir Hector’s sons died in India, so the estate passed to his daughter, Jean Munro, who married Ronald Ferguson. 

Today, Novar Estate is still owned and managed by the Munro Fergusons, and is thriving, covering over 20,000 acres. The land is used for a variety of activities including farming, shooting, hiking, and fishing, and is largely powered by renewable energy. The estate was even home to the first wind farm in the Highlands!

There are also a number of luxury holiday lets available, so you could stay on the same land that Clan Munro have lived on for generations. Find out more on the estate’s website. 

We think that Novar Estate is a truly impressive testament to Clan Munro's longstanding connection with the Highlands. 

Our final Munro location of today is a bit different, but no less fascinating! 

The Storehouse of Foulis is set against the stunning shores of the Cromarty Firth and offers beautiful views over the water. The central focus is a fully restored 18th century ‘Girnal’ or ‘Rent House,’ which hosts several impressive exhibitions exploring the history, landscapes, and wildlife of the local area. 

In the first exhibition, you can learn all about the building’s historic function, including by exploring recreations of what the interior would have looked like years ago. The Rent House is where the Chief of Clan Munro would have collected and stored various crops and foods, so this is a great way to get a peek into your ancestors’ daily lives! 

The Storehouse at Foulis by Alan Stewart

If you then move into the next room, entitled ‘Clanland,’ you can enjoy a display about Clan Munro’s long and enduring relationship with the local countryside, and how the family’s use of the land has evolved over time. 

The following exhibition, ‘What is a clan?’ seeks to get to the heart of what a clan is, and the final room, ‘Be of this land,’ centres on a moving audio-visual display which ‘captures the feelings of clanship and attachment to the homeland that unites all those with Scottish blood.’ 

Whether you are a proud Munro, or simply fascinated by Scottish history, the Storehouse of Foulis undoubtedly has something to offer you! 

We hope you have enjoyed exploring these sites of Clan Munro as much as we have! Do you feel inspired to plan a tour of Foulis Castle, a holiday on Novar Estate, or an educational trip to the Storehouse of Foulis? If so, we’d love to hear about your travels and what you find out! 

 

In the meantime, if you’d like to learn more about the fascinating Clan Munro, why not head over to our Clan Munro page, and make sure to keep an eye out for the rest of our content over this month. 

Image Sources:

Drone view of Foulis Castle by 笃行之 - Own work, CC0

Novar House by sylvia duckworth, CC BY-SA 2.0 

The Storehouse at Foulis Ferry with a snow-capped Fyrish Hill, taken Thursday, 9 March, 2006 © Alan Stewart (cc-by-sa/2.0) geograph.org.uk/p/667978