Jump To Section:
Clan Farquharson have held an impressive number of grand homes and vast estates. Get to know this powerful family a bit better by exploring just a few of these stunning territories with us.
Discover the Castles of Clan Farquharson
Invercauld Castle
It only makes sense to start with Invercauld Castle, the clan’s iconic historical seat. Standing at the centre of a 100,000-acre estate in Royal Deeside, and nestled on the banks of the River Dee, Invercauld is blessed with scenic views of the surrounding mountains and woodlands.
The original castle was built in the 16th century, though the current iteration was largely constructed in the early 19th century. It boasts many elegant features of the Scottish baronial style, including distinctive turrets and towers. It is also surrounded by rich gardens filled with thriving plants and wildlife.
The Farquharsons have a long and storied history with Invercauld. It is thought that they first came into possession of the castle in the 1500s, when Donald Farquharson married Isobel Stewart, the heiress of Invercauld.
The family briefly lost ownership of the land in the 1600s but managed to repurchase the possession rights from the Crown in the 1700s, following the Jacobite Uprising. They quickly set about improving the estate, with James Farquharson, the 10th Laird, planting over 14 million trees.
In the 1800s, the family carried out extensive construction and improvements, extending the castle in the Victorian style.
Impressively, the Farquharsons still own Invercauld today and run the estate as a modern business. It is great to see a clan who have managed to hold on to their ancestral home for so long!
Braemar Castle
Our next site for today is the nearby Braemar Castle, a striking building set in the heart of the Cairngorms National Park. Originally built in 1628 by the Earl of Mar, it served as both a family home for the Farquharsons and a stronghold during turbulent times.
The 10th chief of Clan Farquharson, John Farquharson, purchased Braemar Castle in 1732, but didn’t get to enjoy it in peace for long!
John refused to support the Jacobite cause in the 1745 uprising, so his estates were attacked by the Jacobites before their defeat at Culloden. Afterwards, he decided to lease the damaged Braemar to the government to use as barracks. The lease was arranged for 99 years in return for a payment of £14 a year.
However, the government returned the castle early, releasing it back to the Farquharsons in 1807. Over the 1800s, it became somewhat of a party house, playing host to a range of prestigious guests, including Queen Victoria!
In 1961, Captain Alwyne Farquharson and his wife, Frances, made the decision to open the castle to the public. It has been a beloved place to visit for locals and tourists alike since and continues to overcome challenges to preserve the Farquharson’s history.
In 2007, Braemar was at risk of bankruptcy and closing permanently, but luckily the local community put a plan in place to save the iconic castle. Braemar was officially leased to the community and is now run by a team of volunteers and staff. In 2019, a new £1.6m project was launched to conserve the castle, re-develop the grounds, and provide a rich and interesting activity programme. The project has attracted some impressive supporters, with King Charles appointing his foundation to contribute to the work, perhaps inspired by the days he spent playing at the castle as a child.
We think visiting Braemar would be the perfect way to learn more about your Farquharson heritage and help to support the conservation efforts. Find out more on their website here.
Finzean Estate
Our final Farquharson site for today is the beautiful Finzean Estate, nestled in the hills of Aberdeenshire. The estate spans over 12,000 acres and is loved for its rich history and stunning landscapes, including woodlands, farms, and rivers. Finzean has been in the Farquharson family for centuries, with Donald Farquharson acquiring property in the valley in 1580. Later, in 1707, Queen Anne granted Robert Farquharson, the 4th Laird of Finzean, a Barony Charter, an honour that signified his complete independence from any other feudal superior.
Finzean has been memorialised frequently in art, perhaps most significantly by Joseph Farquharson, born in 1846, the son of Francis Farquharson, Laird of Finzean. He was educated in Edinburgh but also spent much of his childhood at the iconic estate.
He often completed his paintings at Finzean, and was largely inspired by the Highland landscapes, with his most famous works portraying farm animals, or rural people going about their everyday life against dramatic countryside backdrops. He was also admired for his depictions of the warmth and light of sunrises and sunsets. Farquharson was so dedicated to achieving realism that he created what he called a ‘painting hut,’ which was a small structure on wheels, equipped with a small stove to warm against the harsh Scottish climate, and a large window from which to observe the natural world.
In 1918, he inherited the title of Laird, as well as his beloved estate, and continues to be remembered as one of Finzean’s most talented residents to this day!
In addition to its fascinating family history, Finzean is much admired for its commitment to sustainable land management and conservation, as well as its rich local wildlife, as it is home to a wide range of animals, including deer, red squirrels, and countless species of birds.
The estate is also dedicated to supporting the community, and aims to help in running the local school and Birse and Feughside Church. They frequently donate land for community woods, pathways, and other recreational areas, and encourage people to enjoy the picturesque landscapes.
There is also an admirable policy of selling low-cost housing to young people who have grown up in Finzean. In 1983, the estate helped to establish the first Sheltered Housing scheme in the North East of Scotland and in 2006, opened the Finzean Farm Shop, which provides jobs for 24 local people.
The estate is open to the public and attracts numerous visitors each year with its beautiful walking and cycling routes, fishing sites, café, holiday accommodation and much more.
Check out their website here to learn more and maybe plan a visit of your own.
We hope you have enjoyed exploring a few Clan Farquharson sites with us and perhaps feel a bit closer to your fascinating ancestors!
Please do get in touch if you have been to or plan to go to any Farquharson landmarks, we’d love to hear about your experiences.
If you’d like to learn more about the Farquharsons, head over to our Clan Farquharson page and keep an eye out for the rest of our content, as we will be focusing on this fascinating family for the whole month!
Image Sources:
Invercauld House by Alan Findlay, CC BY-SA 2.0
Schloß Braemar in Schottland nahe Balmoral by Monster4711 - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0
Finzean House, taken Wednesday, 3 May, 2006 cc-by-sa/2.0 - © Stanley Howe
