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--Edinburgh and a Castle

History (The condensed history)
1390's
For seven centuries, the lairds of Culcreuch have not just witnessed history, they have often had a hand in making it.
The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 1390s, a time when Scotland was newly independent after the efforts of William Wallace and Robert the Bruce. Nevertheless, the clans remained more or less permanently at one another's throats over the centuries.
Culcreuch was the seat of one of the principal branches of the Clan Galbraith for over 300 years The lands are thought to have been granted to the family by Maldovan, Earl of Lennox (1225 - 1270) and records show that in 1320 a Maurice Galbraith owned and lived at Culcreuch. Reference is also made to an Andrew Galbraith of Culcreuch in a National Instrument of' 9th December, 1472. The Galbraiths of Culcreuch were a warlike Clan and it is certain that the Castle must have witnessed much in its time and its bottle dungeon been in regular use.

1632 The Napiers
After 17 generations of occupation by the Clan Galbraith, the Napiers took over in 1632 and built a new wing to the castle.
Seton only held the estate for eight years before selling it to a Robert Napier, second son of the famous John Napier of Merchiston, who invented Logarithms. John Napier was an interesting character in his own right; he dabbled in the occult and wrote a treatise on alchemy. His successors proved more law abiding, taking an interest in County affairs and serving in the Army, however, in 1654 the Castle was occupied for a time by Cromwell's troops.

1762 Peter Spiers
Some 130 years later the estate passed into the hands of Peter Spiers, a wealthy Glasgow merchant whose ventures into the weaving and distilling industries were set in the adjacent village of Fintry. He also established the loch in the grounds.
Alexander Spiers, a prominent merchant, had made his fortune in Glasgow, which between 1760 - 1775 enjoyed a remarkable expansion due to its virtual monopoly of the tobacco trade in the Empire. He built a cotton mill in Fintry in an attempt to provide local employment, but, the venture failed as transport was too difficult over the rough roads at the time.

1901 Sir Walter Menzies
In 1890 the last of the "Spiers" - a daughter - sold the estate to Mr. J. C. Dunwaters, whose family had farmed in the parish, and who was one of the proprietors of the Outram Press. In 1901, he sold the estate to Walter (later, Sir Walter) Menzies, and emigrated to Canada where, in British Columbia, he bought an estate and named it Fintry. Sir Walter, who used the Castle as a private home, was succeeded by his son, and in the early 70's, on the death of his son's widow, her nephew, Mr. Hercules Robinson, became the owner and Laird.
Hercules Robinson, saw the potential of Culcreuch as a tourism venue and made a concerted effort to attract visitors and establish a business by offering tours of the Castle and lunches to the general public and to passing coach tours.
Later, with assistance from the Scottish Tourist Board, eight holiday lodges were built within the grounds. Sadly, the fledgling business did not generate sufficient capital to make the necessary investment in the Castle for its ongoing operation and the Estate was placed on the market in 1984.

1984 to Present Andrew Haslam
The Estate was purchased by Arthur Haslam and David Littlefair, partners in a Yorkshire motor business with a view to developing the Castle and Estate over time into a thriving tourism venue, whilst preserving the character and ambience of yesteryear for the benefit of future generations. Regarded more as a labour of love than a source of profit, the Castle has now been tastefully converted into a 3* hotel, with restaurants, bars and a conference centre and with 1600 acres of spectacular parkland grounds, makes for a unique venue for local residents and visitors to the Loch Lomond, Stirling & Trossachs area alike.
The present laird, Andrew Haslam, took up the title and residence in the castle in 1984 and has been largely responsible for the modifications undertaken in order to open Culcreuch Castle as a country house hotel. With the help of his father, associate David Littlefair, both families and a loyal staff, he has created a warm and friendly atmosphere within the ancient 6 ft thick walls.
Andrew says "I select my staff for their personal qualities as well as their practical skills. Good service starts with the ability to make our guests feel welcome and valued"