Earlier Houses: There was an earlier fortified tower house, built in the traditional Scottish style, on the site. Parts of this house were probably incorporated into the current house.

House & Family History: The current Culloden House was built between 1772 and 1788 by Arthur Forbes on the foundations of an earlier fortified house that had been semi-derelict for 20 years after a 1753 fire partially destroyed part of the House (it's very likely that much of the earlier house was incorporated into the new house). Today's Culloden is a house of cherrycock-pointed red sandstone rough ashlar with quoins of rusticated yellow ashlar. The main block of two stories has a mansard-roofed attic above a basement, which is joined by recessed screen walls of polished yellow ashlar that link to two pavilions (each of two stories with a Palladian [Venetian or Serlian] window in the center of each) built over 12 vaulted cellars (probably the original first floor of the earlier fortified house, where Jacobite soldiers were laid up after the nearby battle of Culloden in 1746). The West Facade is of five bays and has a pediment with a fine coat of arms carved in the tympanum and an open-pedimented doorcase with attached Roman Doric columns and a Palladian window above. The Forbes family continued to live in the House until 1897, when Duncan Forbes died with no heirs and Culloden House was sold away from the family. The House remained in private hands until 1975, when it was converted into a country house hotel.

Comments: Culloden is frequently described as one of the most attractive small country houses of its period in Scotland.

Garden & Outbuildings: Extant are late 18th century rusticated ashlar Gatepiers topped with classical style vases and the circa 18th century brick Walled Garden. The late 18th century, seven-bay Stables is roofless. The octagonal rubble-built late 18th century doocot has rusticated quoins and contains 640 nesting boxes. The Coach House has been turned into flats and the Barn and Granary have been converted into a Church of Scotland place of worship. There are also kennels and the remains of an Ice House.

House Listed: Category C

Park Listed: Listed

Past Seat / Home of: Alexander Stewart, a younger son of the the first Stuart monarch, Robert II, 14th century. Williamson Edmondson, 15th century. Strachan family, until 1576. Lachlan Mor, 16th Chief of MacIntosh, 16th century. Forbes family, 1625-1897.

Current Ownership Type: Corporation

Primary Current Ownership Use: Hotel

Ownership Details: Today Culloden House Hotel, a member of A Collection of Romantic Places group of hotels.

House Open to Public: By Appointment

Phone: 01463-790-461

Fax: 01463-792-181

Email: [email protected]

Website: http://www.cullodenhouse.co.uk

Historic Houses Member: No