Monument record MHG6283 - Castle Leod

Mid Ross Local Plan, Oct 1990: P13/2.46. Conservation Areas/Listed Buildings.
J Aitken : 06/06/01.
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NH45NE 9 4860 5933. Castle Leod (NR) OS 6"map, (1971)

An early C17th tower-house impressively situated on a green mound and built to a modified L-plan whose re-entrant angle has been infilled by slightly later addition, which contains a secondary doorway, defended by shot-holes and surmounted by a heraldic panel bearing MacKenzie arms.
Original building had an open parapet at wall-head with bartizans at angles. The addition however covers up this parapet on original front wall and is carried a storey higher being finished with ornamental dormers and pyramidal-roofed turrets. Some of other angle-turrets and dormers probably added at same time. One dormer, on N, bears date 1616, but whether this is date of original (MacGibbon and Ross 1889) or modification (Tranter 1970) is not clear. Tranter says orignal was built in 1600 by Tutor of Kintail, Sir Roderick MacKenzie and is still seat of his descendant, Earl of Cromartie.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92; N Tranter 1962-70.

Castle Leod (Info from notice board). This castle is still occupied and in good condition. According to owners wife (Lady Cromartie), original date is not known but believed to be 15th century and top storey additions date from 1616. Additions of Victorian and Edwardian eras are built onto N wall of the castle.
Visited by OS (J B) 23 April 1975
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ARCHITECT: D Matheson 1914 Squash Court

The plans shown in photographs C12925-30, C12975/CN-77/CN and C12981/CN (from survey of plans lent for copying in June 1993 by Mr Mike Taylor) were found in a derelict estate office on Castle Leod estate. The material relates to two periods of alteration work carried out at Castle Leod, for Earl of Cromartie- first 1851 by Andrew Maitland, who adapted designs by David Bryce, second in 1904, when N wing, previously altered 1874, was mostly rebuilt. The material also relates to the nearby Inchvannie Farm Steading, and the pump room at Strathpeffer Spa, which were both owned by the Castle Leod estate.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCE: NMRS LIBRARY
Country Life, August 3rd 1935 p.130

Mary Peteranna, 2014, Test Pitting Evaluation - Castle Leod, Strathpeffer (Text/Report/Fieldwork Report). SHG26813.