In the Beginning . . .
There was a tiny and beautiful hidden oasis of an island rising fifty feet above the Tay estuary marshes. Visited by geese in the winters with their haunting cries, and by swifts and swallows in the summer. The small monastic community of St Gilliemichael and All Saints, made their home here over a thousand years ago, all that remains are the four massive clumps of yew trees reputedly planted at the corners of the monastic gardens.
1460
‘the Ceinn Tour and fortalice of Megginch” were already standing by this date, the first written document mentioning Megginch is in 1560 when Peter Hay of Leys bought it from a William Kinninmonth.
1661
John and Jean Drummond purchased Megginch from Sir George Hay. They packed all their belongings into Oxen carts and moved from Lennoch near Crieff in July. They brought with them the old Drummond cradle, the smoke-darkened Begger’s bench, the two-handed crusader sword belonging to Maurice, the Crusader Drummond – all still in the Castle today.
1783
Robert Drummond Captained the General Elliot, the first copper-bottomed ship in the East India Navy, to Bombay, in the record time of “two days less than four months”.
1801
Robert commissioned the artist, Devis, to paint himself and his two younger brothers, Admiral Sir Adam and General Sir Gordon, under the magnificent Beech Tree avenue, planted as a living memorial to the fallen at Culloden. Robert has his dogs Wasp and Tippo by his side and is holding his favourite book of Persian poetry.
1855
Megginch gardens open to the public for the first time, to raise money for the Industrial School in Errol. The flower garden was laid out by Lady Charlotte Drummond, daughter of the 4th Duke of Atholl.
1880
Malcolm Drummond was appointed a Gentleman Usher, Groom of the Privy Chamber by Queen Victoria.
1941
Victoria, Malcolm’s daughter and a goddaughter of Queen Victoria, was awarded the Lloyd’s medal for bravery, “about the most courageous woman I ever saw“, and the MBE. She was also the first female Chief Engineer in the Merchant navy.
1987
Cherry Drummond, 11th Drummond of Megginch, took her seat in the House of Lords as the16th Baroness Strange.
In 1999 she was one of the few hereditary peers to be re-elected, her manifesto read “I shall bring flowers every week to this House from my Castle in Perthshire” – and she did!
She was President of the War Widows Association from 1990 – 2005.
1994
Liam Neeson and the cast of Rob Roy filmed the village scenes in the courtyard, with some Megginch two and four-legged extras!
1996
Giles and Catherine were the first to be married in the Megginch Chapel since 1952 when Catherine’s parents, Cherry and Humphrey were married there.
2016
Substantial planting of the heritage orchard. Ethel Ramsay assisted by her husband George and Inca the mouser. The orchard holds two National Fruit Collections
2020
Megginch opens a NeighbourFood Market in the Carriage House. NeighbourFood is a free online market enabling local growers, bakers and makers to sell their produce direct to the local community.
2021
Castle Ballroom and Camellia House renovations complete @MegginchCastleWeddings