Day 8: July 9th, 2003 Balhousie Castle & the Black Watch Museum

Balhousie Castle is the Headquarters and Museum of the famous
BLACK WATCH Highland Regiment

Balhousie ("Bal -- HOW -- zee") is not a true castle, although it does incorporate a 16th century towerhouse
inside the newer building. It is a large mansion built in 1860. Balhousie originally
served as the seat of the Earls of Kinnoul, and overlooks the North Inch of Perth.

Many people believe that the Black Watch regiment was named for the distinctive dark tartan (or sett) that they wear. However, it is likely that they were called the "Black Watch" because the word for black, “dhu,” also means “hidden” or “covert”, and may refer to the fact that they were originally formed to spy upon Jacobite rebels.

The Black Watch Museum site
offers loads of info and pix that aren’t found here on my pages.

Actually, MY only interest in visiting the Blackwatch headquarters was to SHOP for Blackwatch Tartan stuff (mugs and the like) to give as X-Mas gifts! But, I dutifully wandered through all the rooms crammed full of MILITARY PARAPHENALIA.

Hey! It was interesting! But, since the Gift Shoppe didn’t have much to offer, I’ll likely NOT return to Balhousie Castle again. LOL.

Clearly, if your family history includes a Blackwatch link, you’ll enjoy looking through all the TONS o’ stuff here. You’ll probably even find your ancestor’s NAME on one of the many rosters that are displayed. Probably the most interesting stuff is the actual WWII film footage displayed on TV monitors in a few of the rooms.

Also interesting were a couple of rooms they’ve set up with vintage-uniformed manikins, actual equipment, and sounds of the battles. (The sandbags in this one must have been REAL – it SMELLED like a “battle site”!) They built these displays in a way that makes you feel (sort of) as though you are actually there.

YA-HOOO!!! That’s DONE! LOL!

Next DAY EIGHT Pix Options (in order of trip occurrence):
CARLISLE “in England” GORGEOUS Croftlands Guest House
Hadrian’s Wall Birdoswald Roman Fort

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