Dall House, surrounded by Dall Estate

An excessively magnificent and utterly luxurious highland estate with clan links has been placed on the market, boasting an equally impressive price tag. Once home to Clan Robertson, the sprawling Dall Estate is located on the south shore of Loch Rannoch in Perthshire with the estate agent currently accepting offers of over £2.3 million. The lands of the estate are also steeped in history, directly linking to historical-titans such as Robert the Bruce and King James I.

One of the many bedrooms inside Dall House

The estate is home to Dall House, which has 80+ rooms including 38 bedrooms, a cinema, library, chapel, sports hall and gun room. The grounds are even more impressive; hosting multiple bungalows and cottages, tennis courts, a boat house on the shore of the loch, an assault course and a fire engine that the estate agent states is “handy for cleaning the windows that come with the estate”.

In 2010 the current laird Malcolm James came under fire for his ambitious plan to turn the property into an exclusive billionaires resort. He announced that the minimum liquid net worth of clients using the estate would be set at 100 million, with membership fees of 2m and annual dues of 500,000. The plans received a great deal of opposition from local community and conservation groups who claimed the development would threaten one of Scotland’s most picturesque and unspoilt landscapes.

Inside Dall House

Members of Perth and Kinross Council voted 21-3 to reject the development of Dall, which was set to include a 104-room luxury hotel, two 18-hole golf courses and clubhouse, a state-of-the-art health spa, a concert hall, a “body-enhancement clinic” with surgery facilities, a retail arcade and a shore-side restaurant based on the design of a crannog. The plans were met with a storm of local and national protest, with local politicians calling the development inappropriate and damaging to the environment and ecology of Loch Rannoch.

The origin of the estate can be traced back to beginning of the 14th Century during the First War of the Scottish Wars of Independence. At this time Clan Robertson were known by their original name ‘Clan Donnachaidh’ – named after chief Duncan the Stout. In 1314 Duncan led his clan to battle at Bannockburn in staunch support of his friend, King Robert the Bruce. The lands of Dall were later gifted to the clan in 1347 for their support in this battle and the final years of the war.

100 years later chief Robert Riach (the Grizzled), known for his intense loyalty to the Stewarts, was responsible for capturing the murderers of King James I in 1437. In return the Crown granted him the feudal barony of the lands at Struan, with the chief then on known as Robertson (from Robert of Struan).

Struan became the clan seat until the aftermath of the Battle of Culloden (1746), in which the clan had their lands forfeited by the Government. The lands were returned (along with old debts) in 1784 however the clan found it increasingly difficult to make a living and break free of the debt. In 1853 Struan was sold, leaving only the lands at Dall remaining. Dall House was built in 1855, becoming the seat of the clan until 1926.

The house was commissioned by clan chief George Duncan Robertson and built by the renowned architect Thomas Mackenzie, who was responsible for the present Ballindalloch castle (1847) and Aldourie Castle (1853). Dall House was the only house he ever designed and built himself in Scots Baronial style, which is known for its 16th Century features including turrets. In 1926 the estate was sold, and Dall House became offices of the Forestry Commission before being established as an independent boarding school in 1959. The school’s remote location forced its closure in 2002.

You can view the property listing for Dall Estate by clicking here.

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Clach na Bratach image from Gordon M Robertson

The Clach na Bratach is considered to be the most precious relic of the Clan Robertson. It is a rock crystal charm stone and was unearthed when the chief’s standard pole was pulled from the ground while on the march to Bannockburn. Since then the stone has been carried into battle by every Robertson chief.

The Clach na Bratach is said to have been a mystical, power stone which could do many magical things such as heal humans and animals, and it could also predict the future.

It is said that the Robertsons used to carry the Clach na Bratach into battle, and it was originally done by hand until they caged it on top of their standard pole. When it wasn’t being carried to battle the stone was kept in a silken purse made by the Countess of Breadalbane.

They say that the stones primary function was to heal, and if the Clach na Bratach came into contact with water, the water automatically gained curative properties for all.
Legend tells that the stone could also predict the death of a Robertson clan chief. If the stone turned cloudy, then people would know that the chief’s death would be imminent.

In 1715 Alexander Robertson of Strowan, also known as the Poet Chief, consulted the Clach before he headed off to fight in the first Jacobie Rising, and perhaps unsurprisingly it filled his heart with dread when it saw that the orb had developed a large crack. Perhaps it told the truth. If Struan had not joined the rebellion, his own fortunes and that of his successors might have been very different.

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