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Castle Menzies

Castle Menzies

Castle Menzies
4.5
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Monday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Tuesday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Wednesday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Thursday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Friday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday
10:30 AM - 4:30 PM
Sunday
2:00 PM - 4:30 PM
About
Our 16th-century 'Z-plan' castle is a unique building with an exciting history: occupied by Cromwell's forces in the 1650s, captured by the Jacobites in 1715, and visited by Bonnie Prince Charlie for two nights during 1746 on his way to Culloden, before it was seized by Hanoverian forces. The Castle was the seat of the Chiefs of Clan Menzies for over 400 years. Situated in a strategic location, it was involved in much of the turbulent history of the Highlands. Castle Menzies is a spectacular sixteenth century Scottish castle, restored during the twentieth century by the Menzies Clan Society. Architecturally fascinating, it is a splendid Renaissance example of the transition in Scottish castles from earlier rugged Highland fortresses to later mansion houses. Many of the Castle's rooms remain intentionally unfurnished to allow a better understanding of the structure and fabric of the building, which our visitors greatly appreciate. This is not a plushly furnished family home. Rescued as a ruin in 1957 by the then recently re-formed Menzies Clan Society, the Castle has been lovingly restored from dereliction by generations of Society members and was placed into a charitable trust in 1993. It is open to all as a visitor attraction, museum, Clan centre for the Menzies Clan and venue for weddings, concerts and other hire. All proceeds are exclusively used for the continued restoration and maintenance of the Castle, its Walled Garden and the Old Kirk of Weem.
Duration: 1-2 hours
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  • Sarah H
    39 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Fantastically authentic castle.
    We were staying in a house just behind the castle so we absolutely had to go and visit. Very interesting to see the contrast of castle stronghold turned into Victorian country house. This castle has so much potential to show more of its history, what did the incredible gardens look like when they were being used? ( what a fantastic spot for growing food). What was cooked in the kitchen? A tea room would be lovely one day! We hope that they continue the good work in preserving this incredible building and probably will go from strength to strength. Thank you x
    Visited May 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 2 June 2024
  • Tami S
    Victoria, Canada80 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great value castle!
    Incredible history - especially if you are looking for history of the Battle of Culloden - both Bonnie Prince Charlie & the Duke of Cumberland stayed at this castle on the way up to Culloden (it was commandeered by the government troops) & the inhabitants fought at the battle so they have actual weapons used at the battle on display. It is very good value & really engaging for even visitors who have no knowledge of history as the displays are so informative. The place is run by the Menzies Clan Trust & is also the home of the McGregor Clan museum (who enjoyed the protection of the Menzies). 30 rooms to look at varying in era from the medieval to the Victorian era. Well with a visit!
    Visited June 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 20 June 2024
  • Ava601
    Newbury, United Kingdom10 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Well worth a visit
    As a member of the clan I have been planning to visit the Castle for some time. The Reception Staff member was enthusiastic and informative. The cafe was pleasant, with a slightly old worldly charm. Many rooms in the castle were open to the public, with a balance of formal and informal settings. There were a lot items on display and effort had gone into interpreting what one was looking at. There was an atmosphere of 'look and touch' (as appropriate) which made this an interesting and engaging outing.
    Visited July 2024
    Travelled with family
    Written 16 July 2024
  • Jim M
    Hellertown, Pennsylvania277 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Impressive Fortress, Breathtaking Views of Surrounding Mountains
    Castle Menzies is a rustic castle reminiscent of Hogwarts (from Harry Potter fame). Nothing overly ostentatious with period furnishings, the castle is an impenetrable fortress. You take yourself on a self tour of the four floors open for public viewing. Spiral stairways, hidden rooms and dungeons, and portholes for firing weapons at potential intruders enhance the experience. The surrounding terrain offers a fabulous view of the Cairngorm Mountains. This would be a great adventure for young children, and the young at heart, to fantasize their knightly, and lady, warrior ambitions.
    Visited October 2024
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 November 2024
  • daniel19892015
    Leeds, United Kingdom17 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great Experience
    Visited Castle Menzies for a recent music event that they put on. General Manager Scott was super helpful while I was planning my visit. The castle has a beautiful room for live music, with great acoustics. Hope to visit again if they put on another similar event
    Visited December 2024
    Travelled solo
    Written 18 December 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.

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4.5
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LonsdaleDLM
Edinburgh, UK45 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2020 • Couples
We visited during early August 2020 but the coronavirus restrictions/measures did not hamper our visit. A great way to spend a few hours. Grand rooms steeped in history, an informative video and information boards throughout the rooms, together with a significant number of artifacts and reproduction pieces. A significant number of rooms and items to see (including the wonderful backdrop) makes this very good value for money (£8 per adult).
Written 2 August 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Louise B
Moffat, UK1 contribution
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
You can explore the older part of the house from bottom to top, all fascinating with some hidden secrets on the way. We were fortunate to have a chat about the house with the manager who showed us the ‘Polish door’ which we wouldn’t have found on our own, and played a part in the house’s varied history. Interesting displays, lovely spot, walled gardens are being restored, altogether we loved the place. There’s a tearoom too and it looks a wonderful place to hold a function. Thoughtful touch is the ground floor video tour of the castle and reduced entrance fee for the disabled. We felt all the entrance fees were very reasonable. Best house I’ve visited for a long time, thanks also to the friendly and knowledgeable staff.
Written 5 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

John M
13 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
We officially escaped the lockdown today by visiting Castle Menzies, been waiting over a year as we had heard such good things about it.

Its just a mile outside Aberfeldy and well signposted. When you approach you are met with a pretty impressive castle very imposing and tall for a building of its age,
It dates back to the sixteenth century and has a later Victorian addition.

Fortunately you can park right outside instead of the usual mile away car parks found so often, there is a lovely reception with small shop and some nice souvenirs (Usual covid controls in place)

We were invited to take a self guided tour after being given an introduction to the history of the castle by the staff.

What's really nice is the very appealing unmolested nature of the property and the centuries of occupation and changes made apparent to all.

Some gems are the halls with superb expanse of locally sourced timber flooring centuries old.
Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed at Weems with his troops just prior to Culloden then literally days later The Duke of Cumberland!

The eerie death mask of the Bonnie prince is on display, you can see that he had in later life a stroke and the right side of his face drooped.

Make sure to ask the staff about the Polish army billeted at the castle during WW2, some amazing history in evidence.

The castle has dozens of rooms at all angles stemming from most major rooms and you get a real a real feel for castle life.

Internally its massive and just when you think you have seen it all you then move into the grand Victorian extension with another impressive hall and magnificent stucco ceiling.

To end our tour we had a lovely cake and coffee break in the café, externally an impressive walled garden and surrounding paths talking you through the former estate of the Menzies, great day out many thanks to the staff for warm welcome and presentation of lovely property
Written 3 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Lloyd B
Birmingham, UK12 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2020 • Couples
The castle as it admits in its info boards is more of a home of a minor noble family.

The tour can't decide if it wants to tell you the history of the building or the history of the family. Plus it throws in a bunch of other random bits.

Overall interesting but could be better.
Written 21 July 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ducatibabe
Cheltenham, UK878 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2021
We spent a happy half day climbing around the castle & reading about its varied history. It's a striking building with more inside it than you might expect, including a rather eerie death mask of Bonny Prince Charlie who stayed there.
The lady in the cafe was a bit off, but the others were lovely, & the tea & cakes were very nice. Well worth visiting especially in the rain.
Not too commercial but interesting.
Written 28 May 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

dawn_smith1
Telford, UK21 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sept 2020
A fascinating castle to visit. The staff are very knowledgeable and answered our questions more than adequately. After purchasing our tickets, which were very reasonably priced, we were free to explore the many interesting rooms of the castle and the outside too. There were various information boards around the castle giving an insight into the history of the castle and the Menzies clan plus a film show in a dungeon. We enjoyed cake and coffee in their little coffee shop too. All in all, an enjoyable afternoon and highly recommended.
Written 7 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mandy W
Aberdeen, UK46 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2022 • Family
Trip advisor says this castle is closed! It is very much open.

We enjoyed a great self guided tour with plenty time to explore all the nooks and crannies of the castle. We loved that it was more stripped back than some castles that are filled with tartan carpets and furniture. There was a lot of castle to see!

The man on the desk was very knowledgable about the local area and offered ideas of some local walks we might enjoy.

The cafe was closed when we visited.
Great castle to visit.
Written 9 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Aliballyb
Elgin, UK107 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
May 2022
Castle Menzies is open as we visited last week on May the 4th. No Start Wars characters were available but what a little gem of a Castle. My husband used to pass it by many times when he was a sales rep but never had time to visit. The place is a warren of rooms off of other rooms and little niches off of them. It has been restored and is still under a certain amount of renovation. Not too cluttered with stuff. Sometimes I am overwhelmed with pictures, china, tables, chairs and beds that my brain switches off. We visited all 5 floors . It is not for those who are unsteady on your feet as some floor surfaces are rough. Loved every minute and could take as long as you wanted. We arrived early thinking it opened at 10 am but in fact it was 10.30. Plenty time to wander round the outside. Didn't have time for the garden.
Written 11 May 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Heather R
Boston, MA524 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
I was looking for a "not touristy" Scottish castle to show visitors from USA and Sweden. Castle Menzies was perfect. It is off the beaten track and a short scenic drive from Pitlochry. Read the info on the website before you go to appreciate what has been done. The stonework is amazing but the staircases and low doors should be approached with caution. No problem for the fit and the seniors can have a freshly made pot of tea and cake in the tearoom. Also available was gluten a free cake. I would recommend this castle along with Blair Castle and Glamis for a good cross section of Scottish Castles. There is also a nice seating area outside to enjoy the peaceful countryside. A short drive away is the Highland Safari.
Written 24 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Laird O
Glasgow, UK37 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Jul 2022
A wee gem in the Perthshire countryside. It is classic example of Scottish vernacular castles that have been built, demolished and rebuilt over the centuries. It also has the advantage of not being stuffed full of artefacts, so you can focus on the amazing building itself. Dont forget to go to the tearoom. Lots of excellent cakes. Available for functions, including meetings, weddings, parties etc. There are also spooky tours in the evenings.
Written 20 July 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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CASTLE MENZIES (2025) All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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