| Atholl Palace Hotel | |
|---|---|
 Atholl Palace Hotel | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Town or city | Pitlochry |
| Country | Scotland |
| Coordinates | 56°42′5.5″N3°43′11.6″W / 56.701528°N 3.719889°W |
| Construction started | 1875 |
| Completed | 1886 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Andrew Heiton |
Listed Building – Category B | |
| Designated | 5 October 1971 |
| Reference no. | LB39856 |
Atholl Palace Hotel is a Category B listed [1] building in Pitlochry, Scotland.
In 1873 the 30 acre site was leased by the Balnakeilly Estate to the Athole Hydropathic Company. The company launched a share prospectus in September 1873 with the aim of raising £40,000 (equivalent to £3,770,000in 2021) [2] in 4,000 shares. [3] The building was designed by Andrew Heiton (Junior). [4]
Construction started in February 1876. The contractor for the masonry was Henry Robertson and Company. By 1883 the proprietor, Mr. Dick, was bankrupt, having spent £60,000 (equivalent to £6,430,000in 2021). [2] The site was sold to William McDonald lessee of the Royal Refreshment Rooms at Perth General Railway Station for £25,000 [5] and it opened on 25 June 1886.
The hotel was sold in 1911 and again in 1913 to the Atholl Palace Hotel (Pitlochry) Company when it took on its current name. During the First World War it became the home of Queen Margaret Girls’ School, Scarborough (now moved to York) when their school was damaged during the bombardment of 1914 [6] and during the Second World War hosted The Leys School from Cambridge.
During the 1930s the hotel built a suite of accommodation near the garages for chauffeurs. This was designed by the architect John Steel.
In 1971 the hotel was purchased by the Clydesdale Commonwealth Hotels [7] along with the lease for the adjoining golf course for £130,000. The group planned an extensive renovation and expansion of the hotel with the addition of a conference suit to accommodate 500 delegates and most of the 130 bedrooms were to be equipped with private bathrooms. A further 100 twin rooms were to be added.
Perthshire, officially the County of Perth, is a historic county and registration county in central Scotland. Geographically it extends from Strathmore in the east, to the Pass of Drumochter in the north, Rannoch Moor and Ben Lui in the west, and Aberfoyle in the south; it borders the counties of Inverness-shire and Aberdeenshire to the north, Angus to the east, Fife, Kinross-shire, Clackmannanshire, Stirlingshire and Dunbartonshire to the south and Argyllshire to the west. It was a local government county from 1890 to 1930.
Crieff is a Scottish market town in Perth and Kinross on the A85 road between Perth and Crianlarich, and the A822 between Greenloaning and Aberfeldy. The A822 joins the A823 to Dunfermline. Crieff has become a hub for tourism, famous for whisky and its history of cattle droving. Attractions include the Caithness Glass Visitor Centre and Glenturret Distillery. The nearby Innerpeffray Library is Scotland's oldest lending library. St Mary's Chapel beside it dates from 1508. Both are open to the public: the library is run by a charitable trust; the chapel is in the care of Historic Scotland.
Atholl or Athole is a large historical division in the Scottish Highlands, bordering Marr, Badenoch, Lochaber, Breadalbane, Strathearn, Perth, and Gowrie. Historically it was a Pictish kingdom, becoming one of the original provinces of the Kingdom of Alba before being incorporated into the sheriffdom and later county of Perthshire. Today it forms the northern part of Perth and Kinross, Scotland.
Pitlochry is a town in the Perth and Kinross council area of Scotland, lying on the River Tummel. It is historically in the county of Perthshire, and has a population of 2,776, according to the 2011 census.
The Atholl Highlanders is a Scottish private infantry regiment. A ceremonial unit, it acts as the personal bodyguard to the Duke of Atholl, chieftain of the Clan Murray, a family that has lived in Perthshire for roughly seven centuries. Although it has no official military role, this hand-picked body of local men are armed with Lee–Metford rifles, and the regiment includes a pipe band. Joining the Highlanders is by invitation-only from the Duke, who specially selects men with ties to the estate or the local area. The regiment is not part of the British Armed Forces but under the command of the Duke of Atholl, and based at Blair Castle, Blair Atholl.
Pitlochry railway station is a railway station serving the town of Pitlochry in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. It is managed by ScotRail and is located on the Highland main line, 28 miles 21 chains (45.5 km) from Perth, between Dunkeld & Birnham and Blair Atholl.
Dalwhinnie railway station is a railway station serving the village of Dalwhinnie, Highland, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Highland Main Line, 58 miles 47 chains (94.3 km) from Perth, between Blair Atholl and Newtonmore. There is a crossover at the south end of the station to allow trains to turn back if the line north to Newtonmore is closed.
Blair Atholl railway station is a railway station serving the town of Blair Atholl, Perth and Kinross, Scotland. The station is managed by ScotRail and is on the Highland Main Line, 35 miles 9 chains (56.5 km) from Perth, between Pitlochry and Dalwhinnie. There is a crossover at the north end of the station to allow trains to turn back if the line south to Pitlochry is closed.
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The Royal Highlander was a named passenger train travelling between London, England and Aberdeen, Scotland from 1927. Later it served Inverness, Scotland until it was withdrawn in May 1988.
Gourlay Brothers was a marine engineering and shipbuilding company based in Dundee, Scotland. It existed between 1846 and 1908.
The Killiecrankie railway station served the village of Killiecrankie, Perth and Kinross, Scotland from 1864 to 1965.
Struan railway station served the village of Struan, Perthshire, Scotland from 1863 to 1965 on the Inverness and Perth Junction Railway.
The St. Pancras Renaissance London Hotel forms the frontispiece of St Pancras railway station in St Pancras, London. The station is one of the main rail termini in London and the final stop for international trains departing to Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam and other destinations in mainland Europe. It opened in 2011, and occupies much of the former Midland Grand Hotel designed by George Gilbert Scott which opened in 1873 and closed in 1935. The hotel is managed by Marriott International.
William Hamilton Beattie was a Scottish architect specialising in hotel design in the late 19th century.
Frederick Andrew Fitzpayne AMIEE (1878-1935) was a British electrical and transport engineer responsible for building Scotland's first electric tram system and running the Edinburgh Corporation Tramway system.
Aberfeldy RFC is a rugby union club based in Aberfeldy, Scotland. The Men's team currently plays in Caledonia Midlands Four.
The Highland Championships was a men's and women's grass court tennis tournament first established in 1896 as part of the Atholl Hydropathic Open Lawn Tennis Tournament. Also known as the Bell's Highland Championships for sponsorship reasons (1974–1981).