Rossdhu: A Scottish Home

Family history is something that holds special interest to me and my family. Our lineage is vast and comprises several bloodlines. Let us focus on my mother's family at this time. The more notable of her ancestral tree are the Colquhouns of Scottish descent. On Loch Lomond lies a beautiful estate, once housed by the Earls of the Colquhoun clan, dating back to 1150 AD. The name of this home is Rossdhu. Its beautiful grounds and manor architecture attract tourists year round. In recent years, the grounds have also housed a lush golf and country club when the family leased the lands. The history of this home is rich and filled with intrigue. Before the manor house came into existence, the chiefs of the clan Colquhoun, took up residence in a stately castle. The castle boasts at least three visits by Mary Queen of Scots but this is not the only interesting event to occur here.

Many stories passed down in my family have been proven as historical fact. One of the chiefs, Sir John Colquhoun, was a renowned necromancer and warlock in his own time. Despite the rise of the church, he was not chastised for his magickal doings. It wasn't until he was found to be having an affair with his wife's own sister that the crown took notice, banishing them both to Italy and taking over Colquhoun lands. When his son, James, was a man the lands were returned to the family in care of the ever capable James Colquhoun. Other stories outline the centuries old feud with the McGregor clan. The cause of the feud is still unknown, yet many a bloody battle were fought on both Colquhoun and McGregor lands. In 1603, the clan McGregor invaded Colquhoun lands at the Battle of Glenfruin. The Colquhouns were defeated in a great massacre; prompting King James VI to pronounce the McGregor clan outlaws to be hunted and put to death.

The manor home was erected around 1722 when disrepair of the castle caused the walls to start crumbling. The result was a beautiful Georgian mansion located not far from the castle. Today, all that is left of the original castle is one lone wall, overgrown with vegetation. The gate to Rossdhu stands tall at the entrance to the lands, boasting the Colquhoun coat of arms at its very apex. The manor house still houses the Colquhoun estate's bloodline. Upon the death of each lord and lady of the Colquhoun clan, another will step forward to take his or her rightful place as Rossdhu nobility. An old 12th century chapel also adorns the grounds, serving for centuries as the main worship center for the Colquhoun clan.

If you are a lover of the paranormal, then you will love this next bit. Just outside of the castle walls stands a large tree said to have been the hanging tree for the Colquhouns. Thieves, murderers and family enemies as well as traitors were ritualistically hung from this tree as punishment for their various crimes. It is said that the ghosts of the hanged wander the grounds around the tree itself, looking for vengeance and retribution. Some even say these souls will never be allowed to see heaven. Another nice ghost story surrounding my lineage with this family is that of a long dead lady of the Colquhoun clan. It is uncertain whom the lady is, but many believe it may be Lady Anne Colquhoun. She is said to have loved Rossdhu so much that she refuses to leave and has been seen wandering the rooms and corridors of the great manor house.

This is just one of many hubs I will be publishing outlining my own genealogy. I hope to help instill a certain desire and respect in others regarding their own pasts and the lengths our ancestors have gone to make our lives better.