Inverardoch
Inverardoch Estate
The Inverardoch Estate lies to the east of Doune, so named because “inver” means “mouth of”, and it is situated at the mouth of the Ardoch, where it meets the River Teith.
Access to the estate is off the A820 Doune to Dunblane road or via the brae which heads down towards the castle access, past a short row of cottages and crosses the Old Bridge of Ardoch.
This private road leads on to Castle Farm, Inverardoch Cottages, the former Mill of Doune site and the mid-seventeenth century Old Newton.
left narrow road to Old Bridge of Ardoch
right Old Bridge of Ardoch
The Old Bridge of Ardoch dating from 1735 is a narrow hump backed bridge with a single arch. It was replaced by a modern bridge which now carries the A820 towards Dunblane, crossing the Ardoch a little further up stream from the old bridge.
Doune Mill, now just a ruin, is the mill which once ground corn and barley for the village of Doune.
The mill, lying a few hundred metres from Doune Castle, was powered by the waters of the Ardoch Burn not far from where it flows into the River Teith.
To the east of Doune Castle across the Ardoch Burn is a large area of parkland belonging to the Inverardoch estate and including an historic parly ruined walled garden with corner turrets, and former stables, partly visible in views from around the castle grounds.
This photograph was taken looking across the Ardoch burn from the path which leads from the castle down towards the River Teith.
Inverardoch House
Inverardoch House was a country mansion built around 1857 for a John Campbell of Inverardoch and his wife Cecille. It was on the higher ground overlooking the join of the two rivers. Twenty years after it was built, the house was severely damaged by fire, but it was restored.
An associated “mortuary chapel”, Inverardoch Chapel was built in 1876.
From 1898 to 1902 the house was lived in by Sir James and Lady Thompson, Sir James being General Manager and later Chairman of the Caledonian Railway.
The house was demolished in the 1950’s.
Old Newton of Doune is one of the three oldest continually inhabited houses in Scotland and lies within the Inverardoch estate, set in a secluded walled garden. It is a 16th-century L-plan building, although there is evidence for some sort of building on the site from at least a century before. The house was built for defence with extremely thick walls and arrow slits at ground level, the upper floors being reached by steep stairs.
In the 18th and 19th centuries, the rooms on the ground floor were developed for domestic use. It has had many famous guests over the centuries, including Bonnie Prince Charlie and Sir Walter Scott (and of course the cast and crew of Outlander, while filming in the area).
It is now used as historic holiday accommodation.