History

Built in 1864 on a commission from Captain Napier Campbell, a retired clipper captain, Erigmore House was designed by Scottish architect David Smart in a Franco-Scottish baronial style.

The house has had a truly colourful past with its doors being crossed by members of parliament, prime ministers, lords, ladies, world renowned artists, military men, naval captains and retired colonials.

Possibly the most famous artist to share a history with Erigmore is Pre Raphaelite painter Sir John Everett Millais. Millais spent his summers and autumns at Erigmore painting Perthshire landscapes in and around Birnam and Dunkeld. Millais was also a portrait painter and perhaps his most famous portrait is that of Prime Minister Benjamin Disraeli who sat for Millais at Erigmore, where he also spent the night whilst on route to see Victoria at Balmoral.

Other well renowned Victorian artists to relax, sketch and paint some of their works of art at Erigmore include William Holman Hunt and Dante Gabriel Rossetti.

It is well documented that Erigmore is set within the ancient royal forest Birnam Wood mentioned by Shakespeare in his immortal tragedy, Macbeth. It is thought possible that Shakespeare heard the story of the battle at Macbeth's Castle on Dunsinane Hill, 12 miles from Birnman Hill in 1054.

"Macbeth shall never vanquished be, until Great Birnam Wood to high Dunsinane Hill Shall come against him"

The last person to own Erigmore as a private dwelling was Edgar Gruer, a retired rubber plantation owner. It was Gruer who converted the house into flats for rent in the 1960s and paved the way to what is now a beautiful and tranquil holiday retreat.