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Summary

Description

Probably circa 1840. Tiny, intricately-detailed, circular hut sited high on hill overlooking Buffalo Park, part of Rohallion's designed landscape. Incorporating conical roof, large gabled porch, tall circular stack projecting at rear, and deep-set roundheaded openings with narrow voussoirs, some openings with rubble infill (original), some with boarded timber doors and some appearing as lancets. Mixed rubble construction with larger rubble base and quoin stones, some squared. Overhanging eaves with exposed rafters.

FURTHER DESCRIPTION: 2-leaf boarded timber door with decorative ironwork hinges, and window openings also with timber boarded doors/shutters. Cobbled floor. Grey slate roof.

INTERIOR: rustic half-round timbered walls and low benches to porch and hut interior, latter also with large stone fireplace.

Statement of Special Interest

Built for Sir William Drummond Stewart of Murthly Castle, this astonishing, well-detailed hut was erected to house two Native Americans who had accompanied Sir William on his return to Murthly at the end of the 1830s. The Indians were themselves accompanied by Antoine, a 'half-breed' trained as a butler, who was intended to restrain them from any savage or wild behaviour. Sir William had so fallen in love with the American Wild West, that he

shipped some buffalo across to Scotland, and built the Buffalo Park at Rohallion, bringing the Indians to look after the animals. The buffalo were cared for by Lord Breadalbane at Taymouth until buffalo grass seed had ripened in 'an enclosure ... not far from Rohallion measuring five or six miles in circumference. The area was enclosed by a stone fence topped by several strands of thick wire'. Much of the 'stone fence' enclosing Buffalo Park is still evident today (2006), with monumental square-section gatepiers flanking openings. The Buffalo Hut is sited high up on a hill to the NW of the Park, with a crenellated wall forming a lookout with spectacular views across the Perthshire countryside to the River Tay and beyond. When newly built, views of Murthly Castle would have been clearly visible from this location. 'In August, 1842, restless again, Stewart decided on one last farewell expedition to the American west. To the relief of the locals, he took his three savages with him'. However, during his absence 'Stewart found his buffaloes had got out of hand. One had killed a postman and others had broken free to roam the hills. They were reluctantly given to Lord Breadalbane and ended their days at Woburn Abbey's nature park', (Scottish Memories).

References

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