Castle Brae towards Charles Street

We are now heading up Castle Brae towards Broomfield Place and the entrance to Charles Street.

Mr William Miller was the first person to build a house on this spot in 1806. The spot he selected was called Swallows Brae. It was used a private house until it was bought and turned into the Castle Hotel. This was a two story building and was bowed at the front with Gothic parapets and finals. It was demolished in 1984 when the firm of Balfour Beatty constructed Kelburn Flats on the site. The owners at the time, The Logan Family, decided to bow out of the long running hotel in the face of mounting losses and large overheads.

We now reach the entrance to Charles Street. Grand houses started to appear in Charles Street by 1828. The most prominent at that time was Blackdales. Various owners altered the house over the years and by 1925 it had over 18 rooms, stabling, coachman’s house and garage. It was once owned by the court photographer John Fergus around 1876 which he used as his home and studio. Later it became the Charleston Hotel and is now flats.

On the left hand corner to the entrance of Charles Street was the old Firth Hotel. In 1958 the proprietor was Mrs Forbes Young and by 1971 Mrs A Campbell. In 1991 it was converted to a house.

Broomfield Place

In 1811 the Brisbane's gave away the ground between Charles Street and May Street. The first house to be built was Broom House. It was feued to a Mr Maxwell Boyd. The next fue was a Mr Beith and a Mr Robert Boyd. Moving on we we have Broom Lodge B&B which has been a popular B&B for many years.

The land which Castle Bay Court sits on was the location of Broomfield House. During the war Broomfield House was the HQ of No 3 Commando under the control of Lord Lovat. During this period the property was badly damaged. It was used as a store for motor cycles and ammunition. As well as a store it was used for training commandos on how to break into buildings. The instructor for this training was understood to have been brought out of prison for the purpose.

Until its final demolition the house was used as an annex for the Elderslie hotel. The left hand wing or stable block was used for some years as a private school. Eventually the owners of Elderslie sold part of their grounds to Kames Miller and in 1962 and the Castlebay flats were built shortly after.