Fairburn Tower is a rare example of a surviving tower house from the Scottish Renaissance. It is situated in the beautiful Highland landscape, north-west of Inverness. It was built around 1545 for Murdo Mackenzie and was enlarged in the early 17th century, but the fortunes of the Mackenzies of Fairburn suffered when they remained loyal to the Stuart line in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715.

The tower sat as a ruin for over a hundred years and was on the Buildings at Risk register, until it was identified by the Landmark Trust as a potential project to add to their portfolio of unique holiday homes around the United Kingdom. 

In January 2020 work began to scaffold Fairburn to prevent any further movement and allow close inspection for both detailed planning for masonry repairs and archaeological recording. Masonry work included removing vegetation from stonework before consolidating and repairing cracks and carrying out essential rebuilding work using hot lime mortar.  The building was further stabilised by the insertion of a complex new concrete turnpike staircase cast in situ within the stair tower. 

Internal walls have been lime plastered and limewashed and surviving fragments of original lime plaster have been preserved and left visible.

The interior has now been transformed into self-catered visitor accommodation for The Landmark Trust.  Simple timber lined Bath and Shower Room pods sit within the Bedroom spaces and new oak windows, shutters and secondary glazing were designed to achieve a traditional appearance and reduce heat loss. 

The close working relationship between client, design team, archaeologist, Historic Environment Scotland and our experienced contractor, Laing Traditional Masonry, overcame a number of challenges including covid shutdown, nesting barn owls, bats and jackdaws,  to bring Fairburn from roofless ruin to sensitively restored tower house.

Photography copyright of The Landmark Trust