Lochend House is a name shared by multiple historic properties, primarily in Scotland and Australia. The most notable are described below.
1. Lochend House, Edinburgh, Scotland
Also known as Restalrig Castle and Lochend Castle, this is an occupied house incorporating the remains of a 16th-century L-plan tower house, located in the Lochend area of Edinburgh, Scotland, approximately 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Edinburgh Castle. It is protected as a Category B listed building.
History: The original castle was built on lands originally belonging to the Lestalric family, which passed to the Logan family of Restalrig early in the 14th century. The Logans retained possession until the property was forfeited for their involvement in the Gowrie conspiracy against King James VI. The castle was burned by William Gilmour of The Inch at that time. Sir Robert Logan was the last member of the family to own the property. From 1704, the property was held by Arthur Elphinstone, 6th Lord Balmerino, who was executed in London for his part in the Jacobite rising of 1745.
Architecture: The gable end of the original tower is incorporated into the present house, which was built around 1820. The original part comprises a three-storey L-plan block with a steeply pitched roof. The interior has been completely altered, though some aumbries (wall cupboards) remain in the thick walls, along with remnants of a large fireplace. The house sits atop a 10-metre rock escarpment overlooking Lochend Loch.
Recent history: The building was owned by the City of Edinburgh Council and used as a children's centre until 2016, when a fire damaged the roof. After roof repairs, the property was put on the market in 2017 as a "residential development opportunity." It was sold in 2018 and is now in private ownership. Nearby within Lochend Park is a 16th-century doocot (dovecote), also Category B listed, which was used as a boat house in the 19th century.
2. Lochend House, Campbelltown, South Australia
Also known simply as Lochend, this is a historic house in Campbelltown, a suburb of Adelaide, South Australia. It was built in 1842 by Charles James Fox Campbell, after whom the area of Campbelltown was named. Campbell named the house "Lochend" after the ancestral home of his family—Lochend Castle in Campbeltown, Scotland.
Architecture and history: The house was designed by George Strickland Kingston and built of local river stone. It originally included a stucco porch, hall, and living room with a moulded ceiling. Campbell later expanded the house by adding three bedrooms and a cellar. The estate originally comprised 4 acres (1.6 ha) of garden and 156 acres (63 ha) of pastoral land. The property changed hands several times over the following decades. In the early 1980s, ownership was transferred to Campbelltown Council. After a period of deterioration, the building was faithfully restored with guidance from the Campbelltown Historical Society and officially reopened on 29 February 2004.
Current status: Lochend House is a listed building of state heritage significance and is also on the Register of the National Estate. It is owned in trust by the City of Campbelltown and is open to the public on select days. It is situated within the Lochiel Park Green Village, an ecovillage development.
3. Lochend House, Port of Menteith, Stirling, Scotland
A separate Category B listed building located in Port of Menteith, Stirling, Scotland. Further detailed information about this specific property is limited in available sources.
Note: The name "Lochend" derives from Scottish place-name elements meaning "loch end" or "end of the loch," referring to a location at the edge of a lake or loch.
