Powis House Through the Ages: A Living Chapter of Scottish and World History

Powis House isn’t just a beautiful place to stay — it’s a living thread woven through some of the most dramatic centuries in Scottish, British, and world history. From royal sieges to revolutions, Powis has stood quietly on the land, shaped by and bearing witness to history’s turning points.

Powis House, courtesy of Cairns & Rodgers, Stirling, c.1880 - 1900

Here’s the story of this remarkable estate — and the names, battles, and empires that passed by its gates.

Before the House: Fields, Clans, and Rising Tensions (Pre-1600s)

The land that became the Powis Estate likely formed part of the ancient medieval fields of Stirling, positioned just east of the historic town. Long before the house was built, this soil was trampled by soldiers and sovereigns.

Only a few miles away, William Wallace led Scottish forces to victory at the Battle of Stirling Bridge in 1297. A generation later, Robert the Bruce would claim his own victory at the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 — both within walking distance of what is now Powis House.

Battle of Stirling Bridge, courtesy for the National Wallace Monument

While the Renaissance was flourishing in Europe and the Reformation beginning to reshape religious life, Powis remained quiet farmland, part of the powerful Callander family’s holdings — stewards of this land for generations.

The Stirling and Mayne Families (1600s–1700s): A House Is Born

In 1629, ownership passed to the Stirling family, one of the most significant names in Scottish aristocracy. They held the land through a turbulent century that saw the Union of the Crowns under James VI and I (the first monarch of both Scotland and England), the English Civil War, and the rise of Cromwell.

Then, in the mid-18th century, as Bonnie Prince Charlie made his final attempt to restore the Stuart line during the Jacobite Rising of 1745, a new chapter was being built — quite literally.

In 1746, just as the Battle of Culloden ended the Jacobite dream, the Mayne family began construction of the house we see today. As the last pitched battle on British soil raged in the Highlands, masons were laying stone at Powis — building a structure that has now stood for nearly 300 years.

That same year George II was on the throne in Britain, The Enlightenment was gaining momentum in Edinburgh and across the Atlantic, a young George Washington was beginning his military career.

The Buchanans and the Estate’s Growth (1800s–1949)

In 1800, Powis was acquired by the Buchanan family, another Scottish name with deep roots. This era was a time of change — the Napoleonic Wars were reshaping Europe, the Industrial Revolution was transforming Britain, and America was expanding westward after independence.

The Buchanans oversaw Powis through Victorian Scotland and into the early 20th century. Trains came to Stirling, modern farming methods spread, and by World War I, the estate was an established and well-kept symbol of rural life.

The Powis House Ladies (1949–1980s): War, Refuge, and Resilience

In 1949, something quietly extraordinary happened. Powis House was sold to five women — Margaret Elizabeth Davidson, Alison Stewart, Margaret McGillivray, Mabel Winifred Burnard, and Betty Soper — known locally as the Powis House Ladies.

They were not aristocrats. They were teachers, nurses, and administrators — women of character who gave new life to the house, offering refuge to soldiers and supporting the local community. They lived at Powis during a time when the world was rebuilding after World War II and society was transforming.

While Queen Elizabeth II was being crowned and the US was sending rockets into space, these five women were tending fires, painting shutters, and keeping this house alive.

Today: A New Chapter Begins

In 2022, we (James and Jennifer) became the next custodians of Powis House. We don’t take that lightly. This estate has seen centuries of change — from medieval battles and Jacobite uprisings to Enlightenment revolutions and modern wars.

And yet it has endured — not just as stone and wood, but as a place with presence. A place where people have gathered, recovered, dreamed, and grown.

Today, Powis House is welcoming guests once more. Through holiday stays and intimate retreats, we’re inviting people from across the UK and beyond to step into this story — and add a chapter of their own.

Come walk the grounds where Wallace once marched. Sleep in cottages warmed by centuries. And feel the quiet power of a place built to last.

Powis House Estate — Stirling, Scotland