Lemlair House was originally built as a fortified seat for the chief of the Clan Munro in 1643. However it soon became the home of Colonel John Munro of Lemlair, a near relative of the chief. Lemlair is situated halfway north of Dingwall and south of Evanton, and is just a short distance from Foulis Castle. The name "Lemlair" is thought to come from the Gaelic for "a bare place suitable for grazing horses".
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Colonel John Munro, 2nd of Lemlair became known as a successful soldier. He was one of the officers he took part in the Siege of Inverness (1649), during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. Munro was joined by Colonel Hugh Fraser, Sir Thomas Urquhart of Cromarty and Thomas Mackenzie of Pluscardine. However John Munro became more well known for the prominent part he played in the defeat of James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose at the Battle of Carbisdale in 1650. The lands of Lemlair were later made into a separate barony for John Munro which he held directly from the crown. However it was passed back to the clan chief in 1761.
In 1859, it was bought from Sir Charles Munro of Foulis by "Red John" Munro and it was Red John's grandson, another John, who rebuilt it into the present mansion with its internal fittings featuring the Munro eagle in 1876. He moved into the house in 1879 and it has had only three owners since then.
The mansion is set in 6 acres (24,000 m2) of grounds. The building features a Ren-nie Mackintosh tiled fireplace and mantelpiece, a snooker room, a tiled-floor veranda overlooking the firth, a tennis court, eight bedrooms, stained-glass windows and Munro clan features such as a fireplace depicting the famous eagle emblem. The house has recently been extensively referbished including exterior woodwork to bring the house back to original standard.
Skibo Castle, where Madonna was married in 2000, is half-an-hour's drive away and the area boasts excellent fishing, shooting and stalking and countryside walks.