Boleskine

[Patrycja]

42 minutes ago, The Only Way To Fly said:

Me too! I'm mostly curious about what might be found in the rubble/ashes. Given the history of the house this would be great for a university archeologist's first dig!

You know, that's a good idea, TOWTF. I was on a steering committee that sought RFPs for a new theatre that had to incorporate a historical structure, and there were so many creative ideas proposed, including using just a facade (which, unless this is rebuilt exactly, is probably all they could use). If there's the will, it could be a B&B / guest house or an artist retreat / historical centre of both Boleskine and the area. I'd just like for it to be transformed into something constructive and commemorative rather than it being razed and forgotten should nothing else or something completely different replace it.

Edited February 14, 2016 by Patrycja

[SteveAJones]

 

 

[John M]

Here are a few photos of when I stayed at Boleskine for a few nights in 2000.  Mrs. McGillvary (spelling?) was a lovely hostess and the food was wonderful.  She asked us if we knew the history of the house, and when we played dumb she told us that it was almost ruined when a terrible rock star owned it, that when her family bought it back they had to completely redo the interior and alot of structural work.  It was pretty funny sitting in this fancy sitting room having tea and trying to pretend we didn't know about Jimmy.  I think she figured it out?  Anyway, a couple of great days visiting the local area and staying at Boleskine.

[zeplz71]

Boleskine for sale

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/scotland/for-sale-aleister-crowley-s-home-of-black-magic-owned-by-jimmy-page-c7vlsnq95

 

[Walter]

Apparently there’s been another fire at Boleskine House. 

[chef free]

https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/329400/aleister-crowleys-house-burns-down-again

[FavouriteTipple]

Highland resident here. The new owners of Boleskine House have been busy since they got the deeds a few weeks ago. Apparently, two people have been charged with the 1st August arson on the remaining intact wing of the house (it didn't make sense as an insurance rip-off as new owners didn't have insurance yet plus I doubt you can get insurance on a dangerous structure).

Here are some links, including a chance to contribute to the renovation. I have no idea who is backing the new owners' endeavours, cos we're talking considerable sums, but overall I see this as a good thing with great potential as their planned retreat centre, operating well beyond the Crowley and Page connections.

And yeah, there is a vibe in that area of the Foyers road... eerie in the depths of winter let me tell ya! Anecdote: I was talking to a friend in the Dores Inn by Loch Ness the other week and he told about having a few pints one evening and some eager American Crowley/Page fans came in looking for the house, and all the locals in the pub pulled An American Werewolf in London job on them, telling them that it was dangerous and terribly spooky to be going down to the House. They all cracked up when the tourists left. Stick to the path, boys... beware the moon... 😎

https://www.boleskinehouse.org/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/boleskinehouse

https://www.facebook.com/boleskine.house.foundation/

Paywall but you can read some of it: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/volunteers-help-boleskine-house-to-rise-from-ashes-v3s2w985g

[SteveAJones]

9 hours ago, FavouriteTipple said:

https://www.boleskinehouse.org/

https://www.gofundme.com/f/boleskinehouse

https://www.facebook.com/boleskine.house.foundation/

Paywall but you can read some of it: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/volunteers-help-boleskine-house-to-rise-from-ashes-v3s2w985g

I shall have to review these links and give careful consideration to contributing to a restoration effort. Initially, I felt this was a catastrophic loss but I'm open-minded if the evidence suggests otherwise.

[SteveAJones]

 

[zeplz71]

Remnants of infamous Boleskine House near Foyers by Loch Ness offered for sale online

By Alasdair Fraser

https://www.inverness-courier.co.uk/news/remains-of-infamous-boleskine-house-offered-for-sale-online-188982/

 

A couple working to rebuild the fire-ravaged Boleskine House by Loch Ness are selling charred remnants of the building for £49 a bag.

Keith and Kyra Readdy, who want to reconstruct Boleskine House near Foyers in its original design, are offering bits of wreckage from the building which was destroyed by a blaze in July for sale online.

The new owners, who have formed the “not-for-profit” Boleskine House Foundation, want to establish a spiritual retreat and guest house at the burned-out site.

Past owners have included the Fraser clan, Led Zeppelin rocker Jimmy Page and infamous cult leader Aleister Crowley.

A crowdfunding campaign was started last year and has so far generated more than £22,500 of the £220,000 target for donations.

But with total rebuilding works planned costing around £700,000, the Readdys are keen to find new ways of raising cash.

The £49 eBay lot description states: “You are purchasing one original stone of up to 400g and one bag of charred remains from the fire on 31 July 2019 from Boleskine House."

The package comes with a certificate of authenticity, with the promise that all proceeds will be used for the restoration of Boleskine House.

Boleskine House was previously hit by fire in December 2015, but a remaining wing was destroyed by a second blaze last July.

Mr Readdy (37), described on the foundation’s website as having had a career in property management and hospitality, said: “Boleskine has such a big draw, whether people are fans of Crowley or rock and roll.

“The Boleskine estate is a treasure of heritage and history that must be secured for future generations. I believe it can stand as a landmark for culture, research, and well-being that all can benefit from.”

[Ross62]

 

 

[Brigante]

Yeah, but what if you bought one of them £49 bags of rubble and you got the brick that Chorenzon lives in?  

[Paimonus Rex]

On 3/2/2020 at 7:19 AM, Brigante said:

Yeah, but what if you bought one of them £49 bags of rubble and you got the brick that Chorenzon lives in?  

He's not a bad lad.  Just has a ton of energy and some serious focus issues.  We're trying to avoid the pharmaceutical approach - fingers crossed

 

[Brigante]

Yeah, he's good-bad, but he's not evil... 😉

[jsj]

1 hour ago, Brigante said:

Yeah, he's good-bad, but he's not evil... 😉

Good one

[TunBiscuit]

https://youtu.be/-BPK6aQHRUs
 

 

[Cookie0024]

On 9/16/2020 at 4:50 PM, TunBiscuit said:

https://youtu.be/-BPK6aQHRUs
 

 

Not even remotely believable

[SteveAJones]

17 hours ago, Cookie0024 said:

Not even remotely believable

It's laugh out loud funny. What next, someone pulls one of Jimmy's guitars out of the rubble? 

[luvlz2]

 

[FavouriteTipple]

Hi folks - dug out these pix from May 2022 when I helped the owners move rubble from inside Boleskine House to a skip. Hefty sweaty work, and yes I did recall that Bonzo was a brickie before Zep. There's been a whole lotta work done since then, as the public posts on FB and elsewhere attest. The big poles in the middle of the big room were temporary support.

[SteveAJones]

Well, I'm stunned by the effort as the structure was obviously burned to the ground. It'll never be rebuilt the way it was -- an impossible task for anyone-- but I'll settle for an approximation. I'd actually gone to Boleskine House a few times more years ago than I care to count. Actually, I've been thinking of my visits to Scotland quite a bit lately, for no apparent reason. The Scots are so welcoming and friendly. I can easily imagine living near the loch in perfect peace and tranquility. Perhaps if life had turned out differently I would be.

[Brigante]

Being English, I'd never set foot over the border, man. I've got on really well with every Scottish person I've ever met and the loveliest lass I ever knew was from Fife, but for an English swine to actually go into their territory and put yourself at their mercy? It'd be like the Wicker Man, dude.

Edited April 16, 2023 by Brigante

[SteveAJones]

14 hours ago, Brigante said:

Being English, I'd never set foot over the border, man. I've got on really well with every Scottish person I've ever met and the loveliest lass I ever knew was from Fife, but for an English swine to actually go into their territory and put yourself at their mercy? It'd be like the Wicker Man, dude.

That's unfortunate, but I understand. In my travels I met an elderly woman who explained to me the proud satisfaction she felt spending Scottish banknotes in London. 

[Brigante]

Good on her, I don't blame her one bit. I've seen shops with signs saying they don't accept Scottish banknotes - but it's legal tender, so I'm glad people make it difficult for the southern bastds! 😉 There was a petition a few years back for the North of England to secede from the South and become part of Scotland - thousands of us Northerners signed it (including me), but the Scots said no, they didn't want us English pigs in their country! 😆 Can't blame em either.

Edited April 17, 2023 by Brigante

[john morrison]

almost met jimmy twice . whilst brigante appears to be terrified to place a step north of hadrians wall , I can state it is not entirely lawless . we have laws and courts and stuff . to my point . many years ago I was instructed by jimmys management to evict a squatter from boleskine . I wasted no time visiting the site ( no I did not bill from my travel time glasgow to Inverness ) . squatter disappeared before i had to do anything meaningful . so no meeting with client . a few years ago the bpi arrested a chap well known in bootleg circles ( silver rarities etc ) at a record fair in glasgow . I was asked to defend the chap . the crown invited me to attend a site where I could view the confiscated material / evidence . interestingly I had to drive to a lay-by on the southside of glasgow . there I was placed into the rear seat of a police vehicle and asked to put on a very large blindfold . once the price officers were satisfied that the blindfold was properly on the car drove off  . after 10 / 15 mins car stopped , I was guided with blindfold on out of the car and into a building . once inside the building the blindfold was removed . it was a huge building full of stuff ( eg speed boats , cars , clothes , drugs etc ) seized by the police . anyway am taken to a room and shown all the cds / lps seized at the record fair . whilst identifying various zep boots a bpi chap came into the room . we had a chat about about boots and I mentioned that zep was my band . he said jimmy was through the wall / adjoining room assisting the bpi . jimmy had agreed to give evidence . I explained to bpi chap that I would give my left nut to meet him . off he went to speak to jimmy . returned quickly to say jimmy would not meet me as I was defending the bootlegger . for those that know there was history between bootlegger and jimmy . anyway months later case went to jury trial at glasgow sheriff court . jimmy appeared in court and gave his evidence . his presence meant the bootlegger did not have a leg to stand on . changed plea to guilty . was banged up care of her majesty .