Invergordon Castle, formerly known as Inverbreakie Castle, was a medieval structure located in Rosskeen, Highland, Scotland. The castle first appears in historical records in the 13th century and thought to have been commissioned by "William the Lion"
At the beginning of the 18th century, Sir William Gordon acquired the estate and subsequently changed its name. The castle grounds were transformed into the renowned "American Gardens," celebrated for their beautiful rhododendrons, stately trees, and flower-bordered walks. The castle was largely destroyed by fire early in the 18th century. Following this destruction, a new and grand mansion was built by Robert Bruce Aeneas Macleod in 1872.
Did you know the famous Hilton of Cadboll stone was once part of the American Gardens?
The land on which the stone originally lay was part of the Cadboll estate which was also owned by the Macleod’s of Cadboll. They removed it in the late 1860s to be a feature in the garden of their seat at Invergordon Castle.
Our own Golf Club was formally established in Invergordon in 1893 on a course at Balblair. It eventually moved to a seasonal course at Rosskeen, which could only be used in spring and winter due to the limitations of grass-cutting machines of the time.
In 1921, following the end of World War I, a 9-hole course was established on land now occupied by Invergordon Distillery and Seabank housing, extending to the border of Joss Street. In the same year Macleod of Cadboll sold Invergordon Castle and donated the Hilton of Cadboll stone to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland.
During World War II, the government took over the golf course, building a camp of Nissen huts to house armed forces stationed in Invergordon. The golf club received £5,000 in compensation, which was used to build a new 9-hole course in the grounds of the former Invergordon Castle. The club moved to this location following the war.
Seven of those holes survive as part of our present 18-hole course, which opened in 1996. The 9th hole is still called “American Gardens” and lies within the lush rhododendron bushes which made the woodland so famous.
Invergordon has long held a place in Naval history and was an important base for the Royal Navy during the First World War. It also served as a base for flying boats in the Second World War.
To this day, the course maintains its links with the Royal Navy by offering free golf to Naval Officers
From extracts from writings of Willie Moore