Touch House

Touch House is a country house located west of Stirling in central Scotland. It stands at the foot of the Touch Hills, on the south side of the River Forth. The house incorporates a 16th-century tower house, but its present form dates to the middle of the 18th century when the south facade was added, described by Historic Scotland as "Probably the finest Georgian elevation in the County of Stirling."The house is a category A listed building, and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.HistoryThe name derives from the Gaelic tulach, meaning hillock, and is first recorded in 1329 in the form Tulch. The Touch estate was the property of the Frasers; a tower house may have existed from the 14th century. Touch was acquired by Alexander Seton, kinsman of the powerful Seton family, in the middle of the 15th century, and in 1480 his son Alexander is recorded as 1st laird of Touch. Elizabeth Seton inherited Touch in 1742, and in 1745 she hosted Bonnie Prince Charlie at the house, a few days prior to the battle of Prestonpans (21 September). Elizabeth married Hugh Smith, who took the name Seton, and the couple set about extending their property. The architect may have been John Steinson, a figure who is otherwise unknown. The names of William Adam (1689–1748) and his son John Adam (1721–1792) have been linked to the design.