[1] An excellent example of a Z-plan castle with square towers at diagonally opposite corners of a rectangular main block. the building has an incredible number of gunloops, 71 in all. Inside, a massive barrel-vaulted room, originally divided lengthways. A broad winding stair with carved Roman newel post rises to a roofless great hall. An earlier castle here was held by Thomas de Tulloch in 1420, and towards the end of the 15th century was besieged by the Sinclairs of Warsetter. Noltland was abandoned about 1760.  

[2] Not so - they had seven children. See the family tree and the introduction to it.

[3] B H Hossack in his "Kirkwall in the Orkneys" links this story with the wedding of George Balfour of Pharay and Marjorie Baikie, not Michael Balfour's daughter Ursilla. To make matters even more confusing, Colonel Balfour's notes link this story with the marriage of William Traill of Westness to Barbara Balfour, daughter to George of Pharay and Marjorie Baikie.

[4] Not so - they had two children. See the family tree and the introduction to it.

[5] If one is to believe Colonel Balfour's genealogy notes, George Balfour of Pharay sired 22 children by his first wife, and six by  his second. One must remember that even in relatively affluent families the infant death rate was appalling. Thirteen surviving children feature in the tree.

[6] I know of no such relation. John Balfour, 1st of Trenabie, left his estates to his son William, one of the lairds who was forced to go in to hiding in Westray during Benjamin Moodie's terrorisation of the northern isles. 

[7] As you will see from the "Intro to Tree" page, I am unsure as to where Michael actually stayed. Colonel Balfour's notes say that he "...settled in Shetland and was ancestor to the Balfours of Langskaill". 

[8] George and Barbara did, in fact, have nine children - see Tree

[9] 'While the gentlemen stayed in the cave they were "supplied with food by Walter Dreaver servant of Mr. William Sinclair the tenant in the Bull in Rapness." This entailed a nightly excursion from the Bu, which is situated on the east side of the Bay of Tafts about a mile from the north east cliffs that contain the Gentleman's Ha. The fugitive lairds were lastingly grateful for William Sinclair's help. Over half a century later, a daughter of William Balfour urged her brother to care for three poor and elderly Sinclair ladies saying, "They have a strong claim to the kindness of our family and till lately they have experienced it..."'        Orkney Feuds and the '45 - by R P Fereday

[10] Myself, my brother Stephen, and my Orcadian Balfour cousins all have short necks and black hair. Regrettably the hair isn't so black, or as abundant, as it was.

[11] They actually had 6 children - see Tree.

[12] Four actually - see Tree. 

[13] Not so - he married Alice Bamber in Blackpool, and has a gg grandson in Canada - see Tree.

 [14] David is buried at Pierowall, although his name does not feature on the same gravestone as his wife. If my notes are correct he is named on the same gravestone as his father James, his grandfather Murdoch, and two of his children, both called Robert. The first Robert died aged 3yrs 11 months. The second Robert died in Leith aged 20.

[15]  David and Barbara had 11 children - see Tree.

[16] George and Janet had nine of a family - see Tree

[17] It is unlikely that it was William who gave up Berriedale. Almost certainly William left the farm between 1871 and 1881 and it would have been his younger brother Thomas and his wife who eventually gave the place up. I understand that they eventually emigrated to Australia, but I have no idea when this took place.