In 1738 he pulled down the old family residence of Stankhouse,
or "Tigh Dige," at Gairloch, which stood in a low, marshy, damp
situation, surrounded by the moat from which it derived its name,
and built the present house on an elevated plateau, surrounded
by magnificent woods and towering hills, with a southern front
elevation - altogether one of the most beautiful and best sheltered
situations in the Highlands; and he very appropriately called it
Flowerdale. He greatly improved his property, and was in all
respects a careful and good man of business. He kept out of the
Rising of 1745, and afterwards when John Mackenzie of Meddat applied
to him for aid in favour of Lord Macleod, son of the Earl of
Cromarty, who took so prominent a part in it, and was afterwards in
very tightened circumstances, Sir Alexander replied in a letter
dated at Gairloch, 17th May, 1749, in the following somewhat
unsympathetic terms:
Sir,--I am favoured with your letter, and am extreamly sory Lord
Cromartie's circumstances should obliege him to sollicit the aide
of small gentlemen. I much raither he hade dyed sword in hand
even where he was ingag'd then be necessitate to act such a pairt
I have the honour to be nearly related to him, and to have been
his companion, but will not supply him at this time, for which I
believe I can give you the best reason in the world, and the only
one possible for me to give, and that is that I cannot.
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