Robert Balfour, 6th of Balbirnie

His younger brother James (died 1845) was an MP and grandfather of Arthur Balfour, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1903 to 1905.

[2] When not living at his London residence of 14 Carlton House Terrace,[3] General Balfour spent much of his time in Fife, Scotland.

General Balfour was heavily involved in the adaptation of Balbirnie House into a grand country mansion[4] and expansion of its lands, including the acquisition of the Forthar estate from Dr David Pitcairn in 1830.

[5] The present mansion is largely unchanged from General Balfour's works in 1815 which incorporated much of the earlier house at its north end.

The architect was Richard Crichton[6] who added the new apartments to the south of the old house and designed the two new grand neo-classical facades.