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Castles in Scotland

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Castles in Scotland

PostSat Feb 07, 2015 8:17 pm

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Re: Castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostSat Feb 07, 2015 8:26 pm

Abergeldie Castle


Abergeldie Castle Aberdeenshire.jpg
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Abergeldie Castle is a four-floor tower house located near Crathie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is protected as a category A listed building.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The castle
3 Ghost
4 References
History[edit]
The castle was built around 1550[1] by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar. During the first Jacobite rising in 1689, the castle was garrisoned by Spanish troops under the command of General Hugh Mackay. The castle has been owned by the Gordon family since 1482.[1]

From 1848 to 1970, it was leased to the British royal family,[1] being relatively close to Balmoral. Jamie Douglas Home's book 'Stately passions' says that whilst it was originally leased to the Royal family it was bought by them in 1878 for £100,000. Members of the royal family who stayed at Abergeldie included the daughters of Edward VII, Princesses Louise, Victoria and Maud of Wales. [2]

The castle[edit]
The rectangular-plan tower measures around 35 by 28 feet (10.7 by 8.5 m), with a round stair tower 15 feet (4.6 m) across at the south-west corner.[3] In the early 19th century an ogee-roofed belfry was built at the top of the stair tower, and a Venetian window inserted in the south façade.[1] W. D. Simpson noted similarities between Abergeldie and the Castle of Balfluig at Alford, suggesting that they may have shared a designer.[3]

Ghost[edit]
The castle is reportedly haunted by a ghost known as French Kate or Kitty Rankie. She is said to be a French woman who was employed in the castle at one time. After being suspected of witchcraft she was confined in the castle before being burned at the stake on a nearby hill.[4]
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Re: Castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostSat Feb 07, 2015 8:29 pm

Banff Castle

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Banff Castle is a ruined former royal castle located near Banff, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Modern use
3 Citations
4 References
5 External links
History[edit]
Built as a motte and bailey castle in the 12th century and held by the Comyns, Earl of Buchan. The castle was visited by King Edward I of England in 1296 and also in 1298 after defeating William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk during the Wars of Scottish Independence. The castle was garrisoned with English troops until being captured by the Scots in 1310. It came into the possession of the Sharps, before being sold to Lord Ogilvy of Deskford in 1722. The castle then passed into the hands of the Russells.

The old castle was demolished and a mansion house designed by architect John Adam was built in 1750.

Modern use[edit]

The modern mansion house known as Banff Castle
Today Banff Castle serves as a community and arts venue for the town of Banff and the surrounding areas.
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Re: Castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostSat Feb 07, 2015 8:34 pm

Balmoral Castle

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Balmoral Castle /bælˈmɒrəl/ is a large estate house in Royal Deeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located near the village of Crathie, 6.2 miles (10.0 km) west of Ballater and 6.8 miles (10.9 km) east of Braemar.

Balmoral has been one of the residences for members of the British Royal Family since 1852, when the estate and its original castle were purchased privately by Prince Albert, consort to Queen Victoria. They remain as the private property of the royal family and are not the property of the Crown.

Soon after the estate was purchased by the royal family, the existing house was found to be too small and the current Balmoral Castle was commissioned. The architect was William Smith of Aberdeen, although his designs were amended by Prince Albert.

The castle is an example of Scots Baronial architecture, and is classified by Historic Scotland as a category A listed building.[1] The new castle was completed in 1856 and the old castle demolished shortly thereafter.

The Balmoral Estate has been added to by successive members of the royal family, and now covers an area of approximately 50,000 acres (20,000 ha). It is a working estate, including grouse moors, forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Royal acquisition
1.2 Construction of the new house
1.3 Victoria and Albert at Balmoral
1.4 After Victoria
2 Ownership
3 The estate
3.1 Current extent and operation
3.2 Public access to gardens and castle grounds
3.3 Craigowan Lodge
4 In popular culture
4.1 Banknote illustration
5 See also
6 References
6.1 Bibliography
7 External links
History[edit]

After 1830, Sir Robert Gordon made major alterations to the original castle - lithograph by Josef Kriehuber, 1846
King Robert II of Scotland (1316–1390) had a hunting lodge in the area. Historical records also indicate that a house at Balmoral was built by Sir William Drummond in 1390.[2]

The estate is recorded in 1451 as "Bouchmorale", and later was tenanted by Alexander Gordon, second son of the 1st Earl of Huntly. A tower house was built on the estate by the Gordons.[3] Tower houses often are referred to as castles because of their formidable construction.

In 1662 the estate passed to Charles Farquharson of Inverey, brother of John Farquharson, the "Black Colonel". The Farquharsons were Jacobite sympathisers, and James Farquharson of Balmoral was involved in both the 1715 and 1745 rebellions. He was wounded at the Battle of Falkirk in 1746.

The Farquharson estates were forfeit, and passed to the Farquharsons of Auchendryne.[4] In 1798, James Duff, 2nd Earl Fife, acquired Balmoral and leased the castle.

Sir Robert Gordon, a younger brother of the 4th Earl of Aberdeen, acquired the lease in 1830. He made major alterations to the original castle at Balmoral, including baronial-style extensions that were designed by John Smith of Aberdeen.[3]

Royal acquisition[edit]
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert first visited Scotland in 1842, five years after her accession to the throne and two years after their marriage. During this first visit they stayed at Edinburgh, and at Taymouth Castle in Perthshire, the home of the Marquess of Breadalbane.[3] They returned in 1844 to stay at Blair Castle and, in 1847, when they rented Ardverikie by Loch Laggan.[5] During the latter trip they encountered weather that was extremely rainy, which led Sir James Clark, the queen's physician, to recommend Deeside instead, for its more healthy climate.[6]

Sir Robert Gordon died in 1847 and his lease on Balmoral reverted to Lord Aberdeen. In February 1848 an arrangement was made—that Prince Albert would acquire the remaining part of the lease on Balmoral, together with its furniture and staff—without having seen the property first.[7]:5


The royal couple arrived for their first visit on 8 September 1848.[8] Victoria found the house "small but pretty",[9] and recorded in her diary that: "All seemed to breathe freedom and peace, and to make one forget the world and its sad turmoils".[4] The surrounding hilly landscape reminded them of Thuringia, Albert's homeland in Germany.[7]:5

Quickly, the house was confirmed to be too small and, in 1848, John and William Smith were commissioned to design new offices, cottages, and other ancillary buildings.[10] Improvements to the woodlands, gardens, and estate buildings also were being made, with the assistance of the landscape gardener, James Beattie, and possibly by the painter, James Giles.[3]

Major additions to the old house were considered in 1849,[10] but by then negotiations were under way to purchase the estate from the trustees of the deceased Earl Fife. After seeing a corrugated iron cottage at the Great Exhibition of 1851, Prince Albert ordered a pre-fabricated iron building for Balmoral from E. T. Bellhouse & Co., to serve as a temporary ballroom and dining room.[11] It was in use by 1 October 1851, and would serve as a ballroom until 1856.[12]

The sale was completed in June 1852, the price being £32,000, and Prince Albert formally took possession that autumn.[3][7]:8[13] The neighbouring estate of Birkhall was bought at the same time, and the lease on Abergeldie Castle secured as well. To mark the occasion, the Purchase Cairn was erected in the hills overlooking the castle, the first of many.


Balmoral Castle - a principal keep similar to that of Craigievar Castle is the central feature of the castle, while a large turreted country house is attached
The growing family of Victoria and Albert, the need for additional staff, and the quarters required for visiting friends and official visitors such as cabinet members, however, meant that extension of the existing structure would not be sufficient and that a larger house needed to be built. In early 1852, this was commissioned from William Smith.[13] The son of John Smith (who designed the 1830 alterations of the original castle), William Smith was city architect of Aberdeen from 1852. On learning of the commission, William Burn sought an interview with the prince, apparently to complain that Smith previously had plagiarised his work, however, Burn was unsuccessful in depriving Smith of the appointment.[14] William Smith's designs were amended by Prince Albert, who took a close interest in details such as turrets and windows.[15]


Balmoral Castle, painted by Queen Victoria in 1854 during its construction
Construction began during summer 1853, on a site some 100 yards (91 m) northwest of the original building that was considered to have a better vista.[16] Another reason for consideration was, that whilst construction was ongoing, the family would still be able to use the old house.[7]:9 Queen Victoria laid the foundation stone on 28 September 1853, during her annual autumn visit.[17] By the autumn of 1855, the royal apartments were ready for occupancy, although the tower was still under construction and the servants had to be lodged in the old house.[12] By coincidence, shortly after their arrival at the estate that autumn, news circulated about the fall of Sevastopol, ending the Crimean War, resulting in wild celebrations by royals and locals alike. While visiting the estate shortly thereafter, Prince Frederick of Prussia asked for the hand of Princess Victoria.[7]:11

Photograph of a seated Victoria, dressed in black, holding an infant with her children and Prince Albert standing around her
With their nine children, 1857 - left to right: Alice, Arthur, Prince Albert, Edward, Leopold, Louise, Queen Victoria holding Beatrice, Alfred, Victoria, and Helena
The new house was completed in 1856, and the old castle subsequently was demolished.[3] By autumn 1857, a new bridge across the Dee, designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel linking Crathie and Balmoral was finished.[7]:11

Balmoral Castle is built from granite quarried at Invergelder on the estate,[18] It consists of two main blocks, each arranged around a courtyard. The southwestern block contains the main rooms, while the northeastern contains the service wings. At the southeast is an 80-foot (24 m) tall clock tower topped with turrets,[19] one of which has a balustrade similar to a feature at Castle Fraser.[20] Being similar in style to the demolished castle of the 1830s, the architecture of the new house is considered to be somewhat dated for its time when contrasted with the richer forms of Scots Baronial being developed by William Burn and others during the 1850s.[19] As an exercise in Scots Baronial, it sometimes is described as being too ordered, pedantic, and even, Germanic—as a consequence of Prince Albert's influence on the design.[20]

The purchase of a Scottish estate by Victoria and Albert and their adoption of a Scottish architectural style, however, was very influential for the ongoing revival of Highland culture. The royals decorated Balmoral with tartans and attended highland games at Braemar. Queen Victoria expressed an affinity for Scotland, even professing herself to be a Jacobite.[21] Added to the work of Sir Walter Scott, this became a major factor in promoting the adoption of Highland culture by Lowland Scots. Historian Michael Lynch comments that "the Scottishness of Balmoral helped to give the monarchy a truly British dimension for the first time".[22]

Balmoral, c.1890–1900
Even before the completion of the new house, the pattern of the life of the royal couple in the Highlands was soon established. Victoria took long walks of up to four hours daily and Albert spent many days hunting deer and game. In 1849 the diarist, Charles Greville, described their life at Balmoral as resembling that of gentry rather than royalty.[23] Victoria began a policy of commissioning artists to record Balmoral, its surroundings, and its staff. Over the years, numerous painters were employed at Balmoral, including Edwin and Charles Landseer, Carl Haag, William Wyld, William Henry Fisk, and many others.[24] The royal couple took great interest in their staff. They established a lending library.

During the 1850s, new plantations were established near the house and exotic conifers were planted on the grounds. Prince Albert had an active role in these improvements, overseeing the design of parterres, the diversion of the main road north of the river via a new bridge, and plans for farm buildings.[3] These buildings included a model dairy that he developed during 1861, the year of his death. The dairy was completed by Victoria. Subsequently, she also built several monuments to her husband on the estate. These include a pyramid-shaped cairn built a year after Albert's death, on top of Craig Lurachain. A large statue of Albert with a dog and a gun by William Theed, was inaugurated on 15 October 1867, the twenty-eighth anniversary of their engagement.[7]:20–21[25]


Memorial cairn for Prince Albert, Balmoral Estate
Following Albert's death, Victoria spent increasing periods at Balmoral, staying for as long as four months a year during early summer and autumn. Few further changes were made to the grounds, with the exception of some alterations to mountain paths, the erection of various cairns and monuments, and the addition of some cottages (Karim Cottage and Baile na Coille) built for senior staff.[3][7]:18 It was during this period that Victoria began to depend on her servant, John Brown. He was a local ghillie from Crathie, who became one of her closest companions during her long mourning.[7]:23

In 1887, Balmoral Castle was the birthplace of Victoria Eugenie, a granddaughter of Queen Victoria. She was born to Princess Beatrice, the fifth daughter of Victoria and Albert. Victoria Eugenie would become the queen of Spain.

In September 1896, Victoria welcomed Emperor Nicholas II of Russia and Empress Alexandra to Balmoral. Four years later Victoria made her last visit to the estate, three months before her death on 22 January 1901.

After Victoria[edit]

Edward VII relaxing at Balmoral Castle - photograph by his wife, Alexandra, c. 1907-1908
After Victoria's death, the royal family continued to use Balmoral during annual autumn visits. George V had substantial improvements made during the 1910s and 1920s, including formal gardens to the south of the castle.[3]

During the Second World War, royal visits to Balmoral ceased. In addition, due to the enmity with Germany, Danzig Shiel, a lodge built by Victoria in Ballochbuie was renamed Garbh Allt Shiel and the "King of Prussia's Fountain" was removed from the grounds.[7]:25

Since the 1950s, Prince Philip has added herbaceous borders and a water garden. During the 1980s new staff buildings were built close to the castle.[3]

Ownership[edit]
Balmoral is a private property and, unlike the monarch's official residences, is not the property of the Crown. It originally was purchased personally by Prince Albert, rather than the queen, meaning that no revenues from the estate go to Parliament or to the public purse, as otherwise in accord with the 1760 Civil List Act would be the case for property owned outright by the monarch.[26]

Along with Sandringham House in Norfolk, ownership of Balmoral was inherited by Edward VIII on his accession in 1936. When he abdicated later the same year, however, he retained ownership of them. A financial settlement was devised, under which Balmoral and Sandringham were purchased by Edward's brother and successor to the Crown, George VI.[27]

Presently the estate is not owned outright by the monarch, but rather by Trustees under Deeds of Nomination and Appointment.[26]

The estate[edit]
Current extent and operation[edit]
Balmoral Estate is within the Cairngorms National Park and is partly within the Deeside and Lochnagar National Scenic Area.[28] The 50,000-acre (20,000 ha) estate contains a wide variety of landscapes, from the Dee river valley to open mountains. There are seven Munros (hills in Scotland over 3,000 feet (910 m)) within the estate, the highest being Lochnagar at 3,789 feet (1,155 m). This mountain was the setting for a children's story, The Old Man of Lochnagar, told originally by Prince Charles to his younger brothers, Andrew and Edward. The story was published in 1980, with royalties accruing to The Prince's Trust.[7]:35–51[29] The estate also incorporates the 7,500-acre Delnadamph Lodge estate, bought by Elizabeth II in 1978.[30]

The estate extends to Loch Muick in the southeast where an old boat house and the Royal Bothy (hunting lodge) now named Glas-allt Shiel, built by Victoria, are located.

The working estate includes grouse moors, forestry, and farmland, as well as managed herds of deer, Highland cattle, and ponies.[7]:38–47 It also offers access to the public for fishing (paid) and hiking during certain seasons.[7]:36–37

Approximately 8,000 acres of the estate are covered by trees, with almost 3,000 acres used for forestry that yields nearly 10,000 tonnes of wood per year. Ballochbuie Forest, one of the largest remaining areas of old Caledonian pine growth in Scotland, consists of approximately 3,000 acres. It is managed with only minimal or no intervention.[7]:48,51 The principal mammal on the estate is the red deer with a population of 2,000 to 2,500 head.[7]:44

The areas of Lochnagar and Ballochbuie were designated in 1998 by the Secretary of State for Scotland as Special Protection Areas (SPA) under the European Union (EU) Birds Directive.[31][32] Bird species inhabiting the moorlands include red grouse, black grouse, ptarmigan, and the capercaillie.[7]:38 Ballochbuie also is protected as a Special Area of Conservation by the EU Habitats Directive, as "one of the largest remaining continuous areas of native Caledonian Forest".[33] In addition, there are four sites of special scientific interest on the estate.[28]

The royal family employs approximately 50 full-time and 50–100 part-time staff to maintain the working estate.[34] A malt whisky distillery located on the Balmoral Estate produces the Royal Lochnagar Single Malt whisky.

There are approximately 150 buildings on the estate,[7]:35 including Birkhall, formerly home to Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, and used now by Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall for their summer holidays.[35] Craigowan Lodge is used regularly by the family and friends of the royal family and also has been used while Balmoral Castle was being prepared for a royal visit.[36] Six smaller buildings on the estate are let as holiday cottages.[37]

Public access to gardens and castle grounds[edit]

Northwest corner of Balmoral Castle
In 1931, the castle gardens were opened to the public for the first time and they now are open daily between April and the end of July, after which Queen Elizabeth arrives for her annual stay.[36] The ballroom is the only room in the castle that may be viewed by the public.[38]

Craigowan Lodge[edit]
Craigowan Lodge is a seven-bedroom[39] stone house approximately a mile from the main castle in Balmoral.[40][41] More rustic than the castle, the lodge was often the home of Charles and Diana when they visited. Presently, it is used as quarters for very important guests.

In the obituary of Michael Andreevich Romanoff, the highest-ranking member of the Russian imperial family at the time of his death in 2008, it was noted that his family spent most of World War II at Craigowan Lodge.[42]

The lodge has been in the news periodically since 2005, because Queen Elizabeth often spends the first few days of her summer holiday in the lodge. [39] During each weekend of the summer the castle is a lucrative source of income from visiting tourists. Sometimes, the Queen arrives at Balmoral before the tourist visiting season is over.[43]

In popular culture[edit]
Queen Elizabeth was in residence at Balmoral at the time of the death of Diana, Princess of Wales in 1997. Her private discussions with Prime Minister Tony Blair were dramatised in the Stephen Frears film, The Queen (2006). The 1997 film Mrs. Brown also was based on events at Balmoral. In both films, however, substitute locations were used: Blairquhan Castle in The Queen; and Duns Castle in Mrs Brown.[44][45]

Banknote illustration[edit]
Since 1987 an illustration of the castle has been featured on the reverse side of £100 notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland.[
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostMon Feb 09, 2015 4:07 am

Iv been to sterling cadtle and one in ... Canny think .. Was facing a loch lol
My ipad controls my spellings not me so apologies from it in advance :) lol
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 10:51 am

Balquhain Castle

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Balquhain Castle is a ruined tower house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was the stronghold of the Leslies of Balquhain. The castle is located 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) west of Inverurie, and is protected as a scheduled monument.[1]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The castle
3 Notes
4 References
5 External links
History[edit]
The castle was built in the 14th century and held by Leslie family from 1340.[2] On 5 July 1441 John Leslie of Balquhain made an indenture with four masons, David Hardgat, David Dun, Robert Masoun and Gilbert Masoun that they would complete his building work.[3]

The castle was sacked during a feud with the Forbes family in 1526.[2] The castle was rebuilt in 1530. Mary Queen of Scots in 1562 stayed at the castle prior to the Battle of Corrichie. It was burned by the forces of Prince William, Duke of Cumberland in 1746 and was abandoned.

The castle[edit]
The tower measures 13.75 by 8.75 metres (45.1 by 28.7 ft), and is surrounded by the remains of a barmkin.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 10:56 am

Birse Castle

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Birse Castle is located in the Forest of Birse, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Originally a three-storey tower house, it was re-built in 1911 into its current L-plan structure, which is now a category B listed building
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 10:59 am

Bognie Castle

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Bognie Castle (also called Conzie Castle) is a ruined castle near Huntly, in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. It was built in the 17th century and is now ruined. It once rose 4 storeys high.

Dating from the second half of the 17th century, Bognie Castle may have been built by the Clan Morrison.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 11:02 am

Braemar Castle


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Braemar Castle is situated near the village of Braemar in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a possession of the chief of Clan Farquharson and is leased to a local charitable foundation. It is open to the public.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The building
3 Contents
4 Ghosts
5 References
6 External links
History[edit]
From the Late Middle Ages the castle was a stronghold of the Earls of Mar.[1] The present Braemar Castle was constructed in 1628 by John Erskine, 18th Earl of Mar as a hunting lodge and to counter the rising power of the Farquharsons,[2] replacing an older building, which was the successor of nearby Kindrochit Castle, which dates from as the 11th century AD. The siting of Kindrochit Castle was based upon the strategic location of this site relative to historic crossings of the Grampian Mounth.[3]

An important garrison after the 1745 Jacobite uprising, Braemar Castle had been attacked and burned by John Farquharson, the Black Colonel of Inverey in 1689 during the first Jacobite uprising, to prevent it being used as a garrison by Government troops. In 1716 the castle was forfeited to the Crown following the Earl of Mar's leadership of the 1715 Jacobite uprising.[4] The castle and lands were purchased by John Farquharson, 9th Laird of Invercauld but the building was left in ruins until 1748 when it was leased to the government at a fee of £14 per year, now to serve as a garrison for Hanoverian troops. Rebuilding started under the command of John Adam, Master Mason to the Board of Ordnance.[2]

In 1831 the military garrison was withdrawn and the castle returned to the Farquharson clan. Restoration to provide a family home began under the 12th Laird of Invercauld who entertained Queen Victoria there when she attended the Braemar Gatherings in the grounds of the Castle. In 1800 Braemar Castle was documented to have its moat intact.[5]

Since 2006 the castle has been leased to the local community. It is run on behalf of the community by local charity, Braemar Community Ltd and staffed by local volunteers, and an ambitious restoration programme has been started. It reopened to the public in 2008.[6]

The building[edit]
The building is a five storey L-plan castle with a star-shaped curtain wall of six sharp-angled salients, and with three storey angle turrets. The central tower enfolds a round stair tower and is built of granite covered with harl. The main entrance retains an original iron yett, and many of the windows are protected by heavy iron grilles.

On the ground floor are stone-vaulted rooms which contained the guardroom, ammunition store and original kitchen. These are built out into the salients of the outer wall, and in Victorian times a second kitchen was added adjoining the staff rooms. In the floor of a passage, an iron grill provided access to the Laird's Pit, a dark hole used as a dungeon.

On each of the upper floors a large room and a small room occupied the two arms of the tower. On the first floor are the Dining Room and Morning Room, whilst on the floor above is the Laird's Day Room, entered by a curved door. Opposite is the Rose Room, and between the two is a small bathroom installed in 1901. In the main wing at this level is the Drawing Room, containing graffiti incised on the window-shutters by government troops. The words "John Chestnut, Sergeant, 1797" can be clearly seen. On the third floor is the Four Poster Bedroom, whilst on the fourth floor lie the Ladies Guest Bedroom, Gentlemans Guest Bedroom and the Principal Bedroom. These upper floors were used by the Farquharson family in the latter years of their visits.[2]

Contents[edit]
Among the antiques on display within the castle are a Bronze Age sword, and a piece of tartan plaid once worn by Bonnie Prince Charlie.[citation needed]

Ghosts[edit]
The castle is reputedly haunted by several ghosts. Sightings have been reported of a young woman who was honeymooning in the castle. On waking one morning she found herself alone and, believing her husband had abandoned her, committed suicide. She usually appears to newlyweds.

A piper has been seen in the back corridor, and a clash of steel can sometimes be heard on the staircase. The cries of a young baby, reputedly murdered in the castle, have also been reported.

John Farquharson, the Black Colonel of Inverey has been seen in certain rooms. His outline on the four poster bed has been seen on numerous occasions, and the scent of his tobacco is said to linger in many of the rooms.

Many of the ghosts are said to be depicted in Gustave Doré's 1873 painting of Braemar Castle, which previously hung in the Drawing Room.[
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 11:05 am

Cairnbulg Castle

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Cairnbulg Castle is a z-plan castle situated in Cairnbulg, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.[1]

Originally known as Philorth Castle it was built in the early 14th century, destroyed in winter of 1308-1309 in the Wars of Independence, and re-built by the Fraser family in 1380. Subsequently, a courtyard and outbuildings were added to the main tower. It is now open to the public by appointment only. Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun and her husband Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar, who was one of Queen Victoria's great grandchildren, lived there for a while but nowadays their daughter Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun, lives there with her family.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 11:12 am

Cluny Castle

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Cluny Castle was originally built c.1604 as a Z-plan castle replacing either a house or small peel tower. Sited in the parish of Cluny, it is south of Monymusk and north of Sauchen in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland. Owned by three separate branches of Gordon families over the centuries, it was used to shelter Jacobite rebels in the mid 18th century. Extensive additions were made in 1820 to the design of architect John Smith when it was in the ownership of Colonel John Gordon. Two wings of the castle and the adjoining private chapel were destroyed by fire in 1926 but the damage was restored.

It is a Category A listed building and has been used as a film setting. The grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.

In 2014 it remains privately owned by the Linzee Gordon family. It is not open to the public but corporate events are hosted there and weddings are held in the chapel.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Architecture
3 Twenty-first century
4 References
5 External links
History[edit]
On an unknown date prior to 1325 King Robert the Bruce granted the lands of Cluny (Gaelic meaning meadow[1] or "meadows interspersed with rising grounds"[2]) to his sister Mary's husband, Alexander Fraser. The lands passed down through the family, via Adam Gordon of Huntly and the Earls of Huntly, to John Gordon, a younger son of the 3rd Earl. His son Sir Thomas Gordon (d. 1607) built the castle to replace an earlier house or peel tower.[a] The lands were inherited by his son, Alexander Gordon, who became the fourth laird of Cluny. By 1636 the cost of building the castle combined with other financial difficulties caused ownership of the lands to be transferred.[3] The castle had various owners, probably creditors, until 1680 when it became the property of Robert Gordon, of the Gordonstoun branch of the family. It remained in the hands of this family until the mid 18th century.[4]

The Gordons of Cluny were implicated in the Jacobite Rising of 1745, and had also incurred debts. This resulted in the castle passing to a third branch of the Gordon family around 1753, though the exact date is not known. The new proprietor John Gordon (1695–1769) was of obscure origins. He was an Edinburgh merchant as well as a factor to Cosmo Gordon, 3rd Duke of Gordon. John Gordon's son was also named Cosmo (1736–1800) and he inherited the estate on his father's death in 1769.[5] He did some work at the castle, although records give no indication of what was involved. Plans for a re-design were commissioned from Robert Adam in 1790 and from his business partner and younger brother James in 1793, though this work was never carried out.[5] Pre-deceased by his wife, Mary Baillie, Cosmo Gordon died without issue in 1800 and was succeeded by his brother Charles, described by architectural historian H. Gordon Slade[6] as "eccentric and excessively penurious".[5] When Charles died on 8 May 1814, various bequests were made to his children; his eldest son John, later an army colonel and a member of Parliament, inherited Cluny and the remainder of the properties plus £30,000.[7] No money had been spent on the estate during the years it was owned by Charles Gordon.[5]


It was under the ownership of Colonel Gordon that extensive additions were made to the castle, commencing around 1820.[8] He had previously inherited the estates of his uncle, a merchant in West India, and the Colonel continued to extend his fortune, purchasing additional lands including North and South Uist, Benbecula and Barra.[9] The Colonel died in 1858; a description included in his obituaries was "the richest commoner in the northern part of the kingdom."[10] In The Times dated 23 July 1858, his assets were estimated at between £2–3 million and it stated he was "without doubt the richest commoner in Scotland."[11] He was unmarried but had four illegitimate children; all bar his eldest son John (c.1820–1878) pre-deceased him.[12] Despite a series of litigations lasting 20 years, in 1858 the estates were inherited by his natural son John, who became an Aberdeenshire Militia captain from 29 March 1852. The captain continued the castle renovations and improved the general policies[b] by additions of artificial lakes and woodland.[13]

Captain Gordon also died without issue in 1878. Emily Pringle, his second wife, married Sir Reginald Cathcart becoming Lady Cathcart. The estates were overseen by a trust set up by Colonel Gordon (the Cluny Trust). In September 1926 a fire started near the kitchen causing extensive damage to two wings of the castle and destroying the private chapel. After Lady Cathcart's death in 1932, the estate passed to Captain Gordon's second cousin, Charles Arthur Linzee. He adopted the name Linzee Gordon.[14]

Historic Scotland listed the castle as a Category A listed building in April 1971.[15]

Architecture[edit]

Construction of the original Z-plan castle was completed in 1604; there is a commemorative stone inscribed "Thom. Gordon a Cluny miles me fecit 1604".[16] The Master Mason Ian (John) Bell (Bel) is attributed with the construction of the original Cluny Castle and nearby Castle Fraser.[17][18] MacGibbon and Ross attributed Cluny to a date earlier than 1604 and suggested it was similar in design to Claypotts Castle and would date from about the same time.[19]

The Aberdeen City Architect, John Smith was commissioned to undertake an extensive re-design of the castle in the 1820s. Completion of the construction work spanned several years and meant the castle was unsuitable for residential use until 1832. It took until the early 1840s for the work to be finished.[8] The old castle was cocooned in granite so it blended with the new extensions and its first floor hall became the principal dining room. A clone of the old castle was built towards the east and the two were conjoined by a new building housing the entrance hall, main stairway and gallery corridor. The drawing room and morning room were on the first floor of the replica wing. The ground fell away at the rear of the buildings and an extra basement level was added there.[8] Circular towers, arched windows with hood moulds and crenellated parapets above bold corbelling were all incorporated into the design. The pre-existing tower on the west elevation was considerably heightened by the addition of a further tall square tower above it.[20]

Significant parts of the castle were gutted by fire in September 1926. The main house was not damaged but two wings and the chapel were consumed by flames. Restoration work was promptly undertaken - a report in the Aberdeen Journal estimated repairs would be between £60,000 to £70,000. The chapel was re-constructed to resemble its former state and some re-modelling of the courtyard wings was carried out.[14][21][c]

The later extensions were initially described by architectural historian H. Gordon Slade[6] in 1978 as "the most shocking mis-use of architectural effort and granite in the north east of Scotland."[23] However, in 1981, he amended his opinion stating: "The architectural qualities of the castle as John Smith redesigned it become much more apparent and impressive as one becomes better acquainted with them, and - once regret at the loss of the old Cluny is set aside - it is possible to accord the new Cluny the approbation that it merits."[21] A respected archaeologist, Ian Shepherd,[24][25] characterised it "As fantastical a baronial pile as can be found in eastern Scotland".[26]

Twenty-first century[edit]

The castle remains privately owned and was inherited along with the barony by Cosmo Linzee Gordon when he reached 18 years of age in 2010.[27]

Some scenes for the film The Queen, starring Helen Mirren, were recorded at the castle.[28] It is not open to the public although some corporate events and conferences are catered for. In addition, it can be used as a wedding venue with the ceremony taking place in the private chapel, which can seat up to 100 guests.[27][29]

From 2006, the policies were listed on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland by Historic Scotland. It is assessed as outstanding in the work of art category and receives a high rating in the horticultural, arboricultural and silvicultural categories due to the Wellingtonia trees planted in the 19th century
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:00 pm

Corgarff Castle

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Corgarff Castle is located at Corgarff, in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland. It stands by the Lecht road, which crosses the pass between Strathdon and Tomintoul.

The castle was built in the mid 16th century by the Forbes of Towie. In 1571 it was burned by their enemy, Adam Gordon of Auchindoun, resulting in the deaths of Lady Forbes, her children, and numerous others, and giving rise to the ballad Edom o Gordon. After the Jacobite risings of the 18th century, it was rebuilt as a barracks and a detachment of government troops were stationed there, on the military road from Braemar Castle to Fort George, Inverness. Military use continued as late as 1831, after which the tower served as a distillery and housed local workers. It remained part of the Delnadamph estate belonging to the Stockdale family until they passed the castle into state care in 1961 and gave the ownership of the castle to the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland and is open to the public
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:04 pm

Craigievar Castle

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Craigievar Castle is a pinkish harled castle six miles (10 km) south of Alford, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was the seat of Clan Sempill and the Forbes family resided here for 350 years until 1963, when the property was given to the National Trust for Scotland. The setting is among scenic rolling foothills of the Grampian Mountains. The contrast of its massive lower storey structure to the finely sculpted multiple turrets, gargoyles and high corbelling work create a classic fairytale appearance.

An excellent example of the original Scottish Baronial architecture, the great seven-storey castle was completed in 1626 by the Aberdonian merchant William Forbes, ancestor to the "Forbes-Sempill family" and brother of the Bishop of Aberdeen, Patrick of Corse. Forbes purchased the partially completed structure from the impoverished Mortimer family in the year 1610. Forbes' nickname was Danzig Willy, a reference to his shrewd international trading success with the Baltic states.

William's son became a Baronet of Nova Scotia by Charles I and this title remains with the Forbes family today . The Forbes Baronetcy, of Craigievar in the County of Aberdeen, was created in the Baronetage of Nova Scotia on 20 April 1630 for William Forbes.[1] He was also a descendant of Hon. Patrick Forbes, third son of the second Lord Forbes, and the nephew of the first Baronet of the 1628 creation. The fourth Baronet represented Aberdeenshire in the House of Commons. The fifth Baronet married the Hon. Sarah Sempill, eldest daughter of Hugh Sempill, 12th Lord Sempill. Their grandson, the eighth Baronet, succeeded as seventeenth Lord Sempill in 1884 (see the Lord Sempill for earlier history of this title). The titles remained united until the death of his grandson, the nineteenth Lord and tenth Baronet, in 1965.

Designed in the L plan, as was Muchalls Castle, which is located in the same region, Craigievar is noted for its exceptionally crafted plasterwork ceilings. Craigevar, Muchalls Castle and Glamis Castle are generally considered to have the three finest ceilings in Scotland. The Clan Forbes family were close friends of the Clan Burnett of Leys, who built both Crathes Castle and Muchalls Castle. The ceilings feature plaster figures of the Nine Worthies and other family emblems.

By the early 19th-century, the tower had fallen into decay. Sir John Forbes had considered demolishing the tower and consulted the Aberdeen city architect John Smith who advised against that course of action, stating the tower was: "one of the finest specimens in the Country of the age and style in which it was built."[2] Roof repairs were undertaken and involved the re-construction of almost all of the top floor. The windows, external harling and pointing were replaced and it is likely Smith also designed the gardener's cottage.[2][3]

The castle originally had more defensive elements including a walled courtyard with four round towers; only one of the round towers remains today. In the arched door to that round tower are preserved the carved initials of Sir Thomas Forbes[disambiguation needed], William Forbes' son. There is also a massive iron portculis or gate covering the entrance door which is named a yett.

The castle interior boasts a Great Hall that has the Stuart Arms over the fireplace; a musicians gallery; secret staircase connecting the high tower to the Great Hall; Queen's Bedroom; servants' quarters and of course several splendid plasterwork ceilings. There is a collection of Forbes family portraits inside as well as a considerable quantity of Forbes furnishings dating to the 17th and 18th centuries. The castle also houses two original Henry Raeburn portraits complete with original receipts.
The Forbes family also owned a large granite house at Fintray near Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. This became the family's main residence for a number of years until the Second World War. During this time Fintray House was used as a hospital for wounded Belgian soldiers.[4]

The castle, its estate, and over 200 acres (0.81 km2) of adjoining farmlands and woodlands have now entered their fiftieth year as a property of the National Trust for Scotland. They are open to the public from Easter until the end of September. The castle is strictly guided tours only with each tour lasting approximately 45 minutes to an hour. Due to limited group numbers large groups and coach tours must book in advance. During the July and August the castle is open from 11:00 until 5:30 with the last tour leaving at 4:45. During all other open months the castle is open Friday until Tuesday. Between November 2007 and October 2009 the castle was closed due to its exterior being given an entirely new harl, returning to it what is believed to be a close copy of the harling placed of the castle during the refurbishment of 1820. [5] It was reopened to the public in April 2010
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:08 pm

Craigston Castle

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Craigston Castle, Turriff, Aberdeenshire is a historic home of the Urquhart family. It was built 1604-1607 by John Urquhart of Craigfintry, known as the Tutor of Cromarty. The castle is composed of two main wings flanking the entrance and connected by an elevated arch, and surmounted by a richly corbelled parapet, regarded by many as one of the finest examples in Scotland. There are bases for corner turrets near the top corner of each wing, but the turrets themselves do not appear to have ever been completed. The wood carvings in the drawing room depict biblical themes and Clan Urquhart heraldic artifacts.

See Craigston Castle - Official website for more about the Castle, its history, photos of the house and grounds.

It is now possible to get married or even stay at Craigston Castle which belongs to the Bell group of Scottish castles, forming according to H. Gordon Slade, “perhaps Scotland’s finest and the most distinctive contribution to Western architecture”. The castle is still owned and lived in by the Urquhart family, one of the oldest in Scotland that can be traced back to Adam Urquhart the sheriff of Cromarty in 1357. However, according to the great sir Thomas Urquhart, translator of Rabelais, the family can be traced back to Adam and Eve through Esormon, Prince of Achaia married to Narfesid, Sovereign of the Amazons, and one who found Moses in the bulrushes, as well as many other remarkable ancestors. This fantastic claim is symptomatic for the family’s fondness for the romantic and strange.


Craigston Castle Drawing Room

Craigston Castle Grounds
John Urquhart of Craigfintry, known as the Tutor of Cromarty built the castle in 1604 to 1607. It was built in a staggering 3 years and is one of the few Scottish castles where the client had a marked influence on the final project. The exposed Turriff sandstone emphasizes squareness and strength. Two main wings flanking the entrance and connected by an elevated arch, are surmounted by a richly Gothic inspired corbelled parapet, regarded by many as one of the finest examples in Scotland. There are bases for corner turrets near the top corner of each wing, but the turrets themselves were never completed. It was subsequently modified first in 1733 when Captain John Urquhart “the pirate” commissioned William Adam, the foremost architect of the time prepared a lay-out of grounds and designed the wings that were added in 1733-4. Then in 1838 John Smith (the architect of Balmoral) designed the new entrance doorway. Smith also designed a two storey addition which was not carried out at the time.

The Urquhart family have recently started to use the magnificent castle to host weddings and other events and are also letting it out as an exclusive use accommodation to interested parties. For more information please see http://www.craigston-castle.co.uk
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:14 pm

Crathes Castle

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Crathes Castle is a 16th-century castle near Banchory in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. This harled castle was built by the Burnetts of Leys and was held in that family for almost 400 years. The castle and grounds are presently owned and managed by the National Trust for Scotland and are open to the public.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Interior
3 Garden and grounds
4 Mesolithic calendar
5 See also
6 References
7 External links
History[edit]
Crathes sits on land given as a gift to the Burnett of Leys family by King Robert the Bruce in 1323.[1]

In the 14th and 15th century the Burnett of Leys built a fortress of timbers on an island they made in the middle of a nearby bog. This method of fortification, known as a crannog, was common in the Late Middle Ages. Construction of the current tower house of Crathes Castle was begun in 1553[2] but delayed several times during its construction due to political problems during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots.


It was completed in 1596 by Alexander Burnett of Leys, and an additional wing added in the 18th century. Alexander Burnett, who completed the construction of Crathes, began a new project, the early 17th-century reconstruction of nearby Muchalls Castle. That endeavour was completed by his son, Sir Thomas Burnett. Crathes Castle served as the ancestral seat of the Burnetts of Leys until given to the National Trust for Scotland by the 13th Baronet of Leys, Sir James Burnett in 1951.[3] A fire damaged portions of the castle (in particular the Queen Anne wing) in 1966. Another historically important structure in this region linked to the Burnett of Leys family is Monboddo House.

Interior
The castle contains a significant collection of portraits, and intriguing original Scottish renaissance painted ceilings survive in several Jacobean rooms:[4] the Chamber of the Muses, the Chamber of Nine Worthies and the Green Lady's Room. The last of these is said to be haunted by a green lady.[5] A green smoke or mist is said to have been seen by visitors. The ancient jewelled ivory residing in the great hall above the fireplace, was given to the Burnetts by the king along with the castle grounds in 1323.

Garden and grounds[edit]
The castle estate contains 530 acres (2.1 km²) of woodlands and fields, including nearly four acres (16,000 m²) of walled garden.[6] Within the walled garden are gravel paths with surrounding specimen plants mostly in herbaceous borders. Many of the plants are labelled with taxonomic descriptions. There is also a grass croquet court at a higher terraced level within the walled garden. Ancient topiary hedges of Irish yew dating from 1702 separate the gardens into eight themed areas.[7] Crathes and its grounds are open to tourists throughout the year. A visitors centre provides information about the castle and its surroundings. There is a tea shop on site and a car park for any size of car.


Mesolithic calendar[edit]
During 2004 excavations uncovered a series of pits believed to date from about 10,000 years ago. The find was only analysed in 2013 and is believed to be the world's oldest known lunar calendar. It is believed that it was used from 8,000 BC to about 4,000 BC.[8] It is believed to pre-date by up to five thousand years [8] previously known time-measuring monuments in Mesopotamia.[9]

The site in Warren Field was discovered from the air when unusual crop marks were seen by the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:17 pm

Delgatie Castle

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Delgatie Castle is a castle near Turriff, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

A castle has stood on the site of Delgatie Castle since the year 1030 AD, although the earliest parts of the castle standing today were built between 1570 and 1579. Additional wings and a chapel were added in 1743.

The castle was stripped from the disgraced Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Buchan after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and given to Clan Hay (later to become the Earls of Erroll). Mary, Queen of Scots, was a guest at the castle in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie.


Delgatie Castle
Like many castles, Delgatie is rumoured to be haunted. A number of reports of a ghostly red-haired figure, supposedly one Alexander Hay, were made by soldiers posted there during the Second World War. The castle's information boards, mostly written by Captain Hay who restored the house in the 1950s, recount that the ghost was first seen when a body was found bricked up in a priest hole.

Architecturally, the castle consists of a keep, adjoining house and two later wings. Notable features include a very wide turnpike stair and painted ceilings dating from the 16th century in some rooms.[1] In many places may be seen the Hay family arms including the three cattle yokes which recall a farmer and his two sons who were instrumental in the defeat of a Danish raiding party at Cruden Bay. (See Clan Hay for more detail.)

Today, the castle and its gardens are owned by the Delgatie Castle Trust. The castle, grounds, and café are open to the public throughout the summer months and suites within the castle itself and a number of cottages the estate are available to rent. There is also a popular fishing site on the river passing through.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:20 pm

Drum Castle

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Drum Castle is a castle near Drumoak in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. For centuries it was the seat of the chief of Clan Irvine.[1] The place-name Drum is derived from Gaelic druim, 'ridge'.

The original 13th-century tower of Drum Castle has been suggested as the work of medieval architect Richard Cementarius, who built the Bridge of Don in Old Aberdeen. It is believed to be one of the three oldest tower houses in Scotland (and notably unaltered). A large wing was added in 1619 by the 9th laird, and further alterations were made during the Victorian era.

The castle and its grounds were granted to William de Irwyn in 1325 by Robert the Bruce, and remained in the possession of Clan Irvine until 1975. William de Irwyn (of the Irvings of Bonshaw clan) was armour bearer/secretary (and neighbor) to King Robert the Bruce. Drum played a role in the Covenanting Rebellion (as did nearby Muchalls Castle) leading to its being attacked and sacked three times.



The castle is surrounded by late 18th-century gardens, including a rose garden and arboretum containing trees from all regions of the 18th century British Empire.

Today, the castle is owned by the National Trust for Scotland and is open during the summer months. The chapel, dining hall and estate may be hired for weddings and corporate functions. A variety of local events such as classic car rallies and musical fetes also occur here. There is also a small shop and tearoom within the castle.

Area ancient history[edit]
Prehistoric habitation of the local area is known through archaeological sites such as Balbridie. Roman legions marched from Raedykes to nearby Normandykes as they sought higher ground evading the bogs of Red Moss and other low-lying mosses associated with the Burn of Muchalls. That march used the Elsick Mounth, one of the ancient trackways crossing the Grampian Mountains; the situation of the Elsick Mounth terminating at a ford to the River Dee is thought to have been instrumental in the strategic siting of Drum Castle as a point to monitor traffic on the Elsick Mounth [2] lying west of Netherley.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:24 pm

Drumtochty Castle

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Drumtochty Castle is a neo-gothic style castellated mansion erected in the year 1812 approximately three kilometres northwest of Auchenblae, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[1][2] This castle stands on the southern edge of Drumtochty Forest. Other noted castles in this region of Kincardineshire are Fasque House, Fetteresso Castle, Dunnottar Castle and Muchalls Castle.

The castle was built to the designs of James Gillespie Graham with further extensions c. 1815. Although the design for the extensions was again commissioned from Graham Gillespie, the actual work was undertaken by the Aberdeen City Architect John Smith. Miller speculates Gillespie Graham could have had a dispute with George Drummond, the owner, but considers Smith's closer proximity to the site is a more plausible scenario.[3] Gillespie Graham was involved with further additions c. 1839.[4]

During the Second World War, Drumtochty Castle was bought by the Norwegian government in exile and used as a boarding school for Norwegian children who were refugees from the German occupation of Norway.[5]

On the 1 May 1947, Robert and Elizabeth Langlands, opened a boys preparatory school at the Castle, having bought Drumtochty from the Norwegian government.[6] The school closed in 1971.[7] Notable alumni include:

Elspeth Barker (born 1940), novelist and journalist.[8] (One of five Langlands children)
Ross Leckie (born 1957), writer.[9]
Allan Massie (born 1938), novelist, sports writer and journalist.[10]
Historic Scotland included the castle on the list of category A listed buildings in August 1972.[
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:27 pm

Dundarg Castle

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Dundarg Castle is a ruined castle about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north-northeast of New Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.[1]

It was built in the thirteenth century by the Comyn family, and subsequently dismantled, probably by Robert the Bruce, in 1308. It was rebuilt in 1334, but destroyed almost immediately, after a famous siege. Evidence of this double destruction was confirmed by excavations during 1911-12 and in 1950-51 (led by W. Douglas Simpson) when many medieval objects were found.

The only substantial part of the castle remaining is the inner gatehouse, which survives to a height of about 18 feet (5.5 m). The upper part was rebuilt about the middle of the sixteenth century, probably following the Coastal Defence Commission of 1550, and there is some evidence that it was provided with gunloops at this time. The site was finally abandoned in the mid-17th century, and a house was built on part of it in 1938.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:31 pm

Dunnideer Castle,

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Dunnideer Castle, now ruined, was a tower house located near Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was built c.1260 partially from the remains of an existing vitrified hill fort in the same location. It consisted of a single rectangular tower of 15m by 12.5m with walls 1.9m thick. Evidence suggests that a first-floor hall existed. Evidence Shows it Had several floors.

The tower house is built within an older prehistoric vitrified hillfort. The site was excavated by Murray Cook (Cook 2010) and found to date to c 250 b.c.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:38 pm

Dunnottar Castle

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Dunnottar Castle (Scottish Gaelic: Dùn Fhoithear, "fort on the shelving slope"[1]) is a ruined medieval fortress located upon a rocky headland on the north-east coast of Scotland, about 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) south of Stonehaven. The surviving buildings are largely of the 15th and 16th centuries, but the site is believed to have been fortified in the Early Middle Ages. Dunnottar has played a prominent role in the history of Scotland through to the 18th-century Jacobite risings because of its strategic location and defensive strength. Dunnottar is best known as the place where the Honours of Scotland, the Scottish crown jewels, were hidden from Oliver Cromwell's invading army in the 17th century. The property of the Keiths from the 14th century, and the seat of the Earl Marischal, Dunnottar declined after the last Earl forfeited his titles by taking part in the Jacobite rebellion of 1715. The castle was restored in the 20th century and is now open to the public.

The ruins of the castle are spread over 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres), surrounded by steep cliffs that drop to the North Sea, 50 metres (160 ft) below. A narrow strip of land joins the headland to the mainland, along which a steep path leads up to the gatehouse. The various buildings within the castle include the 14th-century tower house as well as the 16th-century palace. Dunnottar Castle is a scheduled monument,[2] and twelve structures on the site are listed buildings.[3]

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Early Middle Ages
1.2 Later Middle Ages
1.3 16th century rebuilding
1.4 Civil wars
1.5 The Honours of Scotland
1.6 Whigs and Jacobites
1.7 Later history
2 Description
2.1 Defences
2.2 Tower house and surrounding buildings
2.3 The palace
3 See also
4 Notes
5 References
5.1 Bibliography
6 External links
History[edit]
Early Middle Ages[edit]

A chapel at Dunnottar is said to have been founded by St Ninian in the 5th century,[4] although it is not clear when the site was first fortified, but in any case the legend is late and highly implausible. Possibly the earliest written reference to the site is found in the Annals of Ulster which record two sieges of "Dún Foither" in 681 and 694. The earlier event has been interpreted as an attack by Brude, the Pictish king of Fortriu, to extend his power over the north-east coast of Scotland.[5] The Scottish Chronicle records that King Domnall II, the first ruler to be called rí Alban (King of Alba), was killed at Dunnottar during an attack by Vikings in 900.[6] King Aethelstan of Wessex led a force into Scotland in 934, and raided as far north as Dunnottar according to the account of Symeon of Durham.[7] W. D. Simpson speculated that a motte might lie under the present caste, but excavations in the 1980s failed to uncover substantive evidence of early medieval fortification. The discovery of a group of Pictish stones at Dunnicaer, a nearby sea stack, has prompted speculation that "Dún Foither" was actually located on the adjacent headland of Bowduns, 0.5 kilometres (0.31 mi) to the north.[8]

Later Middle Ages[edit]
During the reign of King William the Lion (ruled 1165–1214) Dunnottar was a centre of local administration for The Mearns.[9] The castle is named in the Roman de Fergus, an early 13th-century Arthurian romance, in which the hero Fergus must travel to Dunnottar to retrieve a magic shield.[10][11] In May 1276 a church on the site was consecrated by William Wishart, Bishop of St Andrews.[10] The poet Blind Harry relates that William Wallace captured Dunnottar from the English in 1297, during the Wars of Scottish Independence. He is said to have imprisoned 4,000 defeated English soldiers in the church and burned them alive.[4] In 1336 Edward III of England ordered Willam Sinclair, 8th Baron of Roslin, to sail eight ships to the partially ruined Dunnottar for the purpose of rebuilding and fortifying the site as a forward resupply base for his northern campaign. Sinclair took with him 160 soldiers, horses, and a corps of masons and carpenters.[12] Edward himself visited in July,[13] but the English efforts were undone before the end of the year when the Scottish Regent Sir Andrew Murray led a force that captured and again destroyed the defences of Dunnottar.[4]

In the 14th century Dunnottar was granted to William de Moravia, 5th Earl of Sutherland (d.1370),[14] and in 1346 a licence to crenellate was issued by David II.[15][16] Around 1359 William Keith, Marischal of Scotland, married Margaret Fraser, niece of Robert the Bruce, and was granted the barony of Dunnottar at this time. Keith then gave the lands of Dunnottar to his daughter Christian and son-in-law William Lindsay of Byres, but in 1392 an excambion (exchange) was agreed whereby Keith regained Dunnottar and Lindsay took lands in Fife.[17][14] William Keith completed construction of the tower house at Dunnottar, but was excommunicated for building on the consecrated ground associated with the parish church. Keith had provided a new parish church closer to Stonehaven, but was forced to write to the Pope, Benedict XIII, who issued a bull in 1395 lifting the excommunication.[14] William Keith's descendents were created Earls Marischal in the mid 15th century, and they held Dunottar until the 18th century.[4]

16th century rebuilding[edit]
Through the 16th century the Keiths improved and expanded their principal seats: at Dunnottar and also at Keith Marischal in East Lothian. James IV visited Dunnottar in 1504, and in 1531 James V exempted the Earl's men from military service on the grounds that Dunnottar was one of the "principall strenthis of our realme".[18] Mary, Queen of Scots, visited in 1562 after the Battle of Corrichie, and returned in 1564.[4] James VI stayed for 10 days in 1580, as part of a progress through Fife and Angus,[19] during which a meeting of the Privy Council was convened at Dunnottar.[20] During a rebellion of Catholic nobles in 1592, Dunnottar was captured by a Captain Carr on behalf of the Earl of Huntly, but was restored to Lord Marischal just a few weeks later.[21]

In 1581 George Keith succeeded as 5th Earl Marischal, and began a large scale reconstruction that saw the medieval fortress converted into a more comfortable home. The founder of Marischal College in Aberdeen, the 5th Earl valued Dunnottar as much for its dramatic situation as for its security.[22] A "palace" comprising a series of ranges around a quadrangle was built on the north-eastern cliffs, creating luxurious living quarters with sea views. The 13th-century chapel was restored and incorporated into the quadrangle.[15] An impressive stone gatehouse was constructed, now known as Benholm's Lodging, featuring numerous gun ports facing the approach. Although impressive, these are likely to have been fashionable embellishments rather than genuine defensive features.[23]

Civil wars[edit]
Further information: Scotland in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms
In 1639 William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal, came out in support of the Covenanters, a Presbyterian movement who opposed the established Episcopal Church and the changes which Charles I was attempting to impose. With James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, he marched against the Catholic James Gordon, 2nd Viscount Aboyne, Earl of Huntly, and defeated an attempt by the Royalists to seize Stonehaven. However, when Montrose changed sides to the Royalists and marched north, Marischal remained in Dunnottar, even when given command of the area by Parliament, and even when Montrose burned Stonehaven.[24]


Marischal then joined with the Engager faction, who had made a deal with the king, and led a troop of horse to the Battle of Preston (1648) in support of the royalists.[24] Following the execution of Charles I in 1649, the Engagers gave their allegiance to his son and heir: Charles II was proclaimed king, arriving in Scotland in June 1650. He visited Dunnottar in July 1650,[24] but his presence in Scotland prompted Oliver Cromwell to lead a force into Scotland, defeating the Scots at Dunbar in September 1650.[25]

The Honours of Scotland[edit]
Charles II and was crowned at Scone Palace on 1 January 1651, at which the Honours of Scotland (the regalia of crown, sword and sceptre) were used. However, with Cromwell's troops in Lothian, the honours could not be returned to Edinburgh. The Earl Marischal, as Marischal of Scotland, had formal responsibility for the honours,[24] and in June the Privy Council duly decided to place them at Dunnottar.[17] They were brought to the castle by Katherine Drummond, hidden in sacks of wool.[26] Sir George Ogilvie (or Ogilvy) of Barras was appointed lieutenant-governor of the castle, and given responsibility for its defence.[27]

In November 1651 Cromwell's troops called on Ogilvie to surrender, but he refused. During the subsequent blockade of the castle, the removal of the Honours of Scotland was planned by Elizabeth Douglas, wife of Sir George Ogilvie, and Christian Fletcher, wife of James Granger, minister of Kinneff Parish Church. The king's papers were first removed from the castle by Anne Lindsay, a kinswoman of Elizabeth Douglas, who walked through the besieging force with the papers sewn into her clothes.[26] Two stories exist regarding the removal of the honours themselves. Fletcher stated in 1664 that over the course of three visits to the castle in February and March 1652, she carried away the crown, sceptre, sword and sword-case hidden amongst sacks of goods. Another account, given in the 18th century by a tutor to the Earl Marischal, records that the honours were lowered from the castle onto the beach, where they were collected by Fletcher's servant and carried off in a creel (basket) of seaweed. Having smuggled the honours from the castle, Fletcher and her husband buried them under the floor of the Old Kirk at Kinneff.[26]

Meanwhile, by May 1652 the commander of the blockade, Colonel Thomas Morgan, had taken delivery of the artillery necessary for the reduction of Dunnottar.[27] Ogilvie surrendered on 24 May, on condition that the garrison could go free. Finding the honours gone, the Cromwellians imprisoned Ogilvie and his wife in the castle until the following year, when a false story was put about suggesting that the honours had been taken overseas.[27] Much of the castle property was removed, including twenty-one brass cannons,[28] and Marischal was required to sell further lands and possessions to pay fines imposed by Cromwell's government.[24]

At the Restoration of Charles II in 1660, the honours were removed from Kinneff Church and returned to the king. Ogilvie quarrelled with Marischal's mother over who would take credit for saving the honours,[24] though he was eventually rewarded with a baronetcy. Fletcher was awarded 2,000 merks by Parliament but the sum was never paid.[26]


Religious and political conflicts continued to be played out at Dunnottar through the 17th and early 18th centuries. In 1685, during the rebellion of the Earl of Argyll against the new king James VII, 167 Covenanters were seized and held in a cellar at Dunnottar. The prisoners included 122 men and 45 women associated with the Whigs, an anti-Royalist group within the Covenanter movement, and had refused to take an oath of allegiance to the new king.[29] The Whigs were imprisoned from 24 May until late July. A group of 25 escaped, although two of these were killed in a fall from the cliffs, and another 15 were recaptured. Five prisoners died in the vault, and 37 of the Whigs were released after taking the oath of allegiance.[29] The remaining prisoners were transported to Perth Amboy, New Jersey, as part of a colonisation scheme devised by George Scot of Pitlochie. Many, like Scot himself, died on the voyage.[30] The cellar, located beneath the "King's Bedroom" in the 16th-century castle buildings, has since become known as the "Whigs' Vault".[29]

Both the Jacobites (supporters of the exiled Stuarts) and the Hanoverians (supporters of George I and his descendents) used Dunnottar Castle. In 1689 during Viscount Dundee's campaign in support of the deposed James VII, the castle was garrisoned for William and Mary with Lord Marischal appointed captain.[31] Seventeen suspected Jacobites from Aberdeen were seized and held in the fortress for around three weeks, including George Liddell, professor of mathematics at Marischal College.[32] In the Jacobite Rising of 1715 George Keith, 10th Earl Marischal, took an active role with the rebels, leading cavalry at the Battle of Sheriffmuir. After the subsequent abandonment of the rising Lord Marischal fled to the Continent, eventually becoming French ambassador for Frederick the Great of Prussia. Meanwhile, in 1716, his titles and estates including Dunnottar were declared forfeit to the crown.[33]

Later history[edit]
The seized estates of the Earl Marischal were purchased in 1720 for £41,172, by the York Buildings Company who dismantled much of the castle.[17] In 1761 the Earl briefly returned to Scotland and bought back Dunnottar only to sell it five years later to Alexander Keith, an Edinburgh lawyer who served as Knight Marischal of Scotland.[17] Dunnottar was inherited in 1852 by Sir Patrick Keith-Murray of Ochtertyre, who in turn sold it in July 1873 to Major Alexander Innes of Cowie and Raemoir for about £80,000.[34] It was purchased by Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray, in 1925 after which his wife embarked on a programme of repairs.[29] Since that time the castle has remained in the family, and has been open to the public, attracting 52,500 visitors in 2009.[35]

Dunnottar Castle, and the headland on which is stands, was designated as a scheduled monument in 1970.[2] In 1972 twelve of the structures at Dunnottar were listed.[3] Three buildings are listed at category A as being of "national importance": the keep;[36] the entrance gateway;[37] and Benholm's Lodging.[38] The remaining listings are at category B as being of "regional importance".[39] The Hon. Charles Anthony Pearson, the younger son of the 3rd Viscount Cowdray, currently owns and runs Dunnottar Castle which is part of the 210-square-kilometre (52,000-acre) Dunecht Estates.[40] Portions of the 1990 film Hamlet, starring Mel Gibson and Glenn Close, were shot there.[41]



Description[edit]
Dunnottar's strategic location allowed its owners to control the coastal terrace between the North Sea cliffs and the hills of the Mounth, 3.5 kilometres (2.2 mi) inland, which enabled access to and from the north-east of Scotland.[42] The site is accessed via a steep, 800-metre (2,600 ft) footpath (with modern staircases) from a car park on the coastal road, or via a 3-kilometre (1.9 mi) cliff-top path from Stonehaven. Dunnottar's several buildings, put up between the 13th and 17th centuries, are arranged across a headland covering around 1.4 hectares (3.5 acres).[9] The dominant building, viewed from the land approach, is the 14th-century keep or tower house. The other principal buildings are the gatehouse; the chapel; and the 16th-century "palace" which incorporates the "Whigs' Vault".

Defences[edit]
The approach to the castle is overlooked by outworks on the "Fiddle Head", a promontory on the western side of the headland. The entrance is through the well-defended main gate, set in a curtain wall which entirely blocks a cleft in the rocky cliffs.[43] The gate has a portcullis and has been partly blocked up. Alongside the main gate is the 16th-century Benholm's Lodging, a five-storey building cut into the rock, which incorporated a prison with apartments above.[15] Three tiers of gun ports face outwards from the lower floors of Benholm's Lodging, while inside the main gate, a group of four gun ports face the entrance. The entrance passage then turns sharply to the left, running underground through two tunnels to emerge near the tower house.[9] Simpson contends that these defences are "without exception the strongest in Scotland",[44] although later writers have doubted the effectiveness of the gun ports. Cruden notes that the alignment of the gun ports in Benholm's Lodging, facing across the approach rather than along, means that they are of limited efficiency.[45] The practicality of the gun ports facing the entrance has also been questioned,[15] though an inventory of 1612 records that four brass cannons were placed here.[46]

A second access to the castle leads up from a rocky cove, the aperture to a marine cave on the northern side of the Dunnottar cliffs into which a small boat could be brought. From here a steep path leads to the well-fortified postern gate on the cliff top, which in turn offers access to the castle via the Water Gate in the palace. Artillery defences, taking the form of earthworks, surround the north-west corner of the castle, facing inland, and the south-east, facing seaward.[28] A small sentry box or guard house stands by the eastern battery, overlooking the coast.[47]

Tower house and surrounding buildings[edit]
The late 14th-century tower house has a stone-vaulted basement, and originally had three further storeys and a garret above.[4] Measuring 12 by 11 metres (39 by 36 ft), the tower house stood 15 metres (49 ft) high to its gable.[48] The principal rooms included a great hall and a private chamber for the lord, with bedrooms upstairs.[15] Beside the tower house is a storehouse, and a blacksmith's forge with a large chimney. A stable block is ranged along the southern edge of the headland. Nearby is Waterton's Lodging, also known as the Priest's House, built around 1574,[49] possibly for the use of William Keith (died 1580), son of the 4th Earl Marischal.[15] This small self-contained house includes a hall and kitchen at ground level, with private chambers above, and has a projecting spiral stair on the north side.[49] It is named for Thomas Forbes of Waterton, an attendant of the 7th Earl.[50]

The palace[edit]
The palace, to the north-east of the headland, was built in the late 16th century and early to mid-17th century. It comprises three main wings set out around a quadrangle, and for the most part is probably the work of the 5th Earl Marischal who succeeded in 1581.[nb 1] It provided extensive and comfortable accommodation to replace the rooms in the tower house. In its long, low design it has been compared to contemporary English buildings, in contrast to the Scottish tradition of taller towers still prevalent in the 16th century.[51] Seven identical lodgings are arranged along the west range, each opening onto the quadrangle and including windows and fireplace. Above the lodgings the west range comprised a 35-metre (115 ft) gallery. Now roofless, the gallery originally had an elaborate oak ceiling, and on display was a Roman tablet taken from the Antonine Wall.[52][nb 2] At the north end of the gallery was a drawing room linked to the north range. The gallery could also be accessed from the Silver House to the south, which incorporated a broad stairway with a treasury above.[15]

The basement of the north range incorporates kitchens and stores, with a dining room and great chamber above. At ground floor level is the Water Gate, between the north and west ranges, which gives access to the postern on the northern cliffs.[53] The east and north ranges are linked via a rectangular stair. The east range has a larder, brewhouse and bakery at ground level, with a suite of apartments for the Countess above. A north-east wing contains the Earl's apartments, and includes the "King's Bedroom" in which Charles II stayed. In this room is a carved stone inscribed with the arms of the 7th Earl and his wife, and the date 1654. Below these rooms is the Whigs' Vault, a cellar measuring 16 by 4.5 metres (52 by 15 ft). This cellar, in which the Covenanters were held in 1685, has a large eastern window, as well as a lower vault accessed via a trap-door in the floor.[54] Of the chambers in the palace, only the dining room and the Silver House remain roofed, having been restored in the 1920s. The central area contains a circular cistern or fish pond, 16 metres (52 ft) across and 7.6 metres (25 ft) deep,[55] and a bowling green is located to the west.[4] At the south-east corner of the quadrangle is the chapel, consecrated in 1276 and largely rebuilt in the 16th century. Medieval walling and two 13th-century windows remain, and there is a graveyard to the south.[
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:40 pm

Eden Castle

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Eden Castle is a castle near Banff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The castle was built in the latter half of the 16th century by the Meldrum family with renovation and additional building carried out by George Leslie from 1676. From 1712, the castle was owned by William Duff, the Earl of Fife.

Although largely ruined today, it formed a z-plan towerhouse with two towers at diagonally opposite corners of the main block.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:44 pm

Esslemont Castle

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Esslemont Castle is a ruined tower house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is located on the A920 west of Ellon.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Excavations
3 The castle today
4 See also
5 References
History[edit]
The first mention of Esslemont is as the 'manor of Eislemont' in the 14th century.

The lands of Esslemont were passed by marriage from the family of Mareschal to the Cheynes of Straloch in the 14th century. After the castle was burnt in 1493, Henry Cheyne undertook re-building via a king's licence dated 1500. In 1564 Patrick Cheyne was created baron of Esslemont by Queen Mary, who stayed here during her campaign against the Earl of Huntly, and a fortalice and tower were recorded in 1575–6.[1]

The castle was then destroyed as the result of a feud between the Cheynes and the Hays. The name of the lands, now as "Essilmounthe", appears in Scottish records in 1609.

The castle ceased to be regularly occupied in 1625, when the estate passed to the Errol family. In 1728 it became the property of Robert Gordon and may have been partially occupied till 1769, when the existing mansion, Esslemont House, was erected in its vicinity.[2]

Excavations[edit]
In 1938 excavations within the enclosure revealed the lower courses of the earlier castle, a massive, L-shaped towerhouse with walls 6–7 feet (1.8–2.1 m) thick and 6 feet (1.8 m) maximum height. There had been a curtain wall 4 feet (1.2 m) thick. The surrounding ditch may date from the 14th century. Finds from the excavation included 14/15th century potsherds, a medallion, and a worn shilling of William III.[3]


The castle interior
The castle today[edit]
The castle is roofless and missing large sections of wall which were reused in building sites nearby. Especially noticeable are the missing dressed stones of the windows.[4] The structure is a L Plan castle with a staircase turret and a round tower at the south east angle. The main building seems on the ground floor to have contained the kitchen, with a wide fireplace in the north gable; the rugged edges of the ruined sides of the flue being visible high up in the gable.[5] Though ruined, the remains are clearly on three stories. The Gordon Arms are visible on the exterior of the castle.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostTue Feb 10, 2015 4:47 pm

Fasque Castle

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Fasque Castle , also known as Fasque House, is a mansion in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, situated near the village of Fettercairn, in the former county of Kincardineshire. Fasque was the property of the Ramsays of Balmain, and the present house was completed around 1809, replacing an earlier house. It was purchased in 1829 by Sir John Gladstone, 1st Baronet, father of William Ewart Gladstone, Prime Minister to Queen Victoria, who spent much of his childhood here. Fasque was a family home of the Gladstones until the 1930s, and was open to the public during the last quarter of the 20th century. In 2010 Fasque House was bought by Fasque House Properties Ltd and restoration work was begun.

Contents [hide]
1 Etymology
2 History
2.1 Fasque under the Gladstones
2.2 Recent developments
3 Architecture
4 References
5 External links
Etymology[edit]
The name comes from the Gaelic word faskie, meaning "safety", or "dwelling place", and for reasons of potential tautology, "house" was never officially added. The name is a baroque, eighteenth century corruption of the original Gaelic word.

History[edit]
A previous house, known as Fasque, or Faskie, was located roughly 50 yards (46 m) north of the present site. In about the 1750s, Sir Alexander Ramsay, 6th Baronet of Balmain, who had been a local Member of Parliament, planted the beech avenues that survive today.[1] William Adam (1689–1748) prepared a plan for the house which is illustrated in his Vitruvius Scoticus, although it was never executed.[1] By 1790, the house was growing increasingly prone to damp, and was demolished only forty years after completion.[citation needed]

Sir Alexander, by then known as Alexander Ramsay-Irvine, died without heir in 1806, and the estate passed to his nephew, Alexander Burnett, who was made a baronet in 1806, and adopted the Ramsay surname. Although begun by Sir Alexander Ramsay-Irvine, the current house was not completed until about 1809.[1] Approximately £30,000 was spent on the project.[2] The house took over ten years to construct, with contemporary guide books describing its central hallway being open to the elements, as the world's largest double-spiral indoor staircase was being constructed at the back of the hall.[citation needed] Following his death in May 1810, the younger Alexander's 2nd. son, also Alexander Ramsay, inherited the estate and the baronetcy, and kept Fasque for 19 years before having to sell it in the face of rising costs of its upkeep.[citation needed]

Fasque under the Gladstones[edit]
In 1829, the house was sold for £80,000 to John Gladstone, a Liverpudlian merchant of Scottish extraction whose family (originally called Gledstanes) had been farmers in Biggar, before becoming wine merchants in Leith in the years following 1745. Following the death of their eldest daughter, Anne, in 1829, it took four years for the Gladstones to move up to the new property, from the now-demolished Seaforth House on the shores of the Mersey. In the winter of 1833, John, his wife Anne McKenzie, and their youngest daughter Helen, moved into Fasque for the first time. Their arrival coincided with one of the worst spells of weather ever recorded in Kincardineshire, with many of the trees to the north of the house (which had been planted originally in 1745) being blown down in high winds. The cold and the damp of the new house had a detrimental effect on Anne McKenzie Gladstone's health, and she died in 1835. Ten years later, in 1845, the Baronetcy of Fasque and Balfour was bestowed upon the elderly Sir John Gladstone, and to commemorate this, he built the Fasque Episcopalian Church in the grounds of the house, which is still used to this day. In its first decade, the Church also saw the burial of one of William Ewart Gladstone's offspring who died in childhood, and in the same year as its founding.

In December 1851, Sir John Gladstone died, passing the house on to his oldest son, Thomas, the eldest brother of William. Thomas's sibling rivalry had been strong over the years, but now, as the second Baronet (and from 1876, Lord Lieutenant of Kincardineshire), Thomas Gladstone and his wife Louisa Fellows, a relative of Queen Victoria, ran Fasque as an effective house for nearly 40 years, adding servants' quarters to the building itself, along with a school in the grounds. During that time, William Ewart Gladstone (who had come into possession of Hawarden Castle in north Wales, through his wife's family, the Glynns) visited his elder brother many times, and practiced his hobbies of walking and tree-felling across the moors of the estate. The estate lands had slowly expanded during Thomas's tenure to encompass 80,000 acres (320 km2), bordering Balmoral to the north. Sir Thomas died in 1889, passing the Baronetcy on to his eldest son John, a bachelor soldier, who came home to run the estate with his sister Mary in the 1890s. After Thomas' death, William did not visit his nephew's estate again, and himself died in May 1898.

Fasque House remained a working home until 1932, when Lady Mary, who had survived her brother John by six years, passed on. At this point, Fasque House became disused, with much of the furniture covered with sheets, and rooms locked up for decades. The estate itself operated as before, but the main house was empty, although it remained "immaculately well preserved".[3] Eventually, the Baronetcy passed through various family lines to end up with the 7th Baronet, Sir William Gladstone, great-grandson of the prime minister, and a former Chief Scout. In 1978, Sir William's younger brother, the naturalist Peter Gladstone, re-decorated Fasque, apparently whitewashing almost every wall surface himself, and opened it to the public for the first time in the September of that year, partly capitalising on the then-current popularity of the TV show Upstairs Downstairs.[citation needed] Fasque House remained open to summer visitors for over two decades, with the house's east wing almost entirely open to the public, and the west wing providing a home for Peter's family. A large auction sale of items from the house gained much publicity when it was held in the grounds in 1997. Peter died in 2000, with the estate now being run by Charles Gladstone, son of Sir William, the 7th Baronet. In 2003, the house was closed to the public, and since then specially-arranged coach parties and wedding services have also been discontinued.

Recent developments[edit]
In August 2007, Fasque House was sold to a local developer who intended to convert the building into flats. However, it was quickly put back on the market, with an asking price of £1.9 million.[4] In May 2009 it was still being marketed, though at the reduced price of £1m.[4] In 2010 Fasque House was bought by Fasque House Properties Ltd, and a complete restoration of the house was begun. The building's use as a wedding venue was reinstated, alongside conference facilities and cottage rentals.[5] This sale did not affect the Fasque and Glen Dye Estate, which is still owned by the Gladstone family.[6]

Architecture[edit]
The house is a large sandstone building, in a symmetrical castellated style, with octagonal towers at the centre and corners of the main facade. The structure remains relatively unchanged since its completion. Sir John Gladstone added a third storey to the central tower in 1830, and built the portico of rusticated pillars in the 1840s. The drawing room was expanded in 1905, and some servants' quarters were added before the beginning of the First World War. Innovative use of electricity meant that Fasque was possibly the first house in Scotland to be lit by electric lights,[citation needed] and had an electronic buzzer system as early as 1890. It was also noted for having innovative firefighting and health and safety equipment in the 1920s.[citation needed] The house is a category A listed building
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:55 am

Beautiful castles and the history is amazing
My ipad controls my spellings not me so apologies from it in advance :) lol
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:01 pm

Fedderate Castle

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Fedderate Castle is a ruined castle near New Deer in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[1] A drawbridge and causeway provided access to the castle.[2] Lord William Oliphant with Jacobite forces, took control of Fedderate Castle and held out against the forces of Hugh Mackay for more than 3 weeks, surrendering in October 1690
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:05 pm

Fetteresso Castle


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Fetteresso Castle is a 14th-century towerhouse, rebuilt in 1761 as a Scottish gothic style Palladian manor, with clear evidence of prehistoric use of the site. It is situated immediately west of the town of Stonehaven in Kincardineshire slightly to the west of the A90 dual carriageway. Other notable historic fortified houses or castles in this region are Dunnottar Castle, Muchalls Castle, Fiddes Castle, Cowie Castle and Monboddo House.

Contents [hide]
1 Prehistory
2 Middle Ages
3 Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries
4 Twentieth century
5 See also
6 Bibliography
Prehistory[edit]
From cropmarks in the policies of Fetteresso Castle, there is evidence of a ring-ditch sited at the north end of a cursus. A cursus is a prehistoric set of parallel linear structures of unknown purpose that were, somewhat fancifully, considered by antiquarians as used for some type of athletic competition, possibly related to hunting or archery; this is unsubstantiated. In 1822 a cairn was discovered near Fetteresso Castle with some human remains inside. The burial site was clearly a Bronze Age construct by the size and shape of the chamber made of unhewn whinstone. Some legends tell that this is the grave of Malcolm I, who is recorded to have been slain at Fetteresso in 954 AD. The burial hillock has become known as Malcolm's Mount, even though it is not likely from current archaeological analysis that the crypt could be so recent. In 1998 a burial urn from the beaker people was found at Fetteresso Castle. The Roman Camp of Raedykes is located several miles northwest, where a full legion encamped and many archeological recoveries have been made. This location is one of a string of marching camps that connected Angus to Moray.

Middle Ages[edit]
The property is recorded to have been owned by the Strachans, but passed by marriage in the 14th century to the Clan Keith Earls Marischal, who built the towerhouse. The Earls Marischal also held the nearby fortress, Dunnottar Castle.

Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries[edit]
In this era the characteristic Scottish designs of crow-stepped gables were introduced, and the battlement crenellation elements were introduced. A dovecote of considerable height was constructed in the seventeenth century to the south of the castle itself. In the year 1659 a woman named Jean Hunter lived at Fetteresso. From her behaviours she was accused of witchcraft and hanged at her home. An artist and wright named Alexander Charles worked at Fetteresso as an overseer. Charles flourished in the period 1671-1678 and published his drawings in at least one book. Late in the 17th century the Duff family controlled Fetteresso and expanded the building around the old towerhouse.

Twentieth century[edit]
In the 1940s the castle was owned by Maurice and Geraldine Simpson (née Pringle). Mrs. Simpson was the heir to the Pringle Knitware fortune. Subsequently the Simpsons acquired and lived in nearby Muchalls Castle. After the Simpsons' tenure at Fetteresso, the roof was off the castle for some period starting around 1954 then the castle bought by a local land owner and then left to the Don family in his will. In the latter part of the 20th century the castle was restored with great interior modification to yield seven houses, which is its present use. As of 2006 Mrs. Simpson still resides in the local area.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:10 pm

Findlater Castle

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Findlater Castle sits in a romantic position on a 50-foot (15 m)-high cliff overlooking the Moray Firth on the coast of Banff and Buchan, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It lies about 15 km (9.3 mi) west of Banff, near the village of Sandend, between Cullen and Portsoy. The cliffs here contain quartz; the name "Findlater" is derived not from Norse as earlier stated here, but from the Scots Gaelic words fionn ("white") and leitir ("cliff or steep slope"). The first historical reference to the castle is from 1246. King Alexander III of Scotland repaired this castle in the 1260s in preparation for an invasion by King Haakon IV of Norway. The Vikings took and held the castle for some time. The castle remains that are still there are from the 14th-century rebuilding, when the castle was redesigned based on the Roslyn Castle model.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:14 pm

Forbes Castle

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Forbes Castle is a 19th-century Scots Baronial country house near Alford in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The 6,000 acres (2,400 ha) Vale of Alford estate has been home to the Forbes' for over 600 years. The original house was named Putachie.[1] The present castle overlooking the River Don was built in 1815 by the 17th Lord Forbes, to designs by the architect Archibald Simpson. However, after Simpson encountered structural problems and the original section of the house (from c. 1731) began to crack, Simpson was dismissed and the work was completed by the City Architect of Aberdeen, John Smith.[2]

Today it is occupied by Malcolm Forbes, 23rd Lord Forbes (his father the 22nd Lord Forbes died 5 March 2013), and his wife Jinny and open to residential guests. The estate offers fishing and golf. In 1996, a former dairy building was converted into a small perfumery. The castle is a category B listed building.[3]

There is a stone circle dating to 3000 BC on the estate.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:18 pm

Fraser Castle

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Fraser Castle is the most elaborate Z-plan castle in Scotland and one of the grandest 'Castles of Mar'. It is located near Kemnay in the Aberdeenshire region of Scotland. The castle stands in over 300 acres (1.2 km2) of landscaped grounds, woodland and farmland which includes a walled kitchen garden of the 19th century. There is archaeological evidence of an older square tower dating from around 1400 or 1500 within the current construction.

Contents [hide]
1 Construction
2 Ownership
3 Popular culture
4 See also
5 References
6 External links
Construction[edit]


Location of Fraser Castle within Aberdeenshire.
Originally known as Muchall-in-Mar, construction of the elaborate, five-storey Z-plan castle was begun in 1575 by the 6th Laird of Fraser, Michael Fraser, on the basis of an earlier tower, and was completed in 1636. A panel on the northern side of the castle is signed "I Bel", believed to be the mark of the master mason John Bell of Midmar, the castle is a joint creation over several decades with another master mason of this period, Thomas Leiper.[1]

Castle Fraser is contemporary with other nearby castles: Craigievar Castle, Crathes Castle and Midmar Castle which are also believed to have been designed by the Bell family of master masons.

The castle was modernised in a classical style in the late 18th century, with a new entrance inserted in the south side and sash windows throughout. This work was supervised by Elyza Fraser, the lady laird. Elyza was also responsible for the landscaping of the grounds, sweeping away the remains of the original formal gardens and orchards, and for the construction of the impressive octagonal stable block.

The interiors of the building were entirely reconstructed again between 1820 and 1850, by Charles Fraser, using the architects John Smith and William Burn. The Library is a fine example of John Smith's regency style with Tudor detailing. Many of William Burn's more extravagant gothic designs for the most important rooms were not carried out, although a gothic style pipe organ was installed (now removed to Kemnay Church).

External works during this period included the construction of the twin gatehouses (still extant), and a grand domed stair and access corridors with loggias in the courtyard (removed).

The castle was given a partial 'restoration' by the new owners around 1950. The architect and antiquary Dr William Kelly supervised the removal of much 19th-century work to reveal the earlier fabric.

Castle Fraser retains the atmosphere of a family home and still contains the original contents, including Fraser family portraits, furniture and collections. The evocative interiors represent all periods of the castle's history, from the Medieval stone vaulted Great Hall to the Regency Dining Room.

Ownership[edit]
Castle Fraser was built as the home of the Frasers of Muchalls, later Frasers of Castle Fraser. The castle was passed down through the Lords Fraser, the Frasers of Inverallochy and then the Mackenzie family who took the name Mackenzie Fraser. In 1897 the last male Fraser of the direct line, Frederick Mackenzie Fraser, died childless. In 1921 his widow, Theodora, sold the castle due to the lack of a suitable heir and mounting financial difficulties. The buyer was Weetman Pearson, 1st Viscount Cowdray. The Pearson family restored the castle as a shooting lodge and gave it to the National Trust for Scotland in 1976.[2]

Popular culture[edit]

Legend has it that a young princess was once staying at the castle when she was brutally murdered while asleep in the 'Green Room'. Her body was dragged down the stone stairs, leaving a trail of blood stains. As hard as they tried, the occupants of the castle could not scrub out the stains, and so were forced to cover the steps in wood panelling, which remains today. It is said she still stalks the halls of the castle during the night. It is more likely, however, that the stone stairs were covered to make them easier to climb as they were used as the servants stairs in the 19th century.

Some scenes in the 2006 film The Queen, starring Dame Helen Mirren, featured Castle Fraser as a backdrop.[3]

Today, the castle is owned by the National Trust for Scotland. The castle is open to visitors from Easter to October. The grounds and walled gardens are open year round. It can be hired for weddings, dinners, conferences and corporate events and has a holiday apartment in the Stables.
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:21 pm

Fyvie Castle

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Fyvie Castle is a castle in the village of Fyvie, near Turriff in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

The earliest parts of Fyvie Castle date from the 13th century - some sources claim it was built in 1211 by William the Lion. Fyvie was the site of an open-air court held by Robert the Bruce, and Charles I lived there as a child. Following the Battle of Otterburn in 1390, it ceased to be a royal stronghold and instead fell into the possession of five successive families - Preston, Meldrum, Seton, Gordon and Leith - each of whom added a new tower to the castle. The oldest of these, the Preston tower (located on the far right as one faces the main facade of Fyvie), dates to between 1390 and 1433. The impressive Seton tower forms the entrance, and was erected in 1599 by Alexander Seton; Seton also commissioned the great processional staircase several years later. The Gordon tower followed in 1778 , and the Leith in 1890.

Inside, the castle stronghold features a great wheel stair, a display of original arms and armour, and a collection of portraits.

Manus O'Cahan and Montrose fought a successful minor battle against the Covenant Army at Fyvie Castle on October 28, 1644. The battlefield is currently under research to be inventoried and protected by Historic Scotland under the Scottish Historical Environment Policy of 2009.[1] Following Victorian trends, the grounds and adjoining Loch Fyvie were landscaped in the 19th century. The Scottish industrialist Alexander Leith (later Baron Leith of Fyvie) bought the castle in 1885. It was sold to the National Trust for Scotland in 1984 by his descendants.

The castle (like many Scottish castles) is said to be haunted.[citation needed] A story is told that in 1920 during renovation work the skeleton of a woman was discovered behind a bedroom wall. On the day the remains were laid to rest in Fyvie cemetery, the castle residents started to be plagued by strange noises and unexplained happenings. Fearing he had offended the dead woman, the Laird of the castle had the skeleton exhumed and replaced behind the bedroom wall, at which point the haunting ceased. It is said that there is a secret room in the south-west corner of the castle that must remain sealed, lest anyone entering meet with disaster.[2] It's not clear if this is the same room in which the skeleton was found. There is also an indelible blood stain, two ghosts and two curses associated with this place.[3] One of the curses has been attributed to the prophetic laird, Thomas the Rhymer.

Fyvie Castle has featured in a number of British television programmes, such as Living TV's Most Haunted season 6.[4] and stv's Castles of Scotland.[5] The castle also played host of the setting of a children's gameshow on CBBC called Spook Squad in 2004. 2009 saw the publication of the children's fantasy novel, The Time-Tailor and the Fyvie Castle Witch Trials, written by Deborah Leslie.[6]

In recent years, the castle grounds have hosted an annual Fyvie Live music festival in August, which was headlined in 2011 by Beverley Knight and in 2012 by Sophie Ellis Bextor. Another annual event was a 5K fun run around the grounds and adjacent loch, held in April, however both of these events were discontinued in 2013.

Today, the castle is open to tourists during the summer months.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:28 pm

Glenbuchat Castle


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Glenbuchat Castle is a historic Z plan Scottish castle built in 1590 for John Gordon of Cairnbarrow to mark his wedding.[1] It is located above the River Don, near Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire. The building is roofless, but otherwise in fairly good repair.

The family sold the castle in 1738, and it remained in private hands until the 20th century. James William Barclay bought the castle in 1901, and Colonel James Barclay Milne, his grandson, placed it in state care in 1946. A local club purchased the surrounding parkland in 1948 and gave it to the state to ensure that the castle's surroundings would remain intact. Both the castle and the surrounding land are managed by Historic Scotland.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 12:31 pm

Hatton Castle


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Hatton Castle is situated almost 3 miles (4.8 km) south-east of Turriff, Aberdeenshire in the north east of Scotland. Formerly known as Balquholly Castle, sometimes spelt as Balquollie, it was re-named in 1814.[1] It was designated a category A listed building by Historic Scotland on 28 November 1972.[2] The gardens are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland and assessed under the historical and architectural sections as outstanding.[3]

In the early fourteenth-century, Robert the Bruce granted the lands, then known as Loscraigie, to Patrick de Monte Alto.[4] Mowat is the anglicisation of de Monte Alto.[5] The Balquholly name was adopted some time before the 16th-century.[6] Records indicate there was a castle (spelt Balquholy) on the lands in the early 1500s but it is likely it may have an earlier date.[3]

The present castellated mansion was built starting in 1812 and completed by 1814;[7] it was at this time the name was changed to Hatton Castle.[1] It features a round tower at each corner and incorporates sections of the ancient building
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:00 pm

Huntly Castle

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Huntly Castle is a ruined castle in Huntly in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was the ancestral home of the chief of Clan Gordon, Earl of Huntly.

History[edit]
Architecturally the L plan castle consists of a well-preserved five-story tower with an adjoining great hall and supporting buildings. Areas of the original ornate facade and interior stonework remain. A mound in the grounds of the castle is all that remains of an earlier 12th century motte. Originally named Strathbogie, the castle was granted to Sir Adam Gordon of Huntly in the 14th century. King Robert the Bruce was a guest of the castle in 1307 prior to his defeat of the Earl of Buchan.

It was fired in 1452 by a force under the command of Archibald Douglas, Earl of Moray. In 1449 the king was at war with the powerful Black Douglases, the Gordons stood on the king’s side and, with their men involved in the south of the country, the Earl of Moray, a brother of the Earl of Douglas, took the opportunity to sack the Gordon lands, setting Huntly Castle ablaze. The Gordons returned and quickly destroyed their enemies.[citation needed]

Although the castle was burned to the ground, a grander castle was built in its place. In 1496, the pretender to the English throne Perkin Warbeck was married to Lady Catherine Gordon the daughter of George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly, witnessed by King James IV of Scotland at Edinburgh. James IV came to Huntly in October 1501 and gave gifts of money to the stonemasons working on the castle. In October 1503, James IV came again and played in a shooting contest at a "prop", and he came back again in the following October. These visits were part of his annual pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint Duthac at Tain.[1]

Wings were added to the castle in the 16th and 17th centuries. The English diplomat Thomas Randolph stayed two nights in September 1562, and wrote that the castle was "fayer, beste furnishede of anye howse that I have seen in thys countrie."[2] An eyewitness description of the death of George Gordon, 5th Earl of Huntly in 1576, compiled by Richard Bannatyne gives some details of how the castle was used. The Earl suffered a stroke, or a collapse caused by food-poisoning, while playing football outside the Castle on the Green. He was taken through the outer-gate to his bedchamber in the round tower of the palace block, which was then called the "New Warke of Strathbogie." The Earl's bedchamber was adjacent to his "Grit Chalmer", the Great Chamber. After the Earl died, his body was laid out in the "Chamber of Dais", another name for the Great Chamber, and his valuables were secured in the bedchamber. After the Earl's steward left the Castle a number of alleged supernatural events occurred beginning with the sudden collapse of one of the servants in the "Laich Chalmer", Low Chamber. This "Laich Chalmer" was in another part of the castle, under a stair opposite the "Auld Hall." On the following day a servant went up to the Gallery at the top of the "New Warke" where spices (which were precious) were stored. This servant and two companions also collapsed and when revived complained of feeling cold. After the Earl's body was embalmed and taken to the chapel, his brother sat on a bench in the Hall by the Great Chamber door, and heard unexplained sounds from the chamber. It was said that "there is not a live thing bigger than a mouse may enter in that chamber with the door locked."[3]

In 1640 the Castle was occupied by the Scottish Covenantor army under Major-General Robert Monro (d. 1680). James Gordon Parson of Rothiemay tells us how the house "was preserved from being rifled or defaced, except some emblems and imagery, which looked somewhat popish and superstitious lycke; and therefore, by the industry of one captain James Wallace (one of Munro’s foote captaines) were hewd and brocke doune off the frontispiece of the house; but all the rest of the frontispiece containing Huntly’s scutcheon, etc, was left untouched, as it stands to this daye."

Captured in October 1644, the castle was briefly held by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose against the Duke of Argyll. In 1647 it was gallantly defended against General David Leslie by Lord Charles Gordon, but its 'Irish' garrison was starved into surrender. Savage treatment was meted out, for the men were hanged and their officers beheaded. In December of the same year Huntly himself was captured and on his way to execution at Edinburgh was detained, by a refinement of cruelty, in his own mansion. His escort were shot against its walls. In 1650 Charles II visited briefly on his way to the Battle of Worcester, defeat and exile. The Civil War brought an end to the Gordon of Huntly family's long occupation of the castle.

In 1689, during the first Jacobite Rising, the castle was briefly the headquarters for Viscount Dundee and his Jacobite army, at the end of April, just after the start of the revolt. However, by the early eighteenth century the castle was already in decay and providing material for predatory house builders in the village. In 1746, during a later Jacobite Rising, it was occupied by British Government troops. Thereafter, it became a common quarry until a groundswell of antiquarian sentiment in the 19th Century came to the rescue of the noble pile.

Huntly Castle remained under the ownership of the Clan Gordon until 1923. Today, the remains of the castle are cared for by Historic Scotland. Pure Strength I, a major international strongman competition, was held on the grounds of Huntly Castle in 1987. The winner of the contest was Jon Pall Sigmarsson of Iceland.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:04 pm

Inchdrewer Castle

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Inchdrewer Castle is a 16th-century tower house in the parish of Banff, Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland. Situated on a slight rise 3.5 miles (5.6 km) southwest of Banff, it looks across to Banff Bay. Originally owned by the Currour family, it was purchased by the Ogilvies of Dunlugas in 1557 and became their main family seat. The Ogilvies were staunch Royalists, which resulted in the castle coming under attack from the Covenanters in 1640. George Ogilvy, 3rd Lord Banff was murdered in 1713 and his body hidden inside the castle, which was then set on fire. The castle came under siege again in 1746, during the Jacobite rebellion. At the start of the 19th century, following the death of the 8th Lord Banff, the property was inherited by the Abercromby of Birkenbog family, who leased it to a tenant. It became uninhabited after 1836 and the structure deteriorated.

Over the following century the neglect continued until some basic external renovation work was undertaken between 1965 and 1971, making the structure wind and water tight, although it remained unoccupied. The castle was again abandoned and left unmaintained. The condition of the building further declined, becoming derelict. It was in a ruinous state when marketed for sale in April 2013 after the death of Count Robin Mirrlees, who had owned it for about fifty years. At the end of that year it was purchased by the former model Olga Roh, who said she intended to restore it. Modern day reports suggest that the spirit of the 3rd Lord Banff and that of a white dog haunt the castle, which is classified as a category A listed building.

Contents [hide]
1 Early history
2 Later history
3 Architecture
4 Superstition and haunting
5 References
Early history[edit]
The castle's exact construction date is unknown, but it was some time in the early to mid 16th century, during the reign of either James IV or James V.[1] Various spellings are used: Inch Druar (or Inchdruar as one word); Inchdruer; Inchdrewir; or Inchdrewr. Originally owned by the Curror (Currour) family, in 1557 it was purchased by Walter Ogilvy of Dunlugas (1509–58), and became the main family seat.[2][3] James Currour was a notary in Banff and is linked with several of Dunlugas' contracts and witnessing leases.[4]

During the late 16th century the Dunlugas Ogilvies undertook re-furbishment and extension work, including the addition of courtyard buildings and a distinctive circular tower that incorporated the hall into its first storey.[3] An act recording the lands in favour of George Ogilvy was ratified by King Charles I in late June 1633.[5] George was the son of Walter Ogilvy, and an ardent Royalist and supporter of the king against the Covenanters.[6] Inchdrewer Castle was left in ruins after being attacked by Covenanter forces led by General Robert Monro in 1640;[7][8] another of the family properties, a town house, was also devastated.[9] George Ogilvy was appointed a peer in 1642, becoming the first Lord Banff.[3][6]

George Ogilvy, 3rd Lord Banff, inherited the property when his father, the 2nd Lord Banff, died on 10 September 1668.[10] He was murdered in 1713 and the castle destroyed by fire; his body had been concealed inside.[3][11][a] Restoration work was once more undertaken.[12][b]

The castle came under attack by troops led by the Duke of Cumberland in 1746 in the course of the Jacobite rebellion.[2] Yet more restoration work was carried out during the later part of the century.[13]

When William Ogilvy, 8th Lord Banff, died on 4 June 1803, the estate was inherited by his sister Jean (sometimes named Jane), who had married George Abercromby (Abercrombie) of Birkenbog.[14] Her son, Sir Robert Abercromby succeeded her. Sir Robert was appointed member of Parliament for the Banff constituency in 1812[15] but four years later claimed financial difficulties prevented him seeking re-election. In 1820 he asked George IV to allow the Banff peerage, which had become dormant or extinct when the 8th Lord Banff died, to continue by declaring his mother Baroness Banff, or granting him the title of Lord Banff, but the request was denied.[14][16]

The main residence of the Abercromby's was at Forglen House, Turriff.[17] The castle was in a sufficient state of repair to be leased to tenants until 1836.[8][13] MacGibbon and Ross refer to the castle as being in the ownership of Sir R. J. Abercromby of Birkenbog when writing about it in their architectural book published in 1887. The ground-floor plan given in the book shows two parts of the building as being "ruinous".[18]

The castle was abandoned at the beginning of the 20th century,[19] and it soon became dilapidated.[13]

Later history[edit]

The castle was purchased by Count Robin Mirrlees in 1962 or 1963.[20][c] Renovation work was possibly undertaken in 1965 by architect Oliver Hill,[22] although his undated drawings may not have been fully implemented.[23][24] After visiting the property in 1966, Nigel Tranter, author and historian,[25] reported that work had begun on the structure but described it as a "ruinous shell of a house".[26] Some structural restoration work was undertaken[27] and the castle was slightly repaired,[28] sufficient to have made it "wind and watertight" by 1971.[2] But it was then abandoned again, and further deterioration occurred;[2] it had been uninhabitable since 1836, and Mirlees never lived in it.[13][29] Internally, only basic work was undertaken. Local residents believed the only time the interior was used during this period was when a ceremony was held to site a plaque commemorating the completion of external work in 1971.[20]

Historic Scotland designated Inchdrewer Castle a category A listed building in February 1972.[24] The poor condition of the property was highlighted in a report expressing concern by the Scottish Civic Trust in 1999.[13] Inspections by Aberdeenshire Council officials described it as "showing signs of a lack of maintenance" in February 2008, with all its windows broken. Further decline was noted in October 2010, and the castle was said to be "on the cusp of ruination". Further deterioration was noted when the castle was visited in December 2012.[21]

Mirlees died on 23 June 2012[29] and disinherited his son by leaving the property to his teenage grandson.[30] Together with the title of "Baron of Inchdrewer" the castle ruins were put up for sale in April 2013,[27] and purchased in November 2013 for about £400,000[31][32] by Olga Roh, former Valentino and Versace model and owner of Rohmir.[33] Roh had never been to Scotland and had not seen the castle before she bought it, but said she planned to restore it so it could be used for fashion shoots, as a film location, or as a residence. Other suggestions were use as a holiday destination for friends or a boutique hotel.[31][34]

Architecture[edit]

Starting as a basic L-shaped tower built from tooled ashlar dressed rubble, the castle was extended in a southerly direction by the addition of a circular tower during the first alterations in the late 16th century. A staircase was inside the new tower and further structures were added to the south and north sides of the courtyard at this stage of the development. Replacement entrances were installed and the original first-floor doorway was closed off. Access on the west side was gained through a narrow round-headed entrance and a wider main doorway was incorporated in the south elevation.[28]

Some of the architectural features incorporated throughout the castle included: corbelled battlemented wallheads on the towers; turrets set above first or second storey level; a large elongated aperture provided light in the first floor hall; and shot holes in the southwest tower.[28] The fenestrations on the wing added in the late 18th century differed from those used in earlier parts of the structure, being larger and more regular in appearance.[24]

The restorations completed in 1971 made the structure wind and water tight, added extra windows and installed fresh glazing,[2] but as it was then abandoned again, weather elements exacerbated by vandalism[35] led to further structural deterioration. The castle was in a ruinous condition in 2013 and unfit for habitation.[19]

Superstition and haunting[edit]
Twenty-first century newspaper stories report that the ghost of the murdered George Ogilvy, 3rd Lord Banff, haunts the castle.[20][34] Nigel Tranter visited Inchdrewer again in the 1970s and a large white dog, which he speculated may have been a Samoyed, bounded out of the castle as he approached it with a local builder. Unable to explain how the dog could have been confined in the castle for seven days, he was later sent a copy of the magazine Vogue, in which it was stated that the castle was "haunted by a lady in the shape of a white dog".
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:08 pm

Inverallochy Castle

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Inverallochy Castle is a ruined castle near the village of Inverallochy in the Buchan area of north-east Scotland. It was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.[1]

The ruins lie a half-mile south of Cairnbulg Castle near Fraserburgh. Walls surrounding an inner courtyard remain, along with one partly collapsed tower. Evidence of a larger outer courtyard measuring approximately 60 metres square to the north and east remains. The original castle dates to the 13th century. It was built by the Comyn family, and may have been associated with the Abbey of Deer in Mintlaw.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:12 pm

Invercauld Castle

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Invercauld Castle[pronunciation?] is a country house situated in Royal Deeside near Braemar in Scotland. It is protected as a category A listed building,[1] and the grounds are included in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The estate
3 References
4 External links
History[edit]
The Farquharson family settled in the area in the 14th century, and constructed a tower house in the 16th century. A vaulted basement within the present building dates from this time, although the tower house was remodelled in the late 17th century. Further alterations were made through the 18th and 19th centuries, and in 1875 the castle was extensively remodelled by John Thomas Wimperis in the Scots Baronial style.[1] The house retains many Victorian furnishing and paintings.

The estate[edit]
The castle estate comprises approximately 200 square miles (520 km2), set within the Cairngorm National Park, including a length of the River Dee. The tenth laird, James Farquharson, planted significant portions of the estate to woodland to supply the shipyards of nearby Aberdeen. Invercauld's sporting estate and location near the royal highland home of Balmoral Castle made it a favourite resort of Queen Victoria.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:15 pm

Inverugie Castle

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Inverugie Castle or Cheyne's Tower is the ruins of a motte-and-bailey castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.

Contents [hide]
1 Location
2 Original structure
3 Later structure
4 History
5 References
5.1 Footnotes
5.2 Bibliography
Location[edit]
Inverugie Castle is located two miles from Peterhead on the north east coast.[1] The ruins are a small mound only three metres high above the River Ugie.[2] This is all that remains of a wooden motte-and-bailey castle of Inverugie built by the Cheynne family in the 12th century. The stone ruins date from later than the original building on the site.

Original structure[edit]
The location of the motte relative to the river at Inverugie suggests it was built to protect the ford at this point and that the bailey ditch (moat) would have been filled with water from the Ugie for additional defence.

Later structure[edit]
In the basement of the oblong tower house there was the storage area and kitchen. The next level contained the hall used for entertaining guests. In the north and south corners of the hall were small turnpike stairs accessing both round towers. On the middle of the west side was a third tower with the main staircase. This faced into the cobbled courtyard with its wall beside the river Ugie.

History[edit]
The castle of Inverugie was first raised by the Cheynne family in the 12th century. By the mid-14th century the estate of Inverugie had passed to the Keith Earl Marischals who had their main seat at the coastal fortress of Dunnottar Castle. They built the current (ruined) stone castle of Inverugie south of the original wooden motte in around 1660. In the 19th century an oak heraldry shield was found in a local cottage with the arms of William Keith, 7th Earl Marischal and its date was carved as 1660.

The Keith lands were forfeited after the Jacobite Rebellion and some time after 1745 the Inverugie estate passed from the Keiths to one James Ferguson the third Laird of Pitfour who kept the building in a perfect state until he died in 1820. However, the fifth Laird stripped the Castle of all the restoration undertaken and his successor exacerbated the neglect even further.[3]

By 1890, the Castle was in poor condition and was unable to withstand inclement weather. Gales in April 1890 resulted in the collapse of some walls and the stair tower. It was declared unsafe by the Local Authority following further storms on New Years Day 1899. The estate factor, William Ainslie, probably acting under instruction from the Laird at that time, arranged to have much of what was left of the ruins blown up, weakening the remaining structure. Within a fortnight, little remained of the castle.[4]

Charles McKean described the castle as "a splendid double-courtyard Renaissance chateau" and also said "It consisted of a four-storey block with circular angle towers and a stair turret".[5]

William Burnes or William Burness (1721 – 1784), the father of Robert Burns the poet, was born at Clochnahill Farm, Dunnottar, and trained as a gardener at Inverugie Castle, before moving to Ayrshire.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:19 pm

Kildrummy Castle

kildrummy castle Aberdeenshire.jpg
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Kildrummy Castle is a ruined castle near Kildrummy, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Though ruined, it is one of the most extensive castles dating from the 13th century to survive in eastern Scotland, and was the seat of the Earls of Mar. It is owned today by Historic Scotland and open to the public.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Architecture
3 Today
4 References
5 External links
History[edit]
The castle was likely built in the mid-13th century under Gilbert de Moravia. It has been posited that siting of Kildrummy Castle was influenced by the location of the Grampian Mounth trackway crossings, particularly the Elsick Mounth and Cryne Corse Mounth.[1] Kildrummy Castle underwent siege numerous times in its history, first in defence of the family of Robert the Bruce in August–September 1306 (leading to the executions of Nigel Bruce and many other Scots), and again in 1335 by David of Strathbogie. On this occasion Christina Bruce held off the attackers until her husband Sir Andrew Murray came to her rescue. In the reign of David II, Walter Maule of Panmure was warden of Kildrummy Castle.[2]

In 1374 the castle's heiress Isobel was seized and married by Alexander Stewart, who then laid claim to Kildrummy and the title of Earl of Mar. In 1435 it was taken over by James I, becoming a royal castle until being granted to Lord Elphinstone in 1507.

The castle passed from the Clan Elphinstone to the Clan Erskine before being abandoned in 1716 following the failure of the Jacobite rebellion.

Architecture[edit]
Kildrummy Castle is "shield-shaped" in plan with a number of independent towers. The flat side of the castle overlooks a steep ravine; moreover, on the opposite side of the castle the walls come to a point, which was once defended by a massive twin-towered gatehouse. The castle also had a keep, called the Snow Tower, taller than the other towers, built in the French style, as at Bothwell Castle. Extensive earthworks protected the castle, including a dry moat and the ravine. Most of the castle foundations are now visible, along with most of its lower-storey walls. Archaeological excavations in 1925 uncovered decorative stone flooring and evidence of battles.

Today[edit]
The castle property now owned by Historic Scotland, and Kildrummy Castle gardens, in the quarry used to excavate stone for the castle, are both open to the public.[3][4][5] A hotel (the Kildrummy Castle Hotel) has been built on the old estate, overlooking the ruins.

Kildrummy Castle was the venue for the Scottish Sculpture Open, sometimes known as the Kildrummy Open, organised by the Scottish Sculpture Workshop from 1981 to 1997.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:22 pm

Kincardine Castle

Kincardine Castle Aberdeenshire.jpg
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Kincardine Castle is a Victorian country house in Royal Deeside, Scotland. It is 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) north-east of the village of Kincardine O'Neil, and 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) east of Aboyne on the north side of the River Dee, Aberdeenshire. The castle was built in 1894-6 to Scots Baronial designs by Niven and Wigglesworth of London. The architects were influenced by the Arts and Crafts movement and this shows in the design. It is a category B listed building.[1] The house was built on the site of, and incorporating part of, an earlier building called Kincardine Lodge, dating from around 1780.[2] T. H. Mawson prepared plans for the gardens around 1900, though it is not clear if they were carried out.[2] At the heart of a 3,000-acre (1,200 ha) estate, the castle is not open to the public, but serves as a venue for meetings, private dining, marquee events and weddings. There are extensive gardens which are open for one day in June under the Scotland's Gardens scheme.
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