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Castles in Scotland

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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:26 pm

Kinnaird Castle

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Kinnaird Castle, also known as Fraserburgh Castle and Kinnairdshead Castle, was begun in March 1570.[5] The builder was Sir Alexander Fraser, 8th laird of Philorth, (c.1536–1623), who also transformed the fishing village of Faithlie into the burgh of Fraserburgh in the 1590s. However, the building of the castle led to such expense that he was forced to sell Philorth Castle, the family home.[6] Alexander, 10th of Philorth, fought for the king at the Battle of Worcester (1651). Despite being badly wounded, he survived to live into his eighties. In 1669 he inherited the title of Lord Saltoun, and in later years he had apartments at Kinnaird Castle[7] The last people to reside in the castle were Henrietta Fraser (1698-1751), daughter of the 12th Lord Saltoun, and her husband John Gordon of Kinellar (1684-1764).[citation needed] In 1787 it was leased to the Trustees of the Northern lights, who turned it into Kinnaird Head Lighthouse. Designed by Thomas Smith, the lamp was first lit on 1 December. The structure was rebuilt in the 1820s, and superseded by a new lighthouse in 1991.[5] It now houses the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses, which incorporates the original lighthouse and a modern building housing collections of lenses and other artefacts from many lighthouses across Scotland.[8]
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:30 pm

Kinnairdy Castle

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Kinnairdy Castle is a tower house, having five storeys and a garret, two miles south of Aberchirder, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[1] The alternative name is Old Kinnairdy.[2]

History[edit]
The castle is built on land that belonged to the Innes family from the late 14th century; an earlier tower was probably built in about 1420, that replaced a wooden motte and bailey structure.[3] The castle was sold by the Innes family to Sir James Crichton of Frendraught in 1629.[1] Subsequently it came to the Reverend John Gregory in 1647, then passed to his brother David, a doctor who has been claimed to be constructor of the first barometer.[1][4] David's success in forecasting the weather with the help of the barometer led to his being accused, but not convicted, of witchcraft.[5] The property was sold by his third son to Thomas Donaldson, a merchant from Elgin, who restored and re-roofed the castle during the eighteenth century,[1] transforming it into a country house. The property returned to the Innes family in 1923, and they began restoration then.[3]

Structure[edit]
The House is an L-plan tower, the stair tower being an addition.[1] The entrance was originally on the first floor, being accessed by a removable wooden bridge from the parapet wall. There is a straight stair to the basement, which is vaulted.[1] A late 16th-century two-storey hall range lies to the east; it was altered in 1857.[3]

In the hall there is an oak-panelled aumbry. The carvings on it, which are particularly fine, show the heads of Sir Alexander Innes and his wife Christian Dunbar, and the date 1493. Sir Alexander seems to have got into financial difficulties because of his taste for fine Flanders panelling.[1]

Thomas Innes of Learney, Lord Lyon King of Arms, introduced some of the heraldic decoration in the house, which he owned after the Second World War.[1]

There is a courtyard to south and east formed by outbuildings and curtain walls; to the north and west there are steep banks.[3]

It is a category A listed building.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:35 pm

Kindrochit Castle

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Kindrochit Castle is an early fortification in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[1] Originally founded by Malcolm Canmore in 1059 AD as a hunting lodge on the banks of the Clunie,[2] various authors have puzzled as to the reasons for siting the castle in this wild and remote location.[1] C. Michael Hogan has noted that Kindrochit Castle as well as Kildrummy and Durris Castles were likely sited based upon strategic positions relative to the ancient Elsick Mounth trackway, which provided a strategic crossing of the Mounth of the Grampian Mountains.[3]

John Erskine, Earl of Mar showed the ruined castle at Kindrochit to John Taylor, the 'Water Poet' when the writer made his Pennyles Pilgrimage to Scotland in 1618. Taylor, who rode with the Earl from Braemar Castle was told that Malcolm Canmore had built the castle. He thought it remarkable because he did not see another house in the next 12 days of their ride
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:40 pm

Knock Castle


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Knock Castle is a ruined tower house in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland. It is typical of the traditional type of residence of a laird, a Scottish landed gentleman. The Castle sits in a strong position on a knoll in a field on the south side of Craig of the Knock, at the entrance to Glen Muick. It is located about 1 mile (1.6 km) west of the town of Ballater, and about 6 miles (9.7 km) east of Balmoral, just off the A93. The castle is in the care of Historic Scotland.

Contents [hide]
1 Description
2 History
3 References
4 External links
Description[edit]


Knock Castle is a four-storey ruin, dating from approximately 1600. The rectangular keep strongly resembles that of a Borders pele tower, and measures about 27 feet (8.2 m) by 22 feet (6.7 m), with walls of about 4 feet (1.2 m) thick. The external walls of the castle survive intact, although the tower is roofless. An unusual feature at Knock are the defensive shot holes, for pistols, under each of the numerous windows, each of these having a defensive grate protecting them. The shot holes are all angled to the ground, with the centre one pointing forward and the two outer holes pointing slightly askew.

The inside of the tower is entirely ruined, but the remains of a vaulted basement, used as a kitchen, and a spiral turnpike staircase can still be seen. At the top of the stair a lookout turret or cap house is still visible.

The foundations of an enclosing courtyard wall are still visible. The strong wooden door, protected by an iron yett, opened on to the north side of the surrounding courtyard. Various out buildings, including a brewery, stables, or bake house, for example, would have been set around the perimeter wall.

A short distance to the west is a motte, or mound, with the possible foundations of a 12th-century timber stronghold, known as the Old Castle Knock. Belonging to the Earls of Mar, this structure was destroyed in 1590 by the Clan Chattan (Macintosh). What little remains of the site appears to have evidence of a corn-drying kiln within.[1]

History[edit]

Knock Castle was granted to the Gordons of Abergeldie by the 4th Earl of Huntly, after the battle of Corrichie. Fought on the 28 October 1562, the Gordons were defeated by the forces of Mary, Queen of Scots during her suppression of the rebellious Huntly.


Craig of the Knock.
A feud between the neighbouring clan, the Forbes, intensified when Henry Gordon, the 2nd Laird of Knock, was murdered during a raid by the Forbes and Clan Chattan men. His brother Alexander Gordon succeeded Henry. It is said that one day, when Alexander sent his seven sons out to cut peat for the winter store, the brothers are said to have strayed onto the Forbes Clan lands, when after several hours cutting were discovered by the Forbes and his men. A battle ensued, by the end of which all the brothers were killed. After the affray the Forbes decided to make an example of the Gordons. They severed the heads of the brothers and impaled them on their peat spades. After a while, concerned about the whereabouts of his sons, the Laird sent out one of his servants with a meal for the boys to look for them. When the boy’s heads were discovered the servant, distraught, ran back to Knock with the news of what had transpired that day. Upon hearing the news, Alexander Gordon collapsed at the top of the turnpike stair and tumbled to his death. The Forbes Laird was then taken and executed and all his lands were forfeited to Abergeldie
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:42 pm

Knockhall Castle

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Knockhall Castle is an historic Scottish castle near to Newburgh, Aberdeenshire. It was built by Lord Sinclair of Newburgh in 1565. It was purchased by Clan Udny, who moved into the castle in 1634. The building was damaged in 1639 when taken by the Earl Marischal for the Covenanters, but was later returned to Udny hands. The Clan remained in the castle until 1734, when an accidental fire gutted the building and the Clan moved back to their other property, Udny Castle. Jamie Fleeman, the Laird of Udny's fool, is credited with saving the life of the family in the fire.[1] The castle remains a ruin to this day and are designated a Category B listed building.[
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:49 pm

Lauriston Castle


Lauriston Castle stands on a clifftop site near the Aberdeenshire village of St Cyrus and just over a mile inland from the North Sea coast of Scotland. Once a royal fortress, it can claim to be one of the oldest privately owned and inhabited castles in the region.

By tradition, it was the stronghold of Giric, Grig or Gregory the Great, one of the last of the Pictish kings (AD 878–889). The site of his church of Ecclesgreig (Eglise Grig) is nearby and he gave his Latin name, Ciricius, to St.Cyrus. [1]

Lauriston’s first charter is dated 1243 and it soon developed into a classic courtyard castle which was savagely fought over during Scotland's Wars of Independence and strengthened by King Edward III in 1336 as part of the chain of Plantagenet strongholds which he hoped would prevent a French landing in support of the Scots.

One of the corner towers on the edge of the cliff was incorporated into a typical laird’s house in the 1500s. In turn, this house was absorbed into a very large Georgian mansion of Palladian design, dated 1765–89.

For nearly 450 years Lauriston was held by the Stratons, whose arms of 1292 are among the earliest recorded in Scotland.[2] The eloquent Declaration of Arbroath, the famous letter of 1320 to Pope John XXII, sealed by the nation’s earls and barons, has as its final signatory the name of Alexander Straton.

Another Straton, the “noble knicht o’ Lauriston”, fell at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411, and shortly afterwards his son was involved in the affair of the Sheriff’s Kettle. The barons of the Mearns had been complaining about the high-handed behaviour of John Melville of Glenbervie, Sheriff of Kincardineshire, and King James’s Regent, the Duke of Albany, exclaimed in exasperation that he would not mind if they "biled the loon and suppit the bree". Taking this as royal licence, a group of barons lured Melville to a hunting party, tipped him into a cauldron or kettle of boiling water and, to seal the conspiracy, supped the broth.[3]

The Stratons continued, however, to prosper at Lauriston, even surviving the events of 1534, when David Straton fell out with the Church over payment of tithes on the salmon fishery. He objected to giving every tenth fish to the Abbot of Arbroath and told “his servants to cast the tenth fish into the sea againe", saying that God could catch his own. For this evasion of Church taxes he was taken to Edinburgh and condemned to death, thus becoming one of Scotland's first Protestant martyrs.[4]

In 1695, the Stratons were forced to sell Lauriston. Under the charter to the new owner, Court of Session Judge, Sir James Falconer of Phesdo, the estate became a burgh of barony, with a freeport at Miltonhaven.[5][6] The name of the barony was also changed to Miltonhaven, but storms in the 1790s swept away both the port and village, leaving Lauriston to be known as “The Drown’d Barony”. Over the following century, the policies were developed in fashionable Picturesque style, with waterfalls, walks and a two-acre walled garden.

Following its use as RAF barracks during World War II, part of the mansion was demolished, and according to Nigel Tranter, the castle had “fallen on evil days indeed”. [7] [8]

Lauriston's Great Hall and Doocot Tower were rebuilt in the late 1980s by William and Dorothy Newlands of Lauriston to plans drawn up by architect Ian Begg.[9] The doocot received a Glenfiddich Living Scotland Award in 1992.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:53 pm

Leslie Castle

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Leslie Castle is castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the historical seat of Clan Leslie, located just to the west of Auchleven, or about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northwest of Aberdeen. The core of the building dates to the 14th century. In the late 1970s, plans started for the castle to be restored and by the end of the 1980s this was completed. In 1995, a Leslie Clan Gathering was held at Leslie Castle. The castle was formerly a B&B, but has since changed hands and is now a private home.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:56 pm

Lonmay Castle


The remains of the Castle of Lonmay are found near Netherton of Lonmay, to the north of Loch Strathbeg in Buchan, Scotland. The remains are not located in the modern village of Lonmay which is approximately 6km to the south west. 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][2]

The castle "may have been a motte".[3] It has long ceased to be in existence and there are very few remains to be found, all of which are buried under constantly shifting sand dunes that have over time engulfed the site.

The castle provided protection to the north-shore of the estuary[4] that used to flow into Strathbeg Bay, before it closed off forming Loch Strathbeg around 1720. The south-shore (with Starny Keppie harbour and the village of Rattray) was protected by the Castle of Rattray.

The remains are found "in the Links".. "near the sea"[5] however "all the stones have been carried off, and employed in building farm-houses"[5] and so "except the name, all tradition respecting this building is lost"
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 1:59 pm

Muchalls Castle

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Muchalls Castle stands overlooking the North Sea in the countryside of Kincardine and Mearns, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The lower course is a well preserved Romanesque, double-groined 13th century towerhouse structure, built by the Frasers of Muchalls. Upon this structure, the 17th-century castle was begun by Alexander Burnett of Leys and completed by his son, Sir Thomas Burnett, 1st Baronet, in 1627. The Burnetts of Leys built the remaining four storey present day castle.

One of the most interesting castles of northeast Scotland, according to noted architectural historian Nigel Tranter, it is designed in the classic L style with a further extension wing at the west end. Muchalls Castle entered national history in 1638 when a seminal Covenanter gathering took place here precedent to the English Civil War.

The plasterwork ceilings of the principal drawing rooms are generally regarded as among the three finest examples of plasterwork ceilings in Scotland. These adornments date to 1624 and are in virtually perfect condition. They consist of heraldry of the Burnett of Leys family, along with heraldry of relations and friends intermixed with biblical iconography. The overmantel of the Great Hall fireplace features the arms of King James VI flanked by impressive egyptianesque figures.

Contents [hide]
1 Middle Ages origins
2 Seventeenth-century reconstruction by the Burnetts of Leys
3 Role in Covenanters history
4 Victorian period to 20th century
5 Policies and estate
6 Area setting
7 See also
8 Notes
9 References
Middle Ages origins[edit]
The lower course of this L Plan Castle is the original 14th century ground level of the Clan Fraser towerhouse. On this level are a dungeon, guard room, storerooms, a chamber for merchants and visitors waiting to see the Laird, and a medieval kitchen. In the medieval kitchen the interior wall is over five metres thick, accommodating a hidden staircase and affording bearing strength to support the upper levels. A long hall passageway was constructed as a barrel vaulted design. The dungeon is noted for its small window and still has the large steel hinges to which the dungeon door would have attached. The medieval kitchen has its original 14th century flagstones; moreover, this room features a large walk-in fireplace with a secret spiral staircase that servants would have used in medieval times to carry meals to the higher levels. (Servants at that time would have not been allowed on the main staircases used by the nobility who dwelt in the castle.) Ownership of the castle and lands passed to the Hays in the 15th century probably associated with the same real estate transaction of the lands of Ury in 1413 AD.

Seventeenth-century reconstruction by the Burnetts of Leys[edit]

King James VI Arms in the Great Hall
The second floor level (referred to as the first floor in Scotland) is erected over the intact Middle Ages ground level structure. Prominent exterior features are: a set of well-sculpted corbelled turrets; massive ranges of chimneys: a curtain-walled entrance courtyard with two sets of triple gunloops flanking the entrance arch; a subterranean crypt; and well-preserved 17th century high stone walled terraced gardens. The bartizans render interesting interior features in numerous of the bedrooms, providing interesting circular nooks with small lookout windows strategically placed at upper building corners. There are numerous original arrow slits that indicate the original defensive nature of the structure; some of these arrow slits penetrate exterior walls that are over a metre thick. There are a number of crow-stepped gables associated with large chimneys at building endpoints. The castle itself is an A listed historical building; however, there are three further listed structures on the castle grounds, including a fine stone stables and a 17th-century dovecote.

The next level includes most of the principal reception rooms, including the Great Hall, the Ladies' Drawing Room and the Gentlemen's Study. These reception rooms are the main locations of the elaborate plasterwork; in fact, the ceilings of these three rooms are totally covered in original 17th century plasterwork with heraldic coats of arms, biblical figures and other historical figures. The great hall fireplace has an original plasterwork overmantle featuring egyptianesque caryatid figures and the King James Arms. One can walk erect inside the fireplace and conduct a small meeting inside with bench seating built in. The firebox also hosts the Laird's Lug, a secret listening system allowing the Laird to overhear conversations in the Great Hall from his suite above.

The third level consists of a number of bedrooms: The Laird's Bedroom, The Priest's Bedroom, The Queen's Bedroom, The Queen's Winter Bedroom. The Queen naturally had a very elegant room in case she were to visit; in fact, she had a Winter Bedroom for inclement weather. Each of the bedrooms has a fireplace, as do some of the bathrooms. The bathrooms are a Victorian modification of what would have been dressing rooms in the 17th century.

Several generations of the Burnett of Leys family lived in Muchalls Castle. Later residents included James Robertson, Baron Robertson, President of the Scottish Court of Session, and Geraldine Simpson (née Pringle), heiress to the Pringle knitting fortune.

Role in Covenanters history[edit]
Muchalls Castle was the location of an important turning point in the Reformation in Scotland. In 1638 at Edinburgh signatories to a Covenant opposed imposition of the Episcopal liturgical system then backed by the King. It turned out that Aberdeen was one of the last holdouts to confirm this covenant. Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, Laird of Muchalls Castle, along with James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, Dickson, Henderson, Lord Coupar, the Master of Forbes and others formed a delegation of Covenanters to approach the Bishops of Aberdeen. The Bishops of Aberdeen offered the Cup of Bon-Accord to the Covenanters and had laid out an elaborate banquet; however, very dramatically, the Covenanters refused the Cup, stating they would not meet until the Bishops had signed the Covenant. The Bishops, known as the Doctors of Aberdeen, were very disturbed and composed a list of queries, demanding the Covenanters response. Muchalls Castle was the site of the Covenanters meeting where they drew up their plucky and learned response to the Bishops. From this confrontation and other concomitant events, Charles I unexpectedly made sweeping reforms and concessions to the Covenanters including revocation of the Service Book and Canons, repeal of the Perth Articles and enjoined subscription to Craigs Negative Confession of 1580, a document condemning papal errors.

Victorian period to 20th century[edit]
Ownership of Muchalls Castle passed from the Burnett of Leys family about 1882. A prominent owner of the castle in late Victorian times was James Robertson, Baron Robertson, Lord Advocate of Scotland.

Policies and estate[edit]
The castle is perched near the apex of a large knoll overlooking the North Sea with a forest policy (woodland surrounding a large estate) of very old sycamore, elm and beech trees forming the northern and eastern policy boundaries. These trees form a canopy attaining 50 metres in height, and are the domain of rookeries of crow and jackdaw. There is a population of several hundred of these birds, which are commonly associated with other Scottish castles; in fact, the current owners have purchased a tangent northern parcel, which is known on historic maps as "Crow Woods" and is a similar forest of mature trees that house crow and jackdaw flocks.


17th century drystone wall at Muchalls Castle, Scotland
The southeastern, southern and western exposures have a thinner lower woodland policy, historically to allow free viewing of the North Sea and expansive valley views to the south and west. The principal gardens are situated in a series of declining terraces on the western side of the castle. These gardens were studied by a historical landscape architect in 2001 and determined to be the original early 17th century design, including enclosing dry-stone walls. Further evidence of the original design period is manifested by a subtle pattern in the western lawn nearest the castle, which has been documented to be undulations echoing an elaborate subsurface stonework pattern, a hallmark of the 17th-century garden plan. On the southern lawn there is a rare species of tree known as the weeping elm. This specimen is one of the oldest in Scotland, measuring a height of 12 metres. There are a total of seven principal lawns summing to an area of 52,300 square feet (4,860 m2).

Further there are a total of five agricultural fields as part of the castle estate which are managed to accommodate cattle, sheep and crops of wheat, barley and hay. The castle is accessed via a private drive of about three quarters of a mile long, that runs across the castle estate. One of the most intriguing discoveries of the 1990s was a hewn slab about two metres wide that spans a creek running along the southern portion of the estate. This slab had not been recorded on any of the historic maps from the most recent 200 years, but is the exact width needed to accommodate a carriage. This discovery was used to support the theory espoused by the present owners that the original castle access was from the south and not the west as shown on maps of the last two centuries and resulted in securing council approval to reconstruct the ancient approach as the main access drive .

Area setting[edit]
Muchalls Castle is perched on high ground with a commanding view of the North Sea less than a half mile distant. It lies on the ancient Causey Mounth road linking Stonehaven to Aberdeen via the Portlethen Moss. Muchalls Castle has sweeping views to the south and east of a valley that was the northernmost point of the Roman army's advance into the Scottish highlands. The Romans built a major encampment Raedykes about three miles (5 km) to the southeast, which has yielded many interesting artifacts.

In nearby Stonehaven is Stonehaven Tolbooth, where Episcopal clergy were imprisoned for conducting services at the chapel on the Muchalls Castle estate. Other notable structures nearby that have historical links to Muchalls Castle are Fetteresso Castle, Dunnottar Castle, Crathes Castle and Monboddo House, the home of James Burnett, Lord Monboddo, the father of modern historical linguistics and a pre-evolutionary thinker.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:15 pm

Castle Newe

Castle Newe was a castellated mansion house, situated in Aberdeenshire, and built in 1831 by Archibald Simpson. It was based on an existing Z-plan castle from 1604, which had square towers and was similar to Glenbuchat Castle. The castle was demolished in 1927 and the stone used to build Elphinstone Hall, University of Aberdeen. The former coach house is now known as the House of Newe, and contains furniture from the castle. It was a property of the Clan Forbes.

( No remains )
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:23 pm

Pitsligo Castle

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Pitsligo Castle is a ruined castle half a mile east of Rosehearty, 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 originated as a 15th-century keep. There is an arched gateway in the west wall of the outer court, with the date 1656 and the arms of the Forbes and Erskines. In the inner court the date is shown as 1663. At the north-east angle of the courtyard there is a tall flanking drum-tower. The main tower had three vaulted stories, but almost all above the lowest has disappeared. There is a stair tower at the north-east corner which is better preserved. There are panels dated 1577 over the courtyard doorway.

It is listed by Historic Scotland as a Category A listed building
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:26 pm

Great posts Fairlie
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 2:28 pm

Rattray Castle



Rattray Castle was a medieval Scottish castle, with multiple variations on its structure over approximately six centuries. Originally built as a "late 12th- or early 13th century defensive motte"[1] it provided protection for Starny Keppie harbour and Rattray village. Sometime between 1214 and 1233 it was upgraded by William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan before being destroyed in the 1308 Harrying of Buchan. After Comyn's timber castle was burned down it was replaced by a stronger stone castle which was engulfed during a 1720 sand storm along with nearby Rattray village. After the storm, the castle was not dug out and remains covered to this day. The castle was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 Location
2 c.1100 AD to c.1200 AD
3 Comyn period (c.1200 AD - 1308 AD)
4 1308 AD - 1720 AD
5 1720AD(approx) - 1988
6 1985-1989 Excavations
7 1989 - present
8 References
9 References
9.1 Books
9.2 Journals
10 External links
Location[edit]
The castle was sited on Castlehill, on the south bank of the now closed estuary flowing into Strathbeg Bay- the north bank was protected by the opposite Lonmay Castle.[3] Specifically the castle was "beside an inlet which led from the sea into a sheltered harbour"[4] on "the harbour side" of Rattray village.[3] The later stone castle is known to have had a "harbour-side entrance".[5]

Originally situated on "a rock near the sea",[6][7] Castlehill is today about 1 mile inland as shifting sands have significantly altered the shape of the coast. Located to the south of Loch Strathbeg it can been seen as a grassy "circular mound"[8] which is "oval & natural with its top slightly dished".[5] A 1791 book states it has a "summit"... [of] "half a Scots acre"[9] (approx. 0.25 hectare) and "rises 38 feet"... (11.6 metres) "above a small plain on the"... north-east "but is only 12 or 14 feet"... (3.7 or 4.3 metres) "above the higher ground"[10] to the south-west.

c.1100 AD to c.1200 AD[edit]
The first construction on Castlehill was a small late middle age, 12th century "timber castle or Motte"[4] built to protect the estuary.

Comyn period (c.1200 AD - 1308 AD)[edit]
In the 13th century the Castle of Rattray was "the principal seat of the Cummings"... [alt. spelling of Comyn] "Earls of Buchan"[11] who arrived at the start of that century. Between 1214 when he inherited the Earldom of Buchan and his own death in 1233, William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan[7][8] built upon the motte but it is unclear whether he upgraded the existing buildings or built an entirely new castle. He is known to have completed a "manor house"[4] with "a fine timber-framed hall"[4] (the castle) which was accompanied by the private St Mary's Chapel which he constructed "a quarter of a mile"[10] (0.4 kilometres) south, in Rattray village itself.

In the mid-1270s it is reported that "a castle-strengthening programme at"... "Rattray"[12] took place.

Comyn's castle survived until the Harrying of Buchan in the summer of 1308,[6] when all the Comyn lands were bloodily burnt to the ground after John Comyn, Earl of Buchan was beaten at the Battle of Barra. The timber Rattray Castle was almost certainly attacked by Robert the Bruce or his younger brother Edward after which the "castle fell into ruins"[10] if not burned to the ground.

1308 AD - 1720 AD[edit]
Following the Harrying, the site of Rattray's timber castle was rebuilt with a "stone built hall".[4] This stone incarnation provided protection for Starnie Keppie harbour and the village at Rattray, as the previous incarnations did.

The Earldom of Buchan and hence the castle was inherited and divided after the harrying between John Comyn's two nieces.[13] Henry de Beaumont, the husband of one niece; Alice Comyn, claimed the title under her name but was disinherited from the lands in 1314. A 1324 charter from Robert the Bruce then gives the "lordship of Rattray" to Sir Archibald Douglas.[14] The lands again change hands in 1382 when Alexander Stewart was given the Earldom by his father Robert II of Scotland.

Mary, Queen of Scots, declared Rattray a Royal Burgh in 1563 "to put an end to the disputes about superiority over it between William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal and George Hay, 7th Earl of Erroll".[7] The importance of the Burgh is questionable due to the fact "it does not appear to have long enjoyed that privilege not being ranked in the roll of boroughs for many ages" [15] and as it was "said to have had all tire privileges of a royal borough except sending members to parliament"[16]

In later years Rattray was run by a feudal system of superiors who maintained the land for the Crown, some of whom are known due to charters that they granted. "David Rivis"... "superior of the lands of Rattray"[17] granted a charter in 1617; "William Watson of Haddo, bailie of the burgh of Rattray, superior"[17] [of Rattray] granted a charter in 1675 and "Charles".. [Hay, 13th] "Earl of Erroll, superior of the lands of Rattray"[17] granted a charter in 1711.

The destruction of the stone castle and the nearby village of Rattray, is said by "a tradition"[7] to have happened during the great storm of 1720[18] which cut off Strathbeg Bay. It is believed that the castle was "blown over with sand one Sunday evening while the"[7] inhabitants, "a godless crew".[18] "were engaged in playing cards".[7] "on the Sabbath, [when] they were buried alive."[18]

Another story tells that the site was "buried because of the plague."[7] however there is no date or record of which plague and it is a very unlikely account.

1720AD(approx) - 1988[edit]
Today there is not much to be seen at the site as the remains have "for a long period [been] covered with a deep soil, and now- the swords of the warlike house beaten literally into ploughshares".[19] In c.1730, a dig on the south-east "side of the Castle-hill"... "found a great number of stones, supposed to belong to the kitchen of the castle, as"... "workmen found very large hearth-stones covered with ashes."[20]

Items recovered include; "a quantity of regularly-laid stones were removed c.1734 and some silver coins"[5] as well as two kiln stands found in 1829 (today held in Marischal Museum, Aberdeen).[21]

In 1740 "a man who drove his spade through the panel of a door was immediately suffocated"[7] having got caught in the sand and at an unknown date, a "well-made causeway was discovered at the foot of the mound under which the Castle is said to be buried."[7]

1985-1989 Excavations[edit]
Thorough excavations at Castlehill in 1985-1989 revealed the remains of the stone castle and traces of the previous timber one.[5] Traces of the stone castle, revealed a "perimeter wall".. and "two mural buildings".[5] It also ascertained that the later stone castle was approximately "20m by 6.5 m"[5] and "divided into three parts, a central room, and two smaller end rooms".[5] It likely supported more than one storey, due to the "indication of a possible forestair"... and "the wall thickness."[5]

The results of this excavation can be found in the Journal article (available free from the link in journal citation below) "Excavations at Rattray, Aberdeenshire. A Scottish deserted burgh" by "Murray & Murray" and forms the most complete modern and peer-reviewed academic account of the Castle of Rattray available to historians and archaeologists today.

1989 - present[edit]
Aberdeen City Council roday holds various artifacts from Rattray and the Castlehill site and has previously held a temporary display of artifacts at James Dun's House in Aberdeen.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:31 pm

Ravenscraig Castle

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Ravenscraig Castle, also known as the Craig of Inverugie, is a grade B listed ruined 15th-century L-shaped tower-house north-west of Peterhead, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.[1]

The castle was the seat of the barony of Torthorston, held by the Cheynes family, and passed to the Keiths in the mid-14th century. A licence was granted to build a new castle in May 1491, with the castle built on the banks of the Ugie and defended by a moat.

King James VI of Scotland visited the castle in 1589.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:35 pm

Slains Castle


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Slains Castle, also known as New Slains Castle to distinguish it from nearby Old Slains Castle, is a ruined castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It overlooks the North Sea from its cliff-top site 1 kilometre (0.62 mi) east of Cruden Bay. The core of the castle is a 16th-century tower house, built by the 9th Earl of Erroll. Significant reconstruction of the castle has been carried out a number of times, lastly in 1837 when it was rebuilt as a Scots Baronial mansion. At one time it had three extensive gardens, but is now a roofless ruin. Plans to restore the castle have been on hold since 2009.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Architecture
3 See also
4 References
5 External links
History[edit]
The Clan Hay were a powerful family in the area for generations, having possessed the lands of Slains since the 14th century. In 1453 Sir William Hay, the clan chief, was made Earl of Erroll by King James II.[1] At this time the local seat of power was Old Slains Castle, near Collieston some 8 kilometres (5.0 mi) to the south-west. Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, succeeded in 1585, and converted to Roman Catholicism. He conspired with other Catholic nobles, including the Earl of Huntly, with whom he joined in a brief rebellion in 1589. Erroll was also a signatory of the "Spanish Blanks", documents signed by members of the Catholic nobility of Scotland, and otherwise left to be filled in with the terms of Spanish aid.[2] Erroll was declared a traitor in 1594, and Old Slains Castle was destroyed in October on the orders of King James VI.[1]

After a period abroad Erroll returned to Scotland, and abjured Roman Catholicism in 1597, subsequently returning to royal favour. He abandoned Old Slains and built a courtyard and square tower on the present site. Originally named Bowness, it later became known as New Slains.[3] The wings around the courtyard were extended in 1664 by addition of a gallery or corridor, and in 1707 the entrance front was renewed.[4]

In 1820 William Hay, 18th Earl of Erroll, married Lady Elizabeth FitzClarence, the illegitimate daughter of King William IV and Dorothea Jordan.[5] In the 1830s the 18th Earl commissioned the Aberdeen architect John Smith to remodel the castle. This resulted in a virtual rebuilding of Slains in a Scots Baronial style, including granite facings, in 1836–1837.[4] Gardens were laid out in the late 1890s by the landscape architect T. H. Mawson.[6] In 1895 the author Bram Stoker visited the area, staying at a cottage near Cruden Bay, and he may have been a guest at Slains. The castle is commonly cited as an inspiration for Stoker's 1897 novel Dracula.[4][7]

In 1913 the 20th Earl of Erroll sold New Slains,[1] ending more than 300 years of occupation by the family. It was purchased by Sir John Ellerman, the wealthy but secretive owner of the Ellerman Lines shipping company, who leased it out. In 1925 the roof was removed to avoid taxes,[4] and the building has deteriorated since. It is now a roofless shell, with most of the outer and inner walls standing to full height. In 2004 it was reported that the Slains Partnership was preparing plans for restoration of the building and conversion into 35 holiday apartments.[4] In August 2007 the scheme was granted outline planning permission by Aberdeenshire Council, but the plans were put on hold in 2009 due to the economic downturn.[8]

Architecture[edit]


At first inspection the ruin appears to be a blend of several different architectural styles and periods, due to diverse masonry including older mortared granite, mortared medieval red brick, mortared sandstone and newer well faced granite. In fact most of the architecture seems to derive from a rather cohesive interval 1597 to 1664, which construction is the most expansive and includes the mortared rough granite and medieval brick. The 1836 work adds smoother granite facing that contrasts with the older construction style.

The defensive works of the castle include use of the North Sea cliffs; an abyss to the west that functions as a deep impassable moat; and a ruined rampart that would have been the main entrance on the south.[9] The ruins include reasonably well preserved elements of three and four storey structural elements and a basement course over some of the range, especially at the eastern side. There are well preserved basement kitchen works with numerous firepits and masonry indented storage spaces. The internal doorways are primarily of well preserved wooden lintel construction, with numerous examples of mortared sandstone and medieval brickwork archways. The interior of the ground level is a maze of passageways and smaller rooms, reflecting a high state of occupancy in 17th-century times.
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:35 pm

Amazing history in castle
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 2:38 pm

Terpersie Castle

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Terpersie Castle is a 16th-century tower house in Tullynessle, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, located 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-west of Alford. It is protected as a category A listed building.[1]

The small Z-plan tower house was constructed in 1561 by the Gordon family. In 1665 it was restored after burning down. After 1885 it was abandoned, and stood in ruins during most of the 20th century. In the 1980s the castle was restored as a residence by architects William Cowie Partnership.[2]

Terpersie is one of the earliest known Z-plan castles, defined as a rectangular main block with towers at opposite corners. The main block of Terpersie measures around 8.5 by 5.5 metres (28 by 18 ft), with two round towers of 5.2 metres (17 ft) diameter
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:41 pm

Tolquhon Castle

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Tolquhon Castle (pronounced: "toh-hon", and sometimes spelt 'Tolquhoun') is located in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland. It lies about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) north-west of Pitmedden, and 2 miles (3.2 km) south of Tarves. The castle was built by William Forbes, 7th Laird of Tolquhon, between 1584 and 1589 as an extension to the earlier tower house known as Preston's Tower. Although ruined, the castle has been described as "the most characteristic château of the Scots Renaissance".[1] It is in the care of Historic Scotland and is open to the public.

Contents [hide]
1 History
2 Description
3 References
4 External links
History[edit]
Preston's Tower was constructed in the early 15th century, either by Sir Henry Preston or by his son-in-law Sir John Forbes, who inherited part of the Preston lands in 1420, following Sir Henry's death. His descendant William Forbes, 7th Laird of Tolquhon (died 1596), began work on a new castle in 1584, retaining the Preston Tower but adding new, more comfortable accommodation. He also improved the gardens and parkland around the house. King James VI was entertained at Tolquhon in 1589.[2] The new buildings were arranged around a courtyard, and included an elaborate gatehouse, and a first-floor gallery. An inscription on the gatehouse records that "AL THIS WARKE EXCEP THE AULD TOWR WAS BEGUN BE WILLIAM FORBES 15 APRIL 1584 AND ENDIT BE HIM 20 OCTOBER 1589".[1] The home of a "Renaissance man", Tolquhon was designed for show rather than defence, and was the work of the mason-architect Thomas Leper or Leiper. Leper's distinctive triple shot-holes flank the main entrance,[1] and are also found at nearby Arnage Castle and Dean Castle in Ayrshire. Also unusual is the stone tilework in the main hall.

After William Forbes' death his descendants continued to occupy Tolquhon until 1718, when they were forced to move out due to debts incurred by the failure of the Darien scheme. The castle subsequently decayed and is now a ruin. It is in the guardianship of Historic Scotland and is open to the public. Tolquhon is also a category A listed building and a scheduled monument.[3][4]

Description[edit]
The main entrance is on the north range of the castle, with the Preston Tower forming the north-east corner. The gallery occupies the first floor of the west range, while the main hall is in the south range, accessed via a stair from the courtyard. A prison was located within the south-east tower.[5] To the north of the main quadrangle is the walled outer courtyard, with the remains of a doocot.
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:45 pm

Udny Castle


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Udny Castle is a tower house in the parish of Udny, southwest of the village of Pitmedden and northeast of the hamlet of Udny Green, Aberdeenshire, in the northeast of Scotland. The area is generally flat but the castle is sited on the highest ground and can be seen for a considerable distance. Its exact construction date is unknown, but its foundations probably date from the late 14th or early 15th century. Additional storeys were added and a later extension, described as a "modern mansion", was incorporated but subsequently demolished. It is a Category A listed building.

History[edit]
Sited on the highest area in a generally flat terrain, the castle can be seen from a considerable distance.[1] The exact construction date is not known but it was probably initially constructed by the Udny family in the 14th or 15th century.[2] The property is first recorded when it is shown on a charter for David II instigated by Ronald of Uldney.[3]

MacGibbon and Ross suggested a construction date of the turn of the 16–17th centuries but the indentation of the upper floors and thickness of the foundation walls suggest a much earlier date.[3] The main construction work of the keep is believed to have spanned over 100 years and been undertaken by three consecutive lairds; it is reported to have "ruined them all".[4]

The Udny family also owned Knockhall Castle and lived there until 1734 when Knockhall was destroyed by fire; they then returned to Udny. Jamie Fleeman, the Laird's fool, was responsible for saving the family papers from being destroyed in the fire.[5]

The castle was abandoned sometime around 1775 then repair work was undertaken in 1801.[6]

Colonel John Robert Fullerton Udny inherited the estate in 1802. He had been an army officer since 1797 but retired after his marriage to Emily Fitzhugh in 1812. Thereafter he only visited the estate occasionally as his main residence was in London. The couple had one son, John Augustus Udny, but he died a bachelor in 1859. The Colonel's wife died in 1846 after which he had an affair with Ann Allat whom he married on 2 January 1854. However, the couple had a son, John Henry Udny, born out of wedlock on 9 May 1853. A legal case was heard by the House of Lords as to whether John Henry was entitled to inherit the estate as his parents had been unmarried when he was born. The legal arguments describe how the Colonel had wished to do restoration work on the castle but could not afford to do so "owing chiefly to his connection with the turf".[7]

The Colonel died in 1861.[8] The House of Lords had decided in favour of John Henry and he inherited the estate as "though illegitimate at his birth, [he] was legitimated by the subsequent marriage of his parents".[9]

In 1887, it is recorded as owned by John Hay Udny and had been in the family's ownership for several centuries.[4]

Bartizans were included when an extra storey was added in the 17th century.[2]

A mansion house in the baronial style was added in 1874–75 to the design of architect James Maitland Wardrop (of the Wardrop and Anderson company) but was subsequently demolished during the 1960s.[2][6] Wardrop's son, Hew, was also an architect and undertook some of the decorative work at the castle. He died suddenly of appendicitis while working at the castle on 4 November 1887.[10][11]

In 1964, restoration work was begun on the original tower house and the mansion house was demolished. Historic Scotland listed the castle as a Category A listed building in April 1971.[6]

Architecture[edit]
The castle walls are 8 feet (2.4 m) thick and it has an attic keep measuring 35 feet (11 m) by 43 feet (13 m). The building exterior is harled and it is five storeys high. Its angle turrets are embellished with corbels, some more decorative than others.[6]

Features include an arched entrance and a vaulted basement. The hall extends the full width of the castle[12] and is sited on the first floor accessed by a turnpike stairway. The measurements of the hall are given as being 27 feet (8.2 m) by 21 feet (6.4 m) with a height of 20 feet (6.1 m) to the vault's top.[13] The hall ceiling was given a Jacobean styling during the Victorian era.[2] Some plasterwork added when Wardrop's design work was included remains in the vaulted hall.[3] The fireplace from the castle was removed and is sited in Maryculter House, Kincardineshire
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Re: castles in Scotland Aberdeenshire

PostWed Feb 11, 2015 2:47 pm

Westhall Castle

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Westhall Castle, also known as Westhall House, is a country house located to the north of Oyne, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The house includes a 16th-century L-plan tower house, which was substantially extended in the 17th and 19th century.[1] The house is a category A listed building.[2]

History[edit]
The estate was held by the Bishops of Aberdeen in the 13th century, and passed to the Gordons during the Reformation. The original L-plan tower was constructed in the 16th century, with a round tower added in the 17th century.[1] In 1681 it was purchased by the Rev James Horne, vicar of Elgin. Further extensions were added around 1838. By the mid 19th century it was the property of Sir James Elphinstone, who invested in both the Aberdeen Canal Company and the Great North of Scotland Railway.[1] Elphinstone, who lived at nearby Logie House, represented Portsmouth in the House of Commons between 1857 and 1880.

Westhall was later used as an agricultural school,[2] and as a hotel which closed in the 1990s. A period of neglect followed, during which the house was sold several times and was placed on the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland.[3] In 2011 new owners took over the house, and its condition is described as "semi-derelict, but stabilised".
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Re: Castles in Scotland ,Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 2:57 pm

Affleck Castle

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Affleck Castle, also known as Auchenleck Castle, is a tall L-plan tower house dating from the 15th century, 1 mile (1.6 km) west of Monikie Parish Church, Angus, Scotland.[1][2] It is a category A listed building.[3]

History[edit]
The castle was built on the lands of the Auchenlecks of that Ilk.[2] In the early 18th century it belonged to a family of Reids,[2] who forfeited the castle in 1746 because of their activities as Jacobites.[4] It has not been occupied since 1760, when a new mansion was built.[2]

Structure[edit]
Affleck Castle is a well-preserved free-standing tower of four storeys and a parapeted garret.[4] It is 60 feet (18 m) tall, and has thick rubble walls, with several mural rooms.[2] A few steps down from the entrance is the basement, which is sub-divided.[2]

The hall, which is on the first floor, has a vaulted ceiling; this supports a withdrawing room.[2] Above the main staircase is an entresol bedroom, almost 7 feet (2.1 m) square, reached by an eleven-step staircase in the east wall. The stairs lead from the hall.[2] The withdrawing room has a spy-hole into the hall below.[2] This would have allowed all movement to the main turnpike stair to be observed.[2] The room has window seats, wall closets, and a shafted fireplace.[2] A step up from this room leads to a circular oratory, equipped with aumbry, piscine, holy-water stoup and stone candle-holders.[2] This room is also vaulted.[2] There is a bedroom in each of the upper floors.[2]

A projection by the door, with a square caphouse, houses the stair.[2] There is another square caphouse over the south-west angle.[2] There are two devices for dropping missiles or liquids on attackers: one over the arched door; and the other on the west front,[2] while the ground floor is equipped with gun loops.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:01 pm

Airlie Castle


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Airlie Castle is a mansion house near the junction of the Isla and Melgund rivers, 9 kilometres west of Kirriemuir, Angus, Scotland. A castle was built on the site in c. 1432 and was burnt out in 1640, with a mansion house being built incorporating and on top of some of the ruins in c. 1792–93 and is occupied.[1]

History[edit]
The castle was built in c. 1432 by Walter Ogilvy of Lintrathen, Lord High Treasurer of Scotland after being granted lands in 1432 by King James I of Scotland. It became a stronghold and chief residence of the Ogilvies.

During the Wars of the Three Kingdoms the Ogilvies supported King Charles I and the Royalist cause. The castle was destroyed in 1640 by Parliamentarian troops led by Archibald Campbell, 8th Earl of Argyll and the incident is described in the ballad "The Bonnie Hoose o' Airlie".
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:04 pm

Aldbar Castle,

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Aldbar Castle, or Auldbar Castle, was a 16th-century tower house, located 2 miles (3.2 km) southwest of Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. It was demolished after a fire in 1965.

History[edit]
The estate was owned by the Crammond family since the 13th century before it was sold to John Lyon, 8th Lord Glamis (c. 1544 – 1575) in 1575.[1] His son Sir Thomas Lyon (died 1608) served as Treasurer of Scotland from 1585 to 1595, and built the castle in the later 16th century.[2] The property was subsequently owned by the Sinclair family, and then the Young family.[1]

The Chalmers family owned the estate in the 18th century. The artist Clarkson Stanfield painted the castle in 1801. Patrick Chalmers (1777–1826) enlarged the castle in 1810,[3] and his son Patrick Chalmers (1802–1854) made Baronial-style additions between 1844 and 1854. The castle was destroyed by fire and demolished in 1965. Only the 19th-century stone gateway remains.

A 13th-century grave slab from the castle chapel is held at the National Museum of Scotland in Edinburgh.[
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Re: Castles in Scotland ,Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:08 pm

Auchterhouse Castle


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Auchterhouse Castle is a c. 13th century castle located northwest of Dundee, Angus, Scotland.[1] The original castle was enclosed with walls, towers, and contained a keep. The castle may have been in ownership of the Ramsay family, who were hereditary Sheriffs of Angus. Sir William Wallace is alleged to have stayed at the castle and one its towers was named in his honour. King Edward I of England spent the night of the 20 July 1303 at the castle. The castle came into the possession of James Erskine, 7th Earl of Buchan who may have built the 17th century tower house.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:11 pm

Balcraig Castle


Balcraig Castle was built on lands given to the Oliphants by King Robert the Bruce circa 1317.[1]

Location[edit]
Balcraig Castle stood on the western flank of Hatton Hill about half a mile south of the village of Newtyle, Angus, in the Sidlaw Hills.[2][3] Today no evidence remains of the structure save an area levelled off in the top left corner of the field in which it once stood.[4] The location was strategic as the castle guarded the route through the Sidlaw Hills at this natural cleft.

History[edit]
In 1317 King Robert the Bruce rewarded Sir William Oliphant, Lord of Aberdalgie with a number of grants of land including Gasknes, Newtyle, Kinpurnie, Auchtertyre, Balcrais, Muirhouse and Hazelhead.[5]

It is not known when the castle of Balcraig was constructed but it was superseded in 1575 when Hatton Castle was erected by the 4th Lord Oliphant nearby.[1] The only known representation of Balcraig is in Timothy Pont's map of the area circa 1590, when it was still standing.[6]

It has been suggested that Balcraig was of wooden construction but this is not supported by the fact that a number of boulder stones were ploughed up in the vicinity of the site of the old castle some forty years ago (circa 1970). The size of the stones suggested that they were the foundations of a stone fortalice. There is also a diary record of the blowing up of the castle at Newtyle. Hatton Castle, although ruinous until it was restored in the 1980s, was still standing, rather, it had had some major repairs by its owners.[7] The Ordnance Gazeteer of Scotland states that: "The ruins of Hatton Castle and the scanty vestiges of Balcraig have both been separately noticed".[8] Since a wooden structure would not have survived from 1317 to 1884, the "scanty vestiges" visible must have been stone.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:14 pm

Balfour Castle

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Balfour Castle was a baronial mansion at Balfour Mains, Angus, Scotland. The castle which was built in the 16th century is largely demolished except for a six storey circular tower. A farm house has been built incorporating some of the ruins in c. 1845.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:19 pm

Balintore Castle

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Balintore Castle is a Victorian Category A listed building in Scotland.
The castle occupies an elevated site in moorland above Balintore village, a few miles north of the Loch of Lintrathen, near Kirriemuir, Angus. A tower house named Balintor existed on the site in the late 16th century, according to Timothy Pont's maps.

It was designed in 1859 by the architect William Burn. A typical example of the Scottish Baronial style, it features an abundance of turreted towers and gables, and an imitation portcullis. The main tower is topped by a balustraded viewing platform similar to that of Buchanan Castle.

The centrepiece of the interior is the great hall, and there is also a gallery, bedrooms, dinner service room, women servant’s sitting room, brushing room, beer cellar, lumber room, butler’s pantry, dining room, and a library.

Balintor Castle was commissioned as a sporting lodge by David Lyon, MP, who had inherited a fortune made by his family through investments in the East India Company. Latterly the castle was only used during the shooting season. In the 1960s it was decided not to repair the extensive dry rot and it was abandoned. The castle then stood empty until 2007, during which time its condition deteriorated to point of endangering the structure. Balintore Castle has been listed in the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland since it started in 1990. Angus Council used its compulsory purchase powers to buy it from its absentee Far Eastern owners, and it is now in the hands of a Scotsman who intends to restore it and use it as a residence.
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:20 pm

Wheres Fairlies castle ? Lol
My ipad controls my spellings not me so apologies from it in advance :) lol
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:23 pm

Ballumbie Castle


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Ballumbie Castle was built by the Lovell family.
The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland record the date of construction as 1545,[1] although Historic Scotland give a date of 14th–15th century.[2] The castle comprised a rectangular enclosure, approximately 21 metres (69 ft) on a side, with round corner towers,[1] overlooking the Fithie Burn.

In the early 17th century it passed to the Maule family, who became Earls of Panmure in 1646. The castle was reported as being ruined by 1682, although the remaining east and south walls were later incorporated into the stable block of Ballumbie House.[2] Today the castle is a ruin again, in private ownership. Access is prohibited beyond the castle's security fencing for reasons of personal safety.[3]

The lands surrounding Ballumbie Castle are known as the Ballumbie Castle Estate, and the lands of Ballumbie Castle remain the caput of this property. These are distinct from the lands of Ballumbie, which were last in the possession of Robert Williamson of Ballumbie, hence there is a Laird of Ballumbie Castle as well as a Laird of Ballumbie.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:29 pm

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Brechin Castle


Brechin Castle is a castle located in Brechin, Angus, Scotland. The castle is the seat of the Earl of Dalhousie, who is the clan chieftain of Clan Maule of Panmure in Angus, and Clan Ramsay of Dalhousie in Midlothian. The original castle was constructed in stone during the 13th century. Most of the current building dates to the early 18th century, when extensive reconstruction was carried out by architect Alexander Edward for James Maule, 4th Earl of Panmure, between approximately 1696 and 1709.[1]

The grounds have been in the Maule-Ramsay family since the 12th century. The castle has been the seat of the Clan Maule since medieval times. The Maule and Ramsay clans were joined under a single chieftain in the 18th century. The seat of the Ramsay clan was moved from Dalhousie Castle to Brechin Castle in the early 20th century.

The estate consisted of approximately 150,000 acres (607 km²) at its height and is now 55,000 acres (223 km²). The formal gardens date to the early 18th century. Agriculture and forestry largely dominate the estate grounds, but tourists can stay at several guest lodges on the property.

A 1990s addition to the grounds is Brechin Castle Centre, a retail shopping complex. Included in the centre is the Pictavia Visitor Centre, an interactive museum chronicling the culture and history of the Picts.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:33 pm

Careston Castle

Careston Castle Angus.jpg
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Careston Castle, also known as Caraldston Castle,[1] is an L-plan tower house dating from the 16th century,[2] in Careston parish, Angus, Scotland.[1]

History[edit]
The names is said to derive from Keraldus, dempster to the Earls of Angus at the start of the 13th century.[2][3]

Nothing remains of an earlier castle.[2] The castle was built about 1582 by Sir Henry Lindsay, who became Earl of Crawford in 1620.[2] It was later owned successively by Sir John Stewart of Grantully, by the Skenes, by a farmer, and by John Adamson, a whaling ship owner from Dundee.[2]

Structure[edit]
The L-plan tower originally had three vaulted rooms, linked by a corridor in the first floor, although one room now has had its vault removed.[2] There is a large scale-and-platt stair to the first floor, a turnpike stair in the south west jamb, and a private stair on the north.[2]

Careston Castle is notable for its chimney-pieces.[2] The one in the Hall has an enriched cornice, and an overmantel with the Royal Arms of Scotland.[2] There are fine chimney-pieces also in the dining-room, and the central and east bedrooms on the second floor.[2] Two wings of the building have been demolished.[2]

It is a category A listed building.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 3:39 pm

Colliston Castle,

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Colliston Castle, near Arbroath, Scotland, was built in 1545 by Cardinal Beaton, abbot of Arbroath Abbey. It was a Z-plan tower house, and was altered and extended in the 18th and 19th centuries. The castle is currently on hire as a venue for wedding receptions and parties.

History[edit]
The estate was granted to John Guthrie and Isabella Ogilvy, his wife, by Cardinal David Beaton, Abbot of Arbroath and Archbishop of St Andrews, on 25 July 1544. David Beaton's long term partner of over twenty years was Marion Ogilvy, and it is quite likely Isabella was their daughter.

The original Z-plan part of the Castle of Colliston was erected in 1583. It consists of a main block with two round towers projecting at opposite corners, and a stair turret rising in one of the re-entrant angles between the main block and tower. This tower, which also houses the entrance to the castle, is corbelled out at the top to form a gabled watch-chamber. The plan is similar to Claypotts Castle and is amply provided with wide splayed gun-loops and circular shot-holes for defence. The wall heads and the entire upper storey were remodelled at several times and are not original.

Sir Henry Guthrie sold to Doctor Gordon in 1684.

By 1721 George Chaplin was in possession of Colliston, and was succeeded by his nephew George Robertson Chaplin of Auchengray, and then George Chaplin Child Chaplin, M.D. He died in 1883, and was succeeded by Mr Peebles of Somerset House, London, the next heir of entail.

In 1920 John Hume Adams Peebles-Chaplin sold it to Richard (Dicky) Bruce (Major R.F.D. Bruce), son of the Hon. F. J. Bruce of Seaton, who was a son of the Earl of Elgin. He installed a gun cupboard in part of the original kitchen fireplace in the west tower. This room became the gunroom. In 1929 Dicky Bruce was found dead in the hall with his gun beside him. On the death of her husband his wife married a local (Arbroath) lawyer she was having an affair with and sold the castle to Captain Alfred Knox.
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Re: Castles in Scotland

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 4:33 pm

Ooh il have that one
My ipad controls my spellings not me so apologies from it in advance :) lol
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 5:33 pm

Cortachy Castle

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Cortachy Castle is a castellated mansion House at Cortachy, Angus, Scotland, some four miles north of Kirriemuir. The present building dates from the 15th century, preceded by an earlier structure that was owned by the Earls of Strathearn. It was acquired by the Ogilvies in 1473 and substantively modified in the 17th and 19th centuries.[1] In 1820 it was "romanticised", as was the fashion of the day, by the addition of crenellations, plus other alterations by R & R Dickson.[2] Part of the building was damaged by fire in 1883 and it was extensively rebuilt in the following two years[1] by Kinnear & Peddie.[3]

Cortachy Castle is a Category B listed building.[4]

The castle is said to be haunted by the spirit of a drummer
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 5:37 pm

Edzell Castle


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Edzell Castle is a ruined 16th-century castle, with an early-17th-century walled garden. It is located close to Edzell, and is around 5 miles (8 km) north of Brechin, in Angus, Scotland. Edzell Castle was begun around 1520 by David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford, and expanded by his son, Sir David Lindsay, Lord Edzell, who also laid out the garden in 1604. The castle saw little military action, and was, in its design, construction and use, more of a country house than a defensive structure.[1] It was briefly occupied by English troops during Oliver Cromwell's invasion of Scotland in 1651. In 1715 it was sold by the Lindsay family, and eventually came into the ownership of the Earl of Dalhousie. It was given into state care in the 1930s, and is now a visitor attraction run by Historic Scotland (open all year; entrance charge). The castle consists of the original tower house and building ranges around a courtyard. The adjacent Renaissance walled garden, incorporating intricate relief carvings, is unique in Scotland.[2] It was replanted in the 1930s, and is considered to have links to esoteric traditions, including Rosicrucianism and Freemasonry.

Contents [hide]
1 History
1.1 Origins
1.2 Sir David Lindsay, Lord Edzell
1.3 Damage and decline
1.4 Later history
2 Description
2.1 The motte
2.2 The castle
3 The walled garden
3.1 The carved panels
3.2 Buildings and planting
3.3 Interpretations
4 References
4.1 Notes
4.2 Bibliography
5 External links
History[edit]
Origins[edit]
The first castle at Edzell was a timber motte and bailey structure, built to guard the mouth of Glenesk, a strategic pass leading north into the Highlands.[3] The motte, or mound, is still visible 300 metres (980 ft) south-west of the present castle, and dates from the 12th century. It was the seat of the Abbott, or Abbe, family, and was the centre of the now vanished original village of Edzell.[4] The Abbotts were succeeded as lords of Edzell by the Stirlings of Glenesk, and the Stirlings in turn by the Lindsays. In 1358, Sir Alexander de Lindsay, third son of David Lindsay of Crawford, married the Stirling heiress, Katherine Stirling.[5] Alexander's son, David, was created Earl of Crawford in 1398.

Edzell became the property of a junior branch of the Lindsay family descended from the 3rd Earl, and in 1513 it was inherited by David Lindsay (d. 1558). Around 1520, David Lindsay decided to abandon the original castle, and built a tower house and barmkin, or courtyard, in a more sheltered location nearby. The selection of a site overlooked by higher ground to the north suggests that defence was not the primary concern.[6] David became the Earl of Crawford in 1542, on the death of his cousin the 8th Earl, who had disinherited his own son Alexander, the "Wicked Master". He proceeded to extend the simple tower house, in around 1550, by the addition of a large west range, incorporating a new entrance gate and hall. Lord Crawford also built Invermark Castle, 12 miles (19 km) north of Edzell, possibly as a hunting lodge, at around the same time.[7]

Sir David Lindsay, Lord Edzell[edit]

Arms of Sir David Lindsay, and his wife, Dame Isabel Forbes, over the garden gate
For more details on this topic, see David Lindsay of Edzell, Lord Edzell.
David Lindsay, the 9th Earl's son, was educated in Paris and Cambridge, and travelled in continental Europe. His father had nominated the son of Alexander, the Wicked Master, as heir to the earldom, returning the title to the senior line of the family, and thus Lindsay did not succeed to the earldom on his father's death. However, he was knighted in 1581, became a Lord of Session (a senior judge), taking the title Lord Edzell, in 1593, and in 1598 was appointed to the Privy Council. A Renaissance Man, he undertook improvements to his estates, including mining and woodland planting. Two German prospectors from Nuremberg, Bernard Fechtenburg and Hans Ziegler, were invited to search for precious metals around Edzell.[8]

In August 1562, David Lindsay received Mary, Queen of Scots, at Edzell. The Queen was on a Royal progress, with the aim of subduing the rebellious Earl of Huntly, and spent two nights at Edzell. During her stay she convened a meeting of the Privy Council, attended by the nobility of Scotland. Her son, King James VI, visited Edzell twice; on 28 June 1580, and in August 1589.[9]

Sir David further extended the castle in the late 16th century, with the addition of a large north range with round corner towers. He laid out the garden in 1604, with symbols of England, Scotland and Ireland, to celebrate the Union of the Crowns of the previous year, when James VI acceeded to the English throne on the death of his cousin, Elizabeth I. Sir David died in 1610, heavily in debt as a result of fines handed down for the unruly conduct of his son, and with both the garden and the north range incomplete.[10]


Damage and decline[edit]
Edzell was not affected by the campaigns of the Royalist Marquess of Montrose in the 1640s, although other properties of the Covenanting Presbyterian David Lindsay (son of Sir David), were attacked. During the Third English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland and, in September 1651, his troops took Edzell, and were stationed there for one month. By the time of the Presbyterian settlement of 1689, the Lord of Edzell, David's son John Lindsay, had switched allegiances from Presbyterianism to Episcopalianism. Along with the parish minister, he was barred from the parish church, and Episcopal services were held in the great hall at Edzell.[11]

The castle began to decline around the time of the 1715 Jacobite Rising. The last Lindsay lord of Edzell, another David, was a Jacobite, a supporter of the exiled James Stuart, the "Old Pretender". Faced with mounting family debts, David sold the castle to the 4th Earl of Panmure, a fellow Jacobite, for £192,502 Scots, equivalent to £16,042 sterling.[12] Lord Panmure, however, forfeited his lands and property for taking part in the failed rebellion. Edzell was sold, by the Crown, to the York Buildings Company, a London waterworks company which had branched into the buying and selling of forfeited property.[13] They proceeded to "asset strip" the property.[11]

The castle saw its last military event in 1746, when a unit of government troops, of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, occupied the building, causing further damage. By 1764, the York Buildings Company was bankrupt, and the remaining contents of the castle, including the roofs, were removed and sold to pay the company's creditors. The avenue of beech trees, which linked the castle and the village, was felled, and the property was sold to William Maule, Earl Panmure, nephew of the attainted Earl of Panmure. He died in 1782, and the property passed to his nephew, George Ramsay, 8th Earl of Dalhousie.[14]

Later history[edit]
The castle remained the property of the earls of Dalhousie, who appointed a caretaker from the 1870s, and built a cottage for him in 1901, which is now in use as a visitor centre. In 1932, the walled garden passed into state care, followed by the rest of the castle in 1935. The castle and garden are currently maintained by Historic Scotland and are open to the public year round.[15] The motte and castle are protected as Scheduled Ancient Monuments,[16][17] while the castle is also a Category A listed building,[18] the highest level of protection for an historic building, and the garden is included in the Inventory of Historic Gardens and Designed Landscapes,[19] the national listing of significant gardens. The caretaker's house is a Category B listed building.[20]

Description[edit]

The motte, still known as Castlehillock, is the only remainder of the first Edzell Castle. It lies 300m south-west of the later castle, by a bend in the West Water, and comprises a low, partially natural mound. The motte is aligned north-west to south-east, and is around 36 metres (118 ft) long by 16 metres (52 ft) across at its broadest point, and around 4 metres (13 ft) high. An outer bailey, or courtyard, up to 61 metres (200 ft) across formerly surrounded the motte, and was bordered by a deep ditch.[21][22]

The castle[edit]
The castle comprises the early 16th-century tower house, the slightly later west range, and the late 16th-century north range. Other buildings to the east and south have now vanished. The red sandstone walls were originally harled.

The four-storey tower house was named the Stirling Tower after the original lords of Edzell, the Stirlings of Glenesk, although it is not old enough to have been built by them.[23] It is 16 metres (52 ft) high, and measures 13 metres (43 ft) by 10 metres (33 ft) on plan. The walls are over 2 metres (6.6 ft) thick at the basement, narrowing to 1.5 metres (4.9 ft) on the first floor.[24] The tower house is entered from the north, via a door protected by "inverted keyhole" shaped gun holes. A slot adjacent to the door would have held a draw-bar, to reinforce the entry, and several mason's marks remain around the door. The hall occupies the first floor, above two vaulted cellars. Marks in the wall show the position of a minstrels' gallery and a timber screen, which concealed a serving area accessed via a narrow stair from the cellar. The broad main spiral stair led up to three further storeys of private chambers, before reaching a caphouse, a small rooftop chamber giving access to a parapet walk.[25] The four corners of the tower have bartizans, or open turrets, and similar projections occur halfway along each wall. The parapet is supported on projecting stones, or corbels, arranged in a pattern of two tiers which alternate, rendering the lower tier purely decorative. Edzell represents an early occurrence of this style, known as chequered corbelling, which became more widespread later in the 16th century.[23]


The two-storey west range contains the main entrance, which enters the courtyard via an arched passage. Above the outside gate are spaces where armorial panels were once displayed. The windows on this front, larger than the original ones in the tower house, had iron grilles, and small gun holes beneath them. Beside the entrance was a kitchen, and above, a larger hall and drawing room. Only the western part of the three-storey north range was completed, although the Lindsays planned to complete the courtyard. This range had another kitchen, as well as private chambers within the round tower at the north-west corner. It was entered via a stair turret in the courtyard, fragments of which remain, including parts of an intricately carved door surround. Only the foundations of the east and south buildings remain, which probably contained a bakehouse and stables.[26]

The walled garden[edit]

In addition to extending the castle, Sir David Lindsay also created Edzell's most unusual feature, the walled garden, or "Pleasaunce". Similar gardens were probably relatively common in Scotland during the Renaissance, but Edzell is a rare survivor.[2] The garden would have provided a retreat from the castle, and was intended to delight, entertain, and instruct Sir David's distinguished guests. It was started around 1604, and shows signs of being hastily completed at his death in 1610.[27]

It is a rectangular enclosure some 52 metres (171 ft) north to south, and 43.5 metres (143 ft) east to west, surrounded by a 3.6 metres (12 ft) high wall. The north wall is part of the castle courtyard, but the remaining three are intricately decorated. The walls are divided by pilasters (now removed) into regular sections, or compartments, each 3 metres (9.8 ft) across. Each compartment has a niche above, possibly once containing statues. Those on the east wall have semi-circular pediments carved with scrolls, and with the national symbols of thistle, fleur-de-lis, shamrock and rose, recalling the Union of the Crowns of England and Scotland, under James VI in 1603. The pediments on the south wall are square, while there are no niches on the west wall, indicating that work may have prematurely come to a halt on Sir David's death. Below the niches, the compartments are of alternating design. Three sets of seven carved panels occupy every other compartment. Between them, the walls are decorated with a representation of the Lindsay coat of arms, with eleven recesses in the form of a fess chequy, or chequered band, surmounted by three seven-pointed stars, taken from the Stirling of Glenesk arms. Several spaces within the walls, including inside the stars, may have been intended as nesting holes for birds.[27]

The carved panels[edit]
The sets of carved panels depict the seven Cardinal Virtues on the west wall, the seven Liberal Arts to the south, and the seven Planetary Deities on the east wall. Each panel is approximately 1 metre (3.3 ft) high by 60–75 cm (2-2½ ft) wide. The deities are depicted in vesica-shaped (elliptical) frames, the arts under arches, and the virtues in plain rectangles. W. Douglas Simpson describes the arts panels as the weakest set of carvings, again suggesting money was short for the west wall. He declared the arts panels to be the finest work, and compares the style of the deities to contemporary carvings found in Aberdeenshire, suggesting that the mason responsible may have come from there.[28]

The carvings are all based on popular series of engravings, which were often published in pattern books. Nuremberg was the origin of numerous such books, and one may have been brought to Edzell by the miner Hans Ziegler.[29] Specifically, the images of the deities are derived from engravings of 1528–29 by the German artist Georg Pencz (or Iorg Bentz, c. 1500–1550), a pupil of Albrecht Dürer; the initials I. B. appear on the carving of Mars. The arts and virtues are both based on engravings derived from paintings by the Flemish artist Marten de Vos.[30] The engravings, by Jan Sadeler and Crispijn de Passe, were widely distributed in Scotland, along with those of the deities. Indeed, the image of Prudence is identical to that used by the King's Master of Works William Schaw, in the spectacular display to welcome Queen Anne to Scotland, following her marriage to James VI in 1589.[31]
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 5:41 pm

Ethie Castle


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Ethie Castle is a 14th-century castle, situated around 3 miles north of the fishing town of Arbroath in Angus, Scotland.

Ethie Castle dates to around 1300,[1] when the monks at nearby Arbroath Abbey built a sandstone keep. The castle passed through the hands of the de Maxwell family and into the ownership of Scotland's last Cardinal, David Beaton who was murdered in St. Andrews in 1546.[1] Its association with Cardinal Beaton is still evident as the castle includes a small chapel and the Cardinal's Sitting Room, with its secret staircase to the Great Hall above.

The castle was purchased in 1665 by the Carnegie family, who later became the Earls of Northesk. The 7th Earl was a Vice Admiral and commanded with Nelson at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805. As a tribute, the Earl was entitled to incorporate Trafalgar in his arms and this can still be seen set in a dormer at Ethie. In 1928 it was bought by William Cunningham Hector.[1]

The castle is reputed to be the basis for the fictional Castle of Knockwhinnock in Sir Walter Scott's novel The Antiquary.[1][2] Sir Walter Scott was a close friend of William Carnegie, 8th Earl of Northesk and frequently stayed at Ethie Castle.[1]

The castle was restored by the chief of the Forsyth Clan, Alistair Forsyth and it now serves as the clan's seat.[3][4]

Ghosts[edit]
The castle is said to be haunted by a Grey Lady spectre as well as by David Beaton who was Abbot of Arbroath in the 16th Century
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 5:45 pm

Farnell Castle


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Farnell Castle is an oblong[1] tower house dating from the late 16th century[2] four miles south of Brechin, Angus, Scotland.[3]

History[edit]
The present castle replaces a previous castle on the site, in existence in 1296.[2] The castle originated as the Bishop’s palace of the Bishop of Brechin. Bishop Meldrum called it ‘Palatium Nostrum’ in 1512.[3] It was disposed of in about 1566, supposedly by Donald Campbell. It was turned into a secular castle by Catherine, Countess of Crawford.[3] Subsequently the Earl of Southesk purchased the castle.[3] It was an alms house in the 19th century.[1]

Structure[edit]
The castle is a three-storey structure, built from rubble and slate.[1]

The east section, which was the bishop’s residence, has crow-stepped gables. On the north are a projecting garderobe, with sanitary flues. On the east gable, at the level of the floors, there is a double row of corbels, and corbels which appear to have been for the purpose of supporting a roofed gallery. On the northern skewpots are small carved shields. One has the initial M, and a crown above; the other I.M., thought to stand for ‘Jesu Maria’[3] There is a circular stair tower in front.[2]

It is a category A listed building.[1]

There is ruined rectangular lean-to dovecot with rubble walls supported by later buttressing in the castle grounds.[
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 5:50 pm

Finavon Castle

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Finavon Castle lies on the River South Esk, about a quarter of a mile south of Milton of Finavon village and five miles to the north-east of Forfar in Angus, Scotland. The name is applied both to a ruined 17th-century castle, as well as the 19th-century mansion house 130m to the west.
Finavon_Castle ruin Angus.jpg
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Contents [hide]
1 History
2 The castle
3 The house
4 Other nearby features
5 References
History[edit]
The estate was the property of the Lindsay Earls of Crawford from 1375, who built the now-ruined castle. David Lindsay, 10th Earl of Crawford, married Margaret, the daughter of Cardinal David Beaton, at Finavon in 1546.[1]

Extravagance ruined the Crawford fortunes, and in 1625 the barony of Finavon was disposed of by a forced sale to Alexander Lindsay, 2nd Lord Spynie. It passed through the Carnegie family, the Gordon Earls of Aboyne and the Gardynes.

In 1843 the Castle was bought by Thomas Gardyne of Middleton. Through an 18th-century marriage he came of the old Lindsay stock. His descendant, Lieutenant-Colonel Alan David Greenhill Gardyne died in 1953, leaving the estate to a daughter, Mrs Susan Mazur.[2]

The castle[edit]

Ruins of the earlier Finavon Castle
The castle was an L-plan tower-house of five storeys, with a garret and a courtyard. The tower visible today dates from about 1600. Excavations have revealed that the tower is an adjunct tacked onto the north-east corner of a much older, more extensive structure.[2]

The house[edit]
The house is a Scottish baronial style mansion built in 1865 for the then laird, David Greenhill Gardyne, by Messrs Carver and Symon of Arbroath.[2] Part of the castle is now let as holiday accommodation.

Other nearby features[edit]
The nearby Finavon Doocot is Scotland's largest doocot, with 2400 nesting boxes. It is believed to have been built for the Earl of Crawford in the 16th Century and is now maintained by the National Trust for Scotland.[3]

On Finavon Hill, above the Castle there is a vitrified Iron Age hillfort dating from the mid-1st millennium BC.[4]

The Finavon Castle beat on the River South Esk provides salmon and seatrout fly fishing.
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:21 pm

Forfar Castle


Forfar Castle was an 11th-century castle[1] to the west of Forfar, Scotland.[2]

History[edit]
The castle was apparently surrounded by water and was used as a royal castle by the Scottish kings Malcolm III, William I and Alexander II.[2] Malcolm used it as a base for raising an army to repel Danish invaders.[1] It was garrisoned by Edward I of England, who visited it in 1296. The Scots recaptured it on Christmas Day, 1308, and slaughtered the garrison. After demolition and rebuilding, it had been abandoned by the 1330s.[2]

No trace of the castle remains above ground, although there were remains up to the 17th century
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Re: Castles in Scotland, Angus.

PostThu Feb 12, 2015 9:27 pm

Glamis Castle


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Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis /ˈɡlɑːmz/ in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public.

Glamis Castle has been the home of the Lyon family since the 14th century, though the present building dates largely from the 17th century. Glamis was the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, wife of King George VI. Their second daughter, Princess Margaret, Countess of Snowdon, was born there.

The castle is protected as a category A listed building,[1] and the grounds are included on the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland, the national listing of significant gardens.[2]

Contents [hide]
1 Setting
2 History
3 Legends and tales
3.1 The Monster of Glamis
3.2 Earl Beardie
3.3 Other traditions
4 Description
5 Archives
6 See also
7 References
8 External links
Setting[edit]

Glamis Castle
Glamis is set in the broad and fertile lowland valley of Strathmore, near Forfar, county town of Angus, which lies between the Sidlaw Hills to the south and the Grampian Mountains to the north, approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) inland from the North Sea. The estate surrounding the castle covers more than 57 square kilometres (14,000 acres) and, in addition to parks and gardens, produces several cash crops including lumber and beef. There are two streams running through the estate, one of them the Glamis Burn. An arboretum overlooking Glamis Burn features trees from all over the world, many of them rare and several hundred years old. and other small wildlife are common throughout the grounds.

History[edit]

Glamis Castle in the snow, circa 1880
The vicinity of Glamis Castle has prehistoric traces; for example, a noted intricately carved Pictish stone known as the Eassie Stone was found in a creek-bed at the nearby village of Eassie.[3]


Rosa 'Glamis Castle', a rose was named after Glamis Castle by the English rosegrower David Austin
In 1034 AD King Malcolm II was murdered at Glamis,[4] where there was a Royal Hunting Lodge.[5] In William Shakespeare's play Macbeth (1603–06), the eponymous character resides at Glamis Castle, although the historical King Macbeth (d. 1057) had no connection to the castle.

By 1376 a castle had been built at Glamis, since in that year it was granted by King Robert II to Sir John Lyon, Thane of Glamis, husband of the king's daughter. Glamis has remained in the Lyon (later Bowes-Lyon) family since this time. The castle was rebuilt as an L-plan tower house in the early 15th century.[6]

The title Lord Glamis was created in 1445 for Sir Patrick Lyon (1402–1459), grandson of Sir John. A legend tells of the 15th-century "Earl Beardie", who has been identified with both Alexander Lyon, 2nd Lord Glamis (died 1486),[7] and with Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford (died 1453).[8] Several versions exist, but they all involve "Earl Beardie" playing cards. However, it was the sabbath, and either his hosts refused to play, or a servant advised him to stop. Lord Beardie became so furious that he claimed that he would play until doomsday, or with the Devil himself, depending on the version. A stranger then appears at the castle and joins Lord Beardie in a game of cards. The stranger is identified with the Devil, who takes Earl Beardie's soul and, in some versions, condemns the Earl to play cards until doomsday.[7][9]

John Lyon, 6th Lord Glamis, married Janet Douglas, daughter of the Master of Angus, at a time when King James V was feuding with the Douglases. In December 1528 Janet was accused of treason for bringing supporters of the Earl of Angus to Edinburgh. She was then charged with poisoning her husband, Lord Glamis, who had died on 17 September 1528. Eventually, she was accused of witchcraft, and was burned at the stake at Edinburgh on 17 July 1537. James V subsequently seized Glamis, living there for some time.[5]

In 1543 Glamis was returned to John Lyon, 7th Lord Glamis. In 1606, Patrick Lyon, 9th Lord Glamis, was created Earl of Kinghorne. He began major works on the castle, commemorated by the inscription "Built by Patrick, Lord Glamis, and D[ame] Anna Murray" on the central tower.[1] The English architect Inigo Jones has traditionally been linked to the redesign of the castle, though Historic Scotland consider the King's Master Mason William Schaw a more likely candidate, due to the traditional Scottish style of the architecture.[1]

During the Commonwealth of England, Scotland and Ireland, soldiers were garrisoned at Glamis. In 1670 Patrick Lyon, 3rd Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, returned to the castle and found it uninhabitable. Restorations took place until 1689, including the creation of a major Baroque garden.[1][5] John Lyon, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, succeeded in 1753, and in 1767 he married Mary Eleanor Bowes, heiress to a coal-mining fortune. He set about improving the grounds of the castle in the picturesque style in the 1770s.[1] The south-west wing was rebuilt after a fire in the early 19th century. In the 1920s a huge fireplace from Gibside, the Bowes-Lyon estate near Wakefield, was removed and placed in Glamis' Billiard Room. The fireplace displays the coat of arms of the Blakiston family; Gibside heiress Elizabeth Blakiston had married Sir William Bowes.[6][10] Several interiors, including the Dining Room, also date from the 18th and 19th centuries.[1]

In 1900, Lady Elizabeth Bowes Lyon was born, youngest daughter of Claude Bowes-Lyon, 14th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne and his countess, Cecilia. She spent much of her childhood at Glamis, which was used during the First World War, as a military hospital.[1] She was particularly instrumental in organising the rescue of the castle's contents during a serious fire on 16 September 1916.[11] On 26 April 1923 she married Prince Albert, Duke of York, second son of King George V, at Westminster Abbey. Their second daughter, Princess Margaret, was born at Glamis Castle in 1930.[1]

Since 1987 an illustration of the castle has featured on the reverse side of ten pound notes issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland.[12] Glamis is currently the home of Michael Bowes-Lyon, 18th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne, a former army officer, who succeeded to the earldom in 1987.

Legends and tales[edit]
The Monster of Glamis[edit]
Main article: Monster of Glamis
The most famous legend connected with the castle is that of the Monster of Glamis, a hideously deformed child born to the family. Some accounts came from singer and composer Virginia Gabriel who stayed at the castle in 1870.[13] In the story, the monster was kept in the castle all his life and his suite of rooms bricked up after his death.[7][14][15][16] Another monster is supposed to have dwelt in Loch Calder near the castle.

An alternative version of the legend is that to every generation of the family a vampire child is born and is walled up in that room.[14]

There is an old story that guests staying at Glamis once hung towels from the windows of every room in a bid to find the bricked-up suite of the monster. When they looked at it from outside, several windows were apparently towel-less.[14]

The legend of the monster may have been inspired by the true story of the Ogilvies.[14][17][18] Somewhere in the 16-foot-thick (4.9 m) walls is the famous room of skulls, where the Ogilvie family, who sought protection from their enemies the Lindsays, were walled up to die of starvation.

Earl Beardie[edit]
Another legend tells of "Earl Beardie", who has been identified with both Alexander Lyon, 2nd Lord Glamis,[7] and Alexander Lindsay, 4th Earl of Crawford.[8] Several versions exist, but they all involve "Earl Beardie" playing cards. However, it was the sabbath, and either his hosts refused to play, or a servant advised him to stop. Lord Beardie became so furious that he claimed that he would play until doomsday, or with the Devil himself, depending on the version. A stranger then appears at the castle and joins Lord Beardie in a game of cards. The stranger is identified with the Devil, who takes Earl Beardie's soul and, in some versions, condemns the Earl to play cards until doomsday.[7][9]

Other traditions[edit]
According to the official website for Glamis Castle, in 1034, King Malcolm II was mortally wounded in a nearby battle and taken to a Royal Hunting Lodge, which sat at the site of the present castle, where he died.

The late Sir David Bowes-Lyon, while taking a late stroll on the lawn after dinner, reportedly saw a girl gripping the bars of a castle window and staring distractedly into the night. He was about to speak to her when she abruptly disappeared, as if someone had torn her away from the window.[citation needed]

Description[edit]
The towers in front of the castle each measure 7 metres (23 ft) in diameter and are about 4 metres (13 ft) high, each having a modern parapet. The walls are 1 metre (3 ft 3 in) thick.[6]

There is a small chapel within the castle with seating for 46 people. The story given to visitors by castle tour guides states that one seat in the chapel is always reserved for the "Grey Lady" (supposedly a ghost which inhabits the castle), thought to be Janet Douglas, Lady Glamis. According to the guides, the chapel is still used regularly for family functions, but no one is allowed to sit in that seat.[citation needed]

Archives[edit]
The clock tower houses the castle's archives which include a wide range of historical material relating to the castle and the Bowes and Lyon families. These include a papal bull and the memoirs of Mary Eleanor Bowes. The current archivist is Ingrid Thomson. The Glamis archives have a close connection with the archives at the University of Dundee, and researchers who wish to consult material held in the Glamis Castle Archive do so in the search room at the University.[
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