Building record MAB11299 - FINDOCHTY CASTLE
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Summary
Remains of castle first mentioned in 1568, and dating from the 15th or 16th century, and a mid-19th century cottage.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (C) 15538
- Scheduled Monument 5489
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 4556 6737 (82m by 58m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ46NE |
| Authority | Moray |
| Civil Parish | Rathven |
Type and Period (10)
- WALL (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- COURTYARD (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- TOWER (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- HEARTH (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- Cottage (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- CASTLE (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- TOWER HOUSE (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- ARCH (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- UNDERCROFT (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
- HEARTH (12th Century to 19th Century - 1100 AD to 1899 AD)
Full Description
Remains of castle first mentioned in 1568, and dating from the 15th or 16th century, and a mid-19th century cottage. It is a 3-storey, small, roofless, L-plan towerhouse on a naturally mounded site with traces of a retaining wall to the south. It is constructed of harl pointed rubble with roughly tooled sandstone dressings. There is a narrow doorway in the south elevation with a relieving arch. It originally extended further east, but and a later single-storey addition to east, which incorporates part of the enclosing north wall, replaced the most eastern part. Part of a courtyard wall projects 1.5m from the north-east corner of the extension. It reappears as a stretch of foundation 8.5m to the east, and is visible for approximately 11 m. The ruined tower and west wing survive to a height of circa 8 m (26 ft). The tower itself is a square stair-tower, projecting from the North wall with the re-entrant angle in the north-west. These were repaired in the 1880s. Inside, there is a vaulted undercroft that presumably held the kitchen, and has a mural hearth in the West wall. There is also a first floor hall. With the exception of part of the north wall and the west wing, the main building has been destroyed. It was formally situated at the West end of a small loch, but it is now drained. The castle is also known as 'Findochty' or 'House of Findochty'. A masked skewputt, probably 16th century, and from the castle, has been re-used on the Mains of Findochty farm steading circa 40 m to the north. The cottage is a small sing-storey, 3-bay cottage that is constructed from whitewashed rubble, probably salvaged from the castle. It has a centre entrance in a small gabled porch, small flanking windows, end stacks and a pantiled roof.
Period Notes
First mentioned in 1568, and built in the 15th or 16th century. Tower & West wing repaired in the 1880's. Cottage built in the mid-19th century. Listed designation given on 22/02/1972, scheduled on 09/12/1992.
CRAMOND, W, 1888, T BANFF FC, 58, 146-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB310.
MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, 608-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.
SIMPSON, W D, 1931, THREE BANFFSHIRE CASTLES. IN: TRANS BANFFSHIRE FIELD CLUB, (OCT 1931), 69-94, 92-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1659.
BOGDAN, NQ, 1991, Castles, Manors & Town House survey, 37 (Bibliographic reference). SAB2251.
Jun 9 2008 , Untitled Source (Ground Photograph). SAB32189.
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, RATHVEN 14 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Oct 29 2015 , PUB-GR-15-10-019, PUB-GR-15-10-019 (Ground Photograph). SAB32262.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: MOR;
- HES Listed Building Number: 15538;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 5489;
- NMR Card Number: NJ46NE2;
- NRHE Numlink: 17394;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ46NE0002;
External Links (3)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB15538 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM5489 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/17394 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (7)
- --- SAB1140 Bibliographic reference: MACGIBBON, D. 1892. THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5. Y. 608-9.
- --- SAB1659 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, W D. 1931. THREE BANFFSHIRE CASTLES. IN: TRANS BANFFSHIRE FIELD CLUB, (OCT 1931), 69-94. 92-4.
- --- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. RATHVEN 14.
- --- SAB2251 Bibliographic reference: BOGDAN, NQ. 1991. Castles, Manors & Town House survey. Y. 37.
- --- SAB310 Bibliographic reference: CRAMOND, W. 1888. T BANFF FC, 58. 146-7.
- --- SAB32189 Ground Photograph: Jun 9 2008 . DG.
- --- SAB32262 Ground Photograph: Oct 29 2015 . PUB-GR-15-10-019. Digital. PUB-GR-15-10-019.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Dec 8 2022 4:49PM
