Building record MAB14327 - FINDLATER CASTLE
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Summary
Remains of a castle.
Protected Status/Designation
- Scheduled Monument 2846
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NJ 5422 6715 (162m by 228m) Centred at - Polygon: Unknown Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NJ56NW |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Fordyce |
Type and Period (6)
- CASTLE (12th Century to 16th Century - 1100 AD to 1599 AD)
- STABLE (12th Century to 16th Century - 1100 AD to 1599 AD)
- CHAPEL (12th Century to 16th Century - 1100 AD to 1599 AD)
- BAILEY (12th Century to 16th Century - 1100 AD to 1599 AD)
- DITCH (12th Century to 16th Century - 1100 AD to 1599 AD)
- BANK (EARTHWORK) (12th Century to 16th Century - 1100 AD to 1599 AD)
Full Description
Remains of a castle. During the reign of David II, the castle belonged to the St Clair family, but later became the seat of the Ogilvies. It was deserted by mid 17th Century. This once extensive fortress stands on a lofty detached rock, surrounded by the sea except where a narrow rocky isthmus joins it to the main land. Its approach on the mainland was defended by a rectangular bailey consisting of a ditch circa 8 m wide, 1.2 m deep with an upcast bank on its inner side, 3.5 m wide and 1 m high. The approach from here to the castle has been eroded away. The buildings on the west side of the castle are in a ruinous and dangerous condition. On the east side of the area only the outline of the stables and chapel can be traced. Following damage from unauthorised pit digging across the scheduled monument, CFA carried out a programme of re-excavation, recording, returfing and survey of the 14 pits. No evidence of archaeological finds were found within any of the pits. Site visit in 2022 as part of the SCAPE Coastal Zone Assessment Survey.
Period Notes
Original seat of Ogilvies; abandoned after 1600 for palace in Cullen. 16thC doocot.
PENNANT, T, 1774, A TOUR IN SCOTLAND 1769, 137 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1405.
ROBERTSON, J, 1869, ILLUSTRATED TOPOGRAPHY & ANTIQUITIES OF ABERDEEN & BANFF, PART II, 95 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1505.
SPENCE, J, 1873, RUINED CASTLES OF BANFF, 28-44 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1797.
GROOME, FH, 1884, ORDNANCE GAZETEER OF SCOTLAND, PART III, 26 (Bibliographic reference). SAB603.
SIMPSON, W D, 1931, THREE BANFFSHIRE CASTLES. IN: TRANS BANFFSHIRE FIELD CLUB, (OCT 1931), 69-94, 81-92 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1659.
TRANTER, N, 1974, NE SHIRES BANFF, MORAY & NAIRN, 41 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1920.
SALTER, M, 1985, DISCOVERING SCOTTISH CASTLES, 52 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1617.
CFA ARCHAEOLOGY, 2022, MINOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES CALL-OFF CONTRACT FINDLATER CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE (SM2846) (Bibliographic reference). SAB8632.
SCAPE, 2023, COASTAL ZONE ASSESSMENT SURVEY ABERDEENSHIRE AND CITY OF ABERDEEN: CULLEN TO MILTON NESS, ID 14707 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4866.
Aug 9 1977 , AAS/77/11/RD/10, AAS/77/11/RD/10 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13718.
Aug 9 1977 , AAS/77/11/SR/3, AAS/77/11/SR/3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13717.
Jan 1 1976 , AAS/GR/76/CT145, AAS/GR/76/CT145 (Ground Photograph). SAB32449.
Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/77/CT58-59, AAS/GR/77/CT58-59 (Ground Photograph). SAB32490.
Jul 23 2016 , AAS-GR-16-07-031 - 032, AAS-GR-16-07-031 - 032 (Ground Photograph). SAB35518.
Jul 28 1972 , BKG 94, BKG 94 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13719.
Jun 23 2016 , AAS-GR-16-06-020, AAS-GR-16-06-020 (Ground Photograph). SAB32325.
Mar 3 1994 , AAS/94/06/G15/15-17, AAS/94/06/G15/15-17 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15060.
Mar 9 1995 , AAS/95/03/CT1, AAS/95/03/CT1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19601.
Mar 9 1995 , AAS/95/03/G8/12-15, AAS/95/03/G8/12-15 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB15684.
Mar 27 2016 , AAS-GR-16-03-203 - 321, AAS-GR-16-03-203 - 321 (Ground Photograph). SAB35413.
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, FORDYCE 41 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, No XII(1840-5) 186-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Oct 1 2012 , AAS-GR-12-10-001,2, AAS-GR-12-10-001,2 (Ground Photograph). SAB13517.
Oct 5 2000 , AAS/00/14/CT54-7, AAS/00/14/CT54-7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17491.
Oct 5 2000 , AAS/00/14/G35/7-11, AAS/00/14/G35/7-11 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB17492.
Sep 5 1984 , CW 12-12a, CW 12-12a (Ground Photograph). SAB13720.
Sep 5 1984 , CX 2-9, CX 2-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB13721.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HES Scheduled Monument Number: 2846;
- NMR Card Number: NJ56NW15;
- NRHE Numlink: 17948;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ56NW0010;
External Links (2)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM2846 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/17948 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (27)
- --- SAB1269 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. NSA. No XII(1840-5) 186-7.
- --- SAB13517 Ground Photograph: Oct 1 2012 . AAS-GR-12-10-001,2. Digital. AAS-GR-12-10-001,2.
- --- SAB13717 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 9 1977 . AAS/77/11/SR/3. Black & White. AAS/77/11/SR/3.
- --- SAB13718 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 9 1977 . AAS/77/11/RD/10. Black & White. AAS/77/11/RD/10.
- --- SAB13719 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 28 1972 . BKG 94. Black & White. BKG 94.
- --- SAB13720 Ground Photograph: Sep 5 1984 . CW 12-12a. Black & White. CW 12-12a.
- --- SAB13721 Ground Photograph: Sep 5 1984 . CX 2-9. Black & White. CX 2-9.
- --- SAB1405 Bibliographic reference: PENNANT, T. 1774. A TOUR IN SCOTLAND 1769. 137.
- --- SAB1505 Bibliographic reference: ROBERTSON, J. 1869. ILLUSTRATED TOPOGRAPHY & ANTIQUITIES OF ABERDEEN & BANFF. Y. Y. PART II, 95.
- --- SAB15060 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 3 1994 . AAS/94/06/G15/15-17. Black & White. AAS/94/06/G15/15-17.
- --- SAB15684 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 9 1995 . AAS/95/03/G8/12-15. Black & White. AAS/95/03/G8/12-15.
- --- SAB1617 Bibliographic reference: SALTER, M. 1985. DISCOVERING SCOTTISH CASTLES. 52.
- --- SAB1659 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, W D. 1931. THREE BANFFSHIRE CASTLES. IN: TRANS BANFFSHIRE FIELD CLUB, (OCT 1931), 69-94. 81-92.
- --- SAB17491 Air-oblique Photograph: Oct 5 2000 . AAS/00/14/CT54-7. Colour Transparency. AAS/00/14/CT54-7.
- --- SAB17492 Air-oblique Photograph: Oct 5 2000 . AAS/00/14/G35/7-11. Black & White. AAS/00/14/G35/7-11.
- --- SAB1797 Bibliographic reference: SPENCE, J. 1873. RUINED CASTLES OF BANFF. 28-44.
- --- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. FORDYCE 41.
- --- SAB1920 Bibliographic reference: TRANTER, N. 1974. NE SHIRES BANFF, MORAY & NAIRN. 41.
- --- SAB19601 Air-oblique Photograph: Mar 9 1995 . AAS/95/03/CT1. Colour Transparency. AAS/95/03/CT1.
- --- SAB32325 Ground Photograph: Jun 23 2016 . AAS-GR-16-06-020. Digital. AAS-GR-16-06-020.
- --- SAB32449 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1976 . AAS/GR/76/CT145. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/76/CT145.
- --- SAB32490 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1977 . AAS/GR/77/CT58-59. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/77/CT58-59.
- --- SAB35413 Ground Photograph: Mar 27 2016 . AAS-GR-16-03-203 - 321. Digital. AAS-GR-16-03-203 - 321.
- --- SAB35518 Ground Photograph: Jul 23 2016 . AAS-GR-16-07-031 - 032. Digital. AAS-GR-16-07-031 - 032.
- --- SAB4866 Bibliographic reference: SCAPE. 2023. COASTAL ZONE ASSESSMENT SURVEY ABERDEENSHIRE AND CITY OF ABERDEEN: CULLEN TO MILTON NESS. ID 14707.
- --- SAB603 Bibliographic reference: GROOME, FH. 1884. ORDNANCE GAZETEER OF SCOTLAND. Y. Y. PART III, 26.
- --- SAB8632 Bibliographic reference: CFA ARCHAEOLOGY. 2022. MINOR ARCHAEOLOGICAL SERVICES CALL-OFF CONTRACT FINDLATER CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE (SM2846).
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (3)
Record last edited
Mar 28 2024 11:57AM
