Building record MAB14666 - FORDYCE CASTLE

Castle, built in 1592 with 18th century extensions.

Castle, built in 1592 with 18th century extensions. Built for Thomas Menzies of Durn, a Provost of Aberdeen, who renewed the burgh charter in the same year, and whose monogram is carved on the southwest turret. It takes the form of a small 3-storey and attic tower house with 4-storey jamb forming L-plan and with substantial, circa 1700 addition at the north gable. Heavily pointed random rubble with ashlar dressings and margins. Doorway in re-entrant angle formed by projecting stair tower with moulded surround and small blind niche above with dated lintel. There is a further doorway in the main elevation serving a vaulted undercroft, the undercroft entrance flanked by slit vents. Shallow rounded corbelled stair turret projects in re-entrant angle from first floor height, and there is banded corbelling decorated with variations of cable moulding in diminishing courses terminating as foliated stop. Depressed bartizan turrets at southwest and northeast angles with corbelled base, small gun loops, small windows and conical local slate roofs with apex finials. Enlarged first floor window under relieving arch in front elevation and a similar window in the south gable now blocked. Single front elevation second floor window breaks wallhead under swept dormer. All other windows are very small and are sited randomly. There are decorative gun loops in all elevations and at all levels. Glazing is 12-pane in large windows, 4-pane in small, and there are slit lights to the stair turret. Squat coped ridge and end stacks and a Banffshire slate roof. The castle was extended circa 1700 with 2-storey and attic, 4-bay wing projects from north gable. This is harled, with three ground floor doorways, main entrance in outer right bay of the first floor approached by external forestair. There are three small first floor windows with 9-pane glazing, and three later gabled dormers breaking the wallhead with 12-pane glazing. Crowstepped gable, and squat coped end and ridge stacks. The north wing was formerly known as Glassaugh House and was used as a parish school between 1716 and 1789. Now converted to private residence and holiday accommodation.

Period Notes
Built 1592; 18thC extensions.

THE SCOTSMAN, 0000, THE SCOTSMAN, 28/08/2008 P.16 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1819.

ROBERTSON, J, 1869, ILLUSTRATED TOPOGRAPHY & ANTIQUITIES OF ABERDEEN & BANFF, VOL II, 94 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1505.

MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, No3, 606-8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.

GILLESPIE, J, 1922, DETAILS OF SCOT DOM ARCH, 33 (Bibliographic reference). SAB589.

CRUDEN, SH, 1960, THE SCOTTISH CASTLE , 222 (Bibliographic reference). SAB247.

TRANTER, N, 1970, FORTIFIED HOUSE IN SCOT VOL 4, 58-9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1918.

SALTER, M, 1985, DISCOVERING SCOTTISH CASTLES, 52 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1617.

LINDSAY, M, 1986, THE CASTLES OF SCOTLAND, 249,251 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1058.

Aug 17 1978 , AAS/78/06/S8/5-7, AAS/78/06/S8/5-7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13744.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/77/CT54, AAS/GR/77/CT54 (Ground Photograph). SAB32486.

Jan 1 1992 , AAS/GR/92/CT68,75,80, AAS/GR/92/CT68,75,80 (Ground Photograph). SAB32856.

Jan 1 1998 , AAS/GR/98/CT517-540, AAS/GR/98/CT517-540 (Ground Photograph). SAB33107.

Jul 12 2010 , AAS/10/3/DG1989, 1993, AAS/10/3/DG1989, 1993 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB13074.

Jun 28 1937 , BN 721,736, BN 721,736 (Ground Photograph). SAB20590.

Mar 1 1999 , AAS/GR/99/CT14-24, AAS/GR/99/CT14-24 (Ground Photograph). SAB33132.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, FORDYCE 10 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., COUNTRY LIFE, 102(1947) 1160 (Bibliographic reference). SAB276.

Record last edited

Feb 6 2023 2:52PM