Building record MAB15837 - DUNNIDEER CASTLE

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Summary

Remains of tower house castle, probably the earliest authenticated example of a tower house in Scotland with a suggested build date of circa 1260AD.

Protected Status/Designation

Scheduled Monument 95: Hill of Dunnideer fort, platform, settlement and tower

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Location

Grid reference	Centred NJ 6122 2815 (55m by 41m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent
Map sheet	NJ62NW
Authority	Aberdeenshire
Civil Parish	Insch

Type and Period (2)

Full Description

Remains of tower house castle, probably the earliest authenticated example of a tower house in Scotland with a suggested build date of circa 1260AD. Traditionally, a castle is said to have been built at this site in 890AD by Gregory the Great, with further suggestion of a castle being built by David, Earl of Huntingdon and Garioch, in 1178. The castle stands within an earlier hillfort (NJ62NW0001) and is built from vitrified fort material. It is a simple rectangular tower, apparently unvaulted, and has two narrow slit-widows in the basement. The west gable stands to a height of 9.14m with a broken lancet window in it. The ruins were consolidated in 1961.

Period Notes
Traditionally built AD 890 by Gregory the Great but it is more likely in 1178. Earliest reference 1260 in the Chartulary of Lindores; on map of 1465, charter dated 1565.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 14/12/84 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

CARDONNEL, A, 1788, PICTURESQUE ANTIQ OF SCOT, VIEW (Bibliographic reference). SAB218.

LAING, A, 1828, DONEAN TOURIST, 245 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1049.

LEITH-HAY, A, 1849, CASTELLATED ARCHITECTURE OF ABERDEENSHIRE, pp21-22 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1052.

ORDNANCE SURVEY, 1871, Ordnance Name Book, No41(1887) 55 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1360.

MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, VOL 4,391 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.

SIMPSON, WD, 1935, PSAS 69(1934-5) 460-71, 460-470 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1664.

SIMPSON, WD, 1943, PROVINCE OF MAR, 131 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1676.

CRUDEN, SH, 1960, THE SCOTTISH CASTLE , 126-127 (Bibliographic reference). SAB247.

MOW, 1961, A M'S SCOT, 8 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1166.

FEACHEM, RW, 1963, PREHISTORIC SCOTLAND, 105 (Bibliographic reference). SAB503.

RIVET, ALF, 1966, IRON AGE IN N BRITAIN, 69, PLAN (Bibliographic reference). SAB1529.

SCOTTISH MONUMENTS SURVEY, 1990, JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES, p.9 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1738.

BOGDAN, N, 2008, EARLY CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE (Bibliographic reference). SAB3811.

Apr 28 2021 , ABS-GR-21-04-016 - 021, ABS-GR-21-04-016 - 021 (Ground Photograph). SAB35856.

Aug 10 1977 , AAS/77/03/SC/15, AAS/77/03/SC/15 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12381.

Feb 8 1994 , AAS/94/02/G4/9-13, AAS/94/02/G4/9-13 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14962.

Jan 1 1978 , AAS/GR/78/CT129, AAS/GR/78/CT129 (Ground Photograph). SAB32542.

Jan 24 2000 , AAS/00/02/CT21-9, AAS/00/02/CT21-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12241.

Jan 24 2000 , AAS/00/02/G2/14-5, AAS/00/02/G2/14-5 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12240.

Jul 21 1976 , CAF 67, CAF 67 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12385.

Jul 23 1962 , AGL 2-3, AGL 2-3 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12386.

Jul 25 1984 , AAS/84/08/R19(1)/9, AAS/84/08/R19(1)/9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12384.

Jun 1 1996 , AAS/GR/96/CT75, AAS/GR/96/CT75 (Ground Photograph). SAB32966.

Jun 13 1996 , AAS/GR/96/CT125,129, AAS/GR/96/CT125,129 (Ground Photograph). SAB32976.

Mar 1 1997 , AAS/GR/97/CT68,71, AAS/GR/97/CT68,71 (Ground Photograph). SAB33014.

Mar 28 1997 , AAS/GR/97/CT74, AAS/GR/97/CT74 (Ground Photograph). SAB33015.

May 4 1985 , EJ 29-35, EJ 29-35 (Ground Photograph). SAB12382.

May 25 1995 , AAS/GR/95/CT142, AAS/GR/95/CT142 (Ground Photograph). SAB32919.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, 17 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Sep 6 1984 , AAS/84/14/S8/1-20, AAS/84/14/S8/1-20 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB12383.

Other Statuses/References

Authority: ASH;
HES Scheduled Monument Number: 95;
NMR Card Number: NJ62NW1;
NRHE Numlink: 18128;
Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ62NW0043;

External Links (2)

https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM95 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
https://www.trove.scot/place/18128 (trove.scot link)

Sources/Archives (31)

--- SAB1049 Bibliographic reference: LAING, A. 1828. DONEAN TOURIST. 245.
--- SAB1052 Bibliographic reference: LEITH-HAY, A. 1849. CASTELLATED ARCHITECTURE OF ABERDEENSHIRE. pp21-22.
--- SAB1140 Bibliographic reference: MACGIBBON, D. 1892. THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5. Y. VOL 4,391.
--- SAB1166 Bibliographic reference: MOW. 1961. A M'S SCOT. 8.
--- SAB12240 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 24 2000 . AAS/00/02/G2/14-5. Black & White. AAS/00/02/G2/14-5.
--- SAB12241 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 24 2000 . AAS/00/02/CT21-9. Colour Transparency. AAS/00/02/CT21-9.
--- SAB12381 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 10 1977 . AAS/77/03/SC/15. Black & White. AAS/77/03/SC/15.
--- SAB12382 Ground Photograph: May 4 1985 . EJ 29-35. Black & White. EJ 29-35.
--- SAB12383 Air-oblique Photograph: Sep 6 1984 . AAS/84/14/S8/1-20. Black & White. AAS/84/14/S8/1-20.
--- SAB12384 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 25 1984 . AAS/84/08/R19(1)/9. Black & White. AAS/84/08/R19(1)/9.
--- SAB12385 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 21 1976 . CAF 67. Black & White. CAF 67.
--- SAB12386 Air-oblique Photograph: Jul 23 1962 . AGL 2-3. Black & White. AGL 2-3.
--- SAB1360 Bibliographic reference: ORDNANCE SURVEY. 1871. Ordnance Name Book. No41(1887) 55.
--- SAB1416 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 14/12/84.
--- SAB14962 Air-oblique Photograph: Feb 8 1994 . AAS/94/02/G4/9-13. Black & White. AAS/94/02/G4/9-13.
--- SAB1529 Bibliographic reference: RIVET, ALF. 1966. IRON AGE IN N BRITAIN. Y. Y. 69, PLAN.
--- SAB1664 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, WD. 1935. PSAS 69(1934-5) 460-71. 460-470.
--- SAB1676 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, WD. 1943. PROVINCE OF MAR. 131.
--- SAB1738 Bibliographic reference: SCOTTISH MONUMENTS SURVEY. 1990. JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES. p.9.
--- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. 17.
--- SAB218 Bibliographic reference: CARDONNEL, A. 1788. PICTURESQUE ANTIQ OF SCOT. VIEW.
--- SAB247 Bibliographic reference: CRUDEN, SH. 1960. THE SCOTTISH CASTLE . 126-127.
--- SAB32542 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1978 . AAS/GR/78/CT129. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/78/CT129.
--- SAB32919 Ground Photograph: May 25 1995 . AAS/GR/95/CT142. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/95/CT142.
--- SAB32966 Ground Photograph: Jun 1 1996 . AAS/GR/96/CT75. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/96/CT75.
--- SAB32976 Ground Photograph: Jun 13 1996 . AAS/GR/96/CT125,129. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/96/CT125,129.
--- SAB33014 Ground Photograph: Mar 1 1997 . AAS/GR/97/CT68,71. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/97/CT68,71.
--- SAB33015 Ground Photograph: Mar 28 1997 . AAS/GR/97/CT74. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/97/CT74.
--- SAB35856 Ground Photograph: Apr 28 2021 . ABS-GR-21-04-016 - 021. Digital. ABS-GR-21-04-016 - 021.
--- SAB3811 Bibliographic reference: BOGDAN, N. 2008. EARLY CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE.
--- SAB503 Bibliographic reference: FEACHEM, RW. 1963. PREHISTORIC SCOTLAND. 105.