Building record MAB19862 - TOWIE BARCLAY CASTLE

Castle, dating from the mid 16th Century, which was probably built on the site of an earlier castle.

Castle, dating from the mid 16th Century, which was probably built on the site of an earlier castle. Built in 1593 for Alexander Barclay chief of Clan Barclay, it is of L-plan, and the arms and initials of St Patrick Barclay are carved on the central boss of the vault of the entrance vestibule. At first floor level the late Gothic hall measures 30 feet by 20 feet. It was almost certainly built by the same master mason as Craig, Dalgety and Gight castles. The castle was sold in 1773 to the Earl of Findlater. In the late 18th Century the turrets and embrasures were removed, the top two stories taken off and the ditch filled up. The castle lay derelict until 1970 when it was bought and restored. It now rises to four storeys, the upper two being constructed in the 1970s. It has a fine rib-vaulted hall with a small oratory above the entrance to the hall. The farmsteading to the east of the castle is of mid 19th century date, comprising two single-storey and loft L-plan blocks forming a U-plan, the northeast corner comprising a carriage house and cottage. They are rubble-built and slated, with a loft dovecot and incorporating fragments from the castle.

Period Notes
Castle mentioned in 1558, 1587; present building c1593; turrets removed 1792; farm buildings built 1869; castle altered 1873; renovated 1971-73.

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

PRATT, J. B., 1858, BUCHAN: A TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION, P.271-275 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1410.

JERVISE, A, 1862, PSAS 4(1860-2) 578-592, 588 (Bibliographic reference). SAB892.

ROBERTSON, J, 1869, ILLUSTRATED TOPOGRAPHY & ANTIQUITIES OF ABERDEEN & BANFF, P.363-372 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1505.

MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, 51-2 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.

MACLEOD, N. K., 1895, THE CASTLES OF BUCHAN AND NOTES BY THE WAY, p.45-48 (Bibliographic reference). SAB4691.

BANNERMAN, W, 1897, THE THANAGE OF GLENDOWACHIE (Bibliographic reference). SAB3743.

MAHOOD, AE, 1919, BANFF & DISTRICT, P.154-159 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1149.

SIMPSON, WD, 1930, PSAS 64(1929-30) 48-95, 84-5, PLAN (Bibliographic reference). SAB1657.

CRUDEN, SH, 1960, THE SCOTTISH CASTLE , 166 (Bibliographic reference). SAB247.

TRANTER, N, 1977, FORTIFIED HOUSE IN SCOT VOL 4, 165-6 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1950.

COUTTS, C, 1990, A REAPPRAISAL OF THE RESTORATION OF SELECTED NORTH-EAST CASTLES. BSC DISSERTATION, Dissertation (Bibliographic reference). SAB5381.

COUTTS, C, 1990, A STUDY OF THE RESTORATION OF FOUR CASTLES IN ABERDEENSHIRE, pp.5-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB5314.

SCOTTISH MONUMENTS SURVEY, 1990, JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES, p.23 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1738.

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

Jul 6 2006 , DP 018433 , DP 018433 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB20038.

Jun 19 1997 , AAS/97/08/CT35-39, 41-44, AAS/97/08/CT35-39, 41-44 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16767.

Jun 19 1997 , AAS/97/08/G17/6,7, AAS/97/08/G17/6,7 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16766.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, TURRIFF 16 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 17/01/85 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Author unknown, n.d., LEOPARD MAGAZINE, 1978? P.9-12 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1074.

Record last edited

Sep 23 2025 3:30PM