Building record MAB23542 - CASTLE OF DUNDARG

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Summary

Remains of promontory fort and later castle, also known as Dundarg Castle.

Protected Status/Designation

Scheduled Monument 2450

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Location

Grid reference	Centred NJ 8945 6487 (181m by 192m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent
Map sheet	NJ86SE
Authority	Aberdeenshire
Civil Parish	Aberdour

Type and Period (10)

Full Description

Remains of promontory fort and later castle, also known as Dundarg Castle. The prehistoric phase of Dundarg consists of the outer multiple ditch and banks, bone-rich midden deposits, probably post-holes on the promontory itself, together with worked flints and an enamelled bronze button with swastika symbol dated to the 3rd or 4th century AD. The inner ditch of the fort was widened to form a later castle moat. Simpson believed that Dundarg was the 'Cathair of Abbordobor' which the Mormaer Bede the Pict made over to St Drostan on his arrival at Aberdour in the 6th century AD, as narrated in The Book of Deer. Simpson considered the Celtic chapel to be represented by foundations of a building set at right angles to other buildings in the inner ward, however this has not been proven. The castle was built in the 13th century by Comyns and dismantled, probably by Bruce, in 1308. It was re-built 1334 and destroyed almost immediately afterwards in a famous siege which was broken by the use of cannon, the first known example of such cannonade in Scotland. The inner gatehouse survives though there is some evidence that it was partially rebuilt and provided with gun-loops in the 1550s. The site was finally abandoned in the mid 17th century. The inner gatehouse of the castle survives. A house (Listed, Category B) was built on part of the site by Air Vice Marshall Carnegie in 1937-8 (see NJ86SE0073).

Period Notes
Built 13thC by Comyns & dismantled 1308, probably by Bruce; re-built 1334 & destroyed almost immediately afterwards. Inner gatehouse survives, perhaps partially rebuilt and provided with gunloops in the 1550's. Abandoned in the mid 17thC. Current house was built on part of the site in 1938.

ABD/521/1, ABD/521/1 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14685.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 05/08/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 13/10/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

Author unknown, , PRESS & JOURNAL, 20/10/78 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1416.

MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, 390 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.

BEVERIDGE, W, 1914, PSAS 48(1913-14) 184-92, 184-92 (Bibliographic reference). SAB88.

SIMPSON, WD, 1954, DUNDARG CASTLE, AB UNI ST No131 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1686.

SIMPSON, WD, 1960, T BANFF FC 17,4, 9-25, 9-25 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1689.

CRUDEN, SH, 1960, THE SCOTTISH CASTLE , 202 (Bibliographic reference). SAB247.

SHEPHERD, I A G, 1983, PICTISH SETTLEMENT PROBLEMS IN NE SCOTLAND. IN: CHAPMAN, J & MYTUM, H (EDS) SETTLEMENT IN NORTH BRITAIN – 1000BC-1000AD, 327-56 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1630.

FOJUT, N, 1983, THE DEFENCES OF DUNDARG CASTLE. PSAS 113(1982-3) 449-56, 449-56 (Bibliographic reference). SAB509.

REES, SE, 1984, A WOODEN ARD-SHARE FROM DUNDARG, ABERDEENSHIRE, WITH A NOTE ON OTHER WOODEN PLOUGH PIECES. IN PSAS 113 (1983), 457-463, PSAS 113, 457-63 (Bibliographic reference). SAB3087.

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

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

Apr 3 1981 , PR 10'S, PR 10'S (Ground Photograph). SAB14686.

Aug 9 1977 , AAS/77/11/SR/31-8, AAS/77/11/SR/31-8 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14683.

Aug 19 1981 , AAS/81/11/S10/33-6, AAS/81/11/S10/33-6 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB14684.

Aug 23 1981 , AAS/81/11/CT 11,33,52, AAS/81/11/CT 11,33,52 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18688.

Aug 23 1981 , AAS/81/11/CT 56,62, AAS/81/11/CT 56,62 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB18689.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/77/CT181-83,185-86, AAS/GR/77/CT181-83,185-86 (Ground Photograph). SAB32518.

Jan 1 1977 , AAS/GR/77/CT217, AAS/GR/77/CT217 (Ground Photograph). SAB33062.

Jan 19 1990 , JQ 4, JQ 4 (Ground Photograph). SAB33759.

Jan 25 1991 , AAS/91/2/CT7, 9, AAS/91/2/CT7, 9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB19526.

Jul 30 2010 , DG2067-9, DG2067-9 (Ground Photograph). SAB13175.

May 9 1978 , AV 15-23, AV 15-23 (Ground Photograph). SAB33274.

Author unknown, n.d., EVENING EXPRESS, 20/03/95 (Bibliographic reference). SAB446.

Oct 9 1997 , AAS/97/12/CT96-98, AAS/97/12/CT96-98 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16840.

Oct 9 1997 , AAS/97/12/G25/28-30, AAS/97/12/G25/28-30 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB16839.

Other Statuses/References

Authority: ASH;
HES Scheduled Monument Number: 2450;
NMR Card Number: NJ86SE17;
NRHE Numlink: 19958;
Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NJ86SE0014;

External Links (2)

https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/SM2450 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
https://www.trove.scot/place/19958 (trove.scot link)

Sources/Archives (28)

--- SAB1140 Bibliographic reference: MACGIBBON, D. 1892. THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5. Y. 390.
--- SAB13175 Ground Photograph: Jul 30 2010 . DG2067-9. Digital. DG2067-9.
--- SAB1416 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 13/10/78.
--- SAB1416 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 20/10/78.
--- SAB1416 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. . PRESS & JOURNAL. 05/08/78.
--- SAB14683 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 9 1977 . AAS/77/11/SR/31-8. Black & White. AAS/77/11/SR/31-8.
--- SAB14684 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 19 1981 . AAS/81/11/S10/33-6. Black & White. AAS/81/11/S10/33-6.
--- SAB14685 Air-oblique Photograph: ABD/521/1. Black & White. ABD/521/1.
--- SAB14686 Ground Photograph: Apr 3 1981 . PR 10'S. PL. PR 10'S.
--- SAB1630 Bibliographic reference: SHEPHERD, I A G. 1983. PICTISH SETTLEMENT PROBLEMS IN NE SCOTLAND. IN: CHAPMAN, J & MYTUM, H (EDS) SETTLEMENT IN NORTH BRITAIN – 1000BC-1000AD, 327-56.
--- SAB16839 Air-oblique Photograph: Oct 9 1997 . AAS/97/12/G25/28-30. Black & White. AAS/97/12/G25/28-30.
--- SAB16840 Air-oblique Photograph: Oct 9 1997 . AAS/97/12/CT96-98. Colour Transparency. AAS/97/12/CT96-98.
--- SAB1686 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, WD. 1954. DUNDARG CASTLE. AB UNI ST No131.
--- SAB1689 Bibliographic reference: SIMPSON, WD. 1960. T BANFF FC 17,4, 9-25. 9-25.
--- SAB1738 Bibliographic reference: SCOTTISH MONUMENTS SURVEY. 1990. JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES. p.9.
--- SAB18688 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 23 1981 . AAS/81/11/CT 11,33,52. Colour Transparency. AAS/81/11/CT 11,33,52.
--- SAB18689 Air-oblique Photograph: Aug 23 1981 . AAS/81/11/CT 56,62. Colour Transparency. AAS/81/11/CT 56,62.
--- SAB19526 Air-oblique Photograph: Jan 25 1991 . AAS/91/2/CT7, 9. Colour Transparency. AAS/91/2/CT7, 9.
--- SAB247 Bibliographic reference: CRUDEN, SH. 1960. THE SCOTTISH CASTLE . 202.
--- SAB3087 Bibliographic reference: REES, SE. 1984. A WOODEN ARD-SHARE FROM DUNDARG, ABERDEENSHIRE, WITH A NOTE ON OTHER WOODEN PLOUGH PIECES. IN PSAS 113 (1983), 457-463. PSAS 113, 457-63.
--- SAB32518 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1977 . AAS/GR/77/CT181-83,185-86. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/77/CT181-83,185-86.
--- SAB33062 Ground Photograph: Jan 1 1977 . AAS/GR/77/CT217. Colour Transparency. AAS/GR/77/CT217.
--- SAB33274 Ground Photograph: May 9 1978 . AV 15-23. Black & White. AV 15-23.
--- SAB33759 Ground Photograph: Jan 19 1990 . JQ 4. Black & White. JQ 4.
--- SAB3811 Bibliographic reference: BOGDAN, N. 2008. EARLY CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE.
--- SAB446 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. EVENING EXPRESS. 20/03/95.
--- SAB509 Bibliographic reference: FOJUT, N. 1983. THE DEFENCES OF DUNDARG CASTLE. PSAS 113(1982-3) 449-56. Y. 449-56.
--- SAB88 Bibliographic reference: BEVERIDGE, W. 1914. PSAS 48(1913-14) 184-92. 184-92.