Building record MAB38019 - BIRSE CASTLE
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Summary
Castle, originally a square, rubble-built tower house with turrets, and at the southeast angle a circular tower corbelled to square.
Protected Status/Designation
- Listed Building (B) 3097
- Listed Building (C) 3097
Map
Location
| Grid reference | Centred NO 5201 9055 (145m by 88m) Centred at - Polygon: Known Site Extent |
|---|---|
| Map sheet | NO59SW |
| Authority | Aberdeenshire |
| Civil Parish | Birse |
Type and Period (4)
Full Description
Castle, originally a square, rubble-built tower house with turrets, and at the southeast angle a circular tower corbelled to square. It was built in the late 16th - early 17th century for the Gordons of Cluny, who owned the surrounding Forest of Birse. By 1887 it was a fragmentary ruin, but it was restored in 1905 by George Bennett Mitchell to its original form except that the circular tower was altered in shape. In 1930 a 3-storey east wing and southeast angle turret was added by Dr William Kelly. From sketches available at the castle it appears that the original castle has been heavily restored. Built of pink granite rubble finely finished to the margins, with long and short dressings, key corbelling to angle turret, roll moulded eaves course to the turrets, crowstepped gables and grey slate roofs with stone ridges. The building is occupied and is the property of Viscount Cowdray, Dunecht House. A farmstead stood to the west of the castle, with three buildings and enclosures that are depicted on the OS map of 1865. These were demolished during the restoration of the castle. Kennels built 1905, designed by George Bennett Mitchell , mini turreted castle: it is a single storey 5-bay rectangular plan kennels with run to the south, built of pink granite rubble with long and short dressings and crowstepped gables. . Battered granite rubble boundary walls to north, south and east, decorative angle bastions to south wall, stone steps to south and east.
Period Notes
Built c1600; derelict by 1742; castle restored and kennels added 1905; E wing added 1930.
JERVISE, A, 1879, EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2, 47 (Bibliographic reference). SAB889.
MACGIBBON, D, 1892, THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5, 49-50 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1140.
SCOTTISH MONUMENTS SURVEY, 1990, JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES, pp.10-11 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1738.
CARTER, S, 2000, The forest of Birse: archaeological survey (Bibliographic reference). SAB3908.
survey
SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, BIRSE 15 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.
Author unknown, n.d., NSA, (1845) 792 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1269.
Other Statuses/References
- Authority: ASH;
- HES Listed Building Number: 3097;
- NMR Card Number: NO59SW1;
- NRHE Numlink: 35321;
- Old Historic Environment Record Ref: NO59SW0001;
External Links (3)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB3097 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://portal.historicenvironment.scot/designation/LB3097 (Historic Environment Scotland Portal Link)
- https://www.trove.scot/place/35321 (trove.scot link)
Sources/Archives (6)
- --- SAB1140 Bibliographic reference: MACGIBBON, D. 1892. THE CASTELLATED AND DOMESTIC ARCHITECTURE OF SCOTLAND, 1-5. Y. 49-50.
- --- SAB1269 Bibliographic reference: Author unknown. n.d.. NSA. (1845) 792.
- --- SAB1738 Bibliographic reference: SCOTTISH MONUMENTS SURVEY. 1990. JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES. pp.10-11.
- --- SAB1827 Bibliographic reference: SDD. n.d.. BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST. BIRSE 15.
- --- SAB3908 Bibliographic reference: CARTER, S. 2000. The forest of Birse: archaeological survey. N.
- --- SAB889 Bibliographic reference: JERVISE, A. 1879. EPITAPHS & INSCRIPTIONS,VOL 2. N. 47.
Finds (0)
Related Monuments/Buildings (0)
Related Events/Activities (0)
Record last edited
Oct 15 2020 10:08AM
