Building record MAB38859 - KINNAIRD CASTLE

Castle, still in use, within policies and a designed landscape (NO65NW0021).

Castle, still in use, within policies and a designed landscape (NO65NW0021). A mansion is described as being on the site in the 14th century, and a there is a castle by 1409. This building was destroyed by fire in 1452. The present castle was then rebuilt by 1479. It was more than doubled in size in 1555 by John Hutton and William Welsh, masons, for Sir Robert Carnegie. A further addition in the early 17th century was built for Sir David Carnegie. The lands were forfeited in 1717 due to the fifth Earl joining the Jacobite rebellion. The lands were bought back in 1764 by Sir James Carnegie of Pittarrow. Major remodelling took place in 1788-93 to the designs of James Playfair, architect. It was then recast in a Franco-Baronial style in 1854-60 to designs by David Bryce, architect, at which time the garden walls around the castle were built. It is shown on the 1st and 2nd edition OS maps as an irregular roughly square-plan building with a partially filled internal court. There are walled gardens from the west and south elevations. The west and south ranges were gutted by a fire in 1921, and the exteriors were restored by Kelly and Nicol, architects in circa 1922-6, although Bryce's roofs were not. The south range remained a shell until it was re-fitted by Anta Architecture in 2009. It is a three-storey mansion house, with stables at the rear. The west elevation has a centre turreted tower and square flanking towers, and the north elevation has a columned porte-cochere. The south wing includes the remains of the late-15th century tower house. In the gardens to the west of the castle are two sundials and a life-sized Flora statue. It is a lead statue on a square stone pedestal, and was formally the terminal of the temple (NO65NW0006). It is probably of Italian origin, and dates to around the 17th century. At the western entrance to the gardens are square, V-jointed ashlar gatepiers, supporting decorative cast-iron gates and an arch. There is open balustraded terrace walling to the garden. A watching brief was carried out in 2009 by SUAT prior to the excavation of a water pipe trench in the south wing of the castle. During the watching brief, a thick 19th century foundation deposit was recorded. There was no evidence of the earlier remains in this area, and no other features, deposits or artefacts of archaeological significance were identified. The Masons' Mark Project has recorded 32 marks, of 10 different masons, at the castle.

Period Notes
Earliest mention of a mansion on the site is the 14th century, and a castle is there by 1409. It is destroyed by fire in 1452, and rebuilt by 1479. It is doubled in size in 1555 and there was an addition in the early-17th century. Major remodelling took place in 1788-93, and it was recast in 1854-60. A fire gutted the west and south ranges in 1921, and the exteriors were restored in 1922-6. The south wing was refitted in 2009. A statue within the garden to the west is from around the 17th century, but was moved to this location at a later date. The castle, statue and the gatepiers and walls of the garden were all listed on 11/06/1971.

SUAT LTD, 2009, WATCHING BRIEF - KINNAIRD CASTLE, BRECHIN, ANGUS, WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB4794.

Sep 4 2016 , AAS-GR-16-09-342 - 370, AAS-GR-16-09-342 - 370 (Ground Photograph). SAB35927.

Record last edited

Jul 5 2024 4:48PM