Building record MAB8698 - GORDON CASTLE, FOCHABERS

Castle and Mansion House.

Castle and Mansion House. There has been a stronghold on this site of the Bog o'Gight, long since drained and reclaimed, since the early 14th century at least. The castle was the seat of the Earls, Marquis's and subsequently the Dukes of Gordon (and Richmond). It is now the property of the Gordon-Lennox family. The construction of old Castle Gordon began sometime after 1479 by the Gordon Earls of Huntly, and was to become a moated Renaissance palace by circa 1672 when it was drawn by Captain John Slezer. In 1656, it was described by one Richard Franck as deserving 'An Englishman's applause for her lofty and majestic towers and turrets'. It is thought to have been a Z-plan dominated by a flat roofed, 6-storeyed tower, the lower part which survived, along with a vaulted kitchen. The remnants of the tower were incorporated into the mansion designed by architect John Baxter at the behest of Alexander, 4th Duke of Gordon, built in 1769-83. He created an impressive building, which was 583ft long. After a fire, it was repaired by Archibald Simpson in 1827. It was used as an auxiliary hospital in WWI, then sold to the government, in lieu of death duties, in 1938. Used as a barracks in WWII, the castle was bought by Gordon Lennox descendants in 1953. It was in poor condition, and much of the structure had to be demolished. Now only the east wing and 6-storeyed tower remain, adapted into a castellated mansion by Schomberg Scott in 1961 - 1965. It is a substantial castellated Georgian structure with a symmetrical 2-storey range, constructed of tooled ashlar with polished ashlar dressings. The principle front entrance is to the north and is a 7-bay elevation and further lower 2-storey, 6-bay range extending east. There is a 7-bay symmetrical return west gable and extensive south garden front with a conservatory/orangery at southeast. The principal entrance in the north front has three slightly advanced pedimented centre bays and keystoned doorpiece with monograms on lintel dated 1965. There are moulded architraves to windows and round-headed windows in lower east block. There is a pedimented and keystoned entrance in the centre of the symmetrical 7-bay west front, again with the centre three bays slightly advanced. There is an extensive south garden front with varied but regular fenestration similar to that on north elevation. The windows are sash and case and are mainly with 12-pane glazing. The wallhead is corbelled and crenelated, with coped stacks and a shallow piended slate roof. The conservatory/orangery was probably built by Archibald Simpson, circa 1830 and is constructed from tooled ashlar. There is a tall fenestrated 9-bay front, with similar windows in return gables that are all with lying-pane glazing. There is a shallow piended glazed roof. The gate-piers were probably constructed in 1769-82, and possibly re-sited. Pair tall square ashlar gatepiers flank the drive to the north entrance of the mansion. Moulded caps support carved stone eagles. The earlier town of Fochabers was demolished to improve the views and rebuilt where it now stands. Internally, an entrance lobby leads to octagonal central hall from which a curved staircase built in 1965 rises to a circular first floor top-lit landing with a re-used 18th century white marble chimneypiece. There are further reused marble chimneypieces on the first and ground floors, and Simpsonesque key-pattern doorpieces from 1827, moulded ceiling cornices and panelled doors and window reveals. Southeast of the castle is a fountain (NJ35NE0031), to the west stables west (NJ35NW0134). Further southeast is a walled garden (NJ35NW0143) and southeast is the castle farm (NJ35NE0023). A watching brief was carried out by S Farrell in January and March 2019 during works in the Tower Yard associated with reuse of a former agricultural shed. Early 19th century foundations were recorded, but no earlier features, the ground in part being heavily disturbed by building construction in the 1970s.

Period Notes
Present house began in 1769 and finished 1783. It was restored and adapted in 1961-65. The forest of Enzie was given to Gordons in the 14th century. The old castle was built in 1479 and greatly extended.

Img335-338, 340-341, Img335-338, 340-341 (Ground Photograph). SAB36052.

Author unknown, , KNOCK NEWS, Issue 71, 20-21 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1032.

Author unknown, , SCOTTISH NOTES AND QUERIES, VOL IX(1931) 102-4 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1839.

SHAW, L, 1798, HIST OF PROV OF MORAY (Bibliographic reference). SAB1625.

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

CRAMOND, W, 1901, T BANFF FC 85, 84-7 (Bibliographic reference). SAB296.

CANT, R, 1948, OLD MORAY, 25 (Bibliographic reference). SAB216.

BINNEY, M, 1980, LOST HOUSES OF SCOTLAND, photo (Bibliographic reference). SAB3740.

MCKEAN, C, 1987, MORAY: AN ILLUSTRATED ARCHITECTURAL GUIDE, p.114-115 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1142.

HISTORIC SCOTLAND, 1995, A96 FOCHABERS BYPASS : DESK ASSESSMENT (Bibliographic reference). SAB784.

DESK ASSESSMENT

FARRELL, S, 2018, WRITTEN SCHEME OF INVESTIGATION FOR PROPOSED ARCHAEOLOGICAL WORK AT TOWER YARD, GORDON CASTLE, FOCHABERS, WSI (Bibliographic reference). SAB4139.

FARRELL, S, 2019, ARCHAEOLOGICAL WATCHING BRIEF OF A DEVELOPMENT AT THE TOWER YARD, GORDON CASTLE, FOCHABERS, MORAY , WB report (Bibliographic reference). SAB4143.

Apr 23 2002 , AAS/02/3/CT15, AAS/02/3/CT15 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31699.

Apr 23 2002 , AAS/02/3/G7/10,19-24, AAS/02/3/G7/10,19-24 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31701.

Aug 30 2006 , AAS/06/3/DG560-571, AAS/06/3/DG560-571 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31943.

Jul 2 1992 , AAS/92/03/S7/7-9, AAS/92/03/S7/7-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31093.

Jul 16 1951 , GQ 46-9, GQ 46-9 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30654.

Jul 25 1996 , AAS/96/10/CT, AAS/96/10/CT (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31254.

Jul 25 1996 , AAS/96/10/G25/11, AAS/96/10/G25/11 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB31253.

SDD, n.d., BLDS OF ARCH & HIST INTEREST, BELLIE 31 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1827.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 18/08/80 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Author unknown, n.d., THE NORTHERN SCOT, 22/05/15 p.29 (Bibliographic reference). SAB1270.

Sep 1 1969 , V 152, V 152 (Air-oblique Photograph). SAB30655.

Record last edited

Dec 8 2022 4:53PM