Cairnbulg Castle

Cairnbulg Castle is a z-plan castle situated in Cairnbulg, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.^[1] It stands by the River Philorth and was originally known as Philorth Castle (or Philorth House).^[2] The 17th-century Philorth Castle, an L-plan house consisting of a sizeable crow-stepped block, was demolished after a fire in 1915.^[3]

Cairnbulg Castle

History

 

Philorth Castle, demolished in the first half of the 20th century. In view here are the two pepperpot-turreted round towers at its centre^[3]

The castle was built in the early 14th century but destroyed in the winter of 1308–1309 in the Wars of Independence. After being owned by the Comyns up until 1375,^[4] it was subsequently granted to the Earls of Ross. It was rebuilt in 1380 after the daughter of the 5th Earl married Sir Alexander Fraser of Cowie. In 1545,^[4] a second, round, tower, a courtyard and outbuildings were added to the original main square tower.^[2]

In 1613, after nearly bankrupting themselves,^[5] the Frasers of Philorth sold the castle, which — after passing through several other families of the Fraser clan, including the Frasers of Durris^[5] — ended up in 1775 with George Gordon, 3rd Earl of Aberdeen, who removed anything of value. It lay abandoned by 1799.^[4]

In 1896, the two towers were restored and its central building rebuilt by Jenkins & Marr for Sir John Duthie, a barrister.^[4] In the late Victorian period the castle, by now almost a ruin after a 1915 fire,^[3] was purchased and restored by the wealthy Duthie family of Aberdeen. In 1934, it returned to the Fraser family after being bought by Lord Saltoun, a direct descendant of the 8th Laird.^[2] Flora Fraser, 21st Lady Saltoun, and her husband, Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar, who was one of Queen Victoria's great-grandchildren, lived there for a while.^[when?] Their daughter, Katharine Fraser, Mistress of Saltoun, took possession of the castle in 1997.^[6] During the Second World War, the castle was used as the Officers' Mess for nearby RAF Fraserburgh.^{[citation needed]}

Philorth Bridge Halt railway station once stood nearby on the old Fraserburgh and St Combs Light Railway.^[7]

Cairnbulg Castle is open to the public only by appointment.^[8]

References

1. Simpson, W.D. (1949). "Cairnbulg Castle, Aberdeenshire" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland. 83: 32–44.^{[permanent dead link]}
2. "Cairnbulg Castle". Britain Express. Retrieved 14 July 2019.
3. McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 136. ISBN 185158-231-2.
4. McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 138. ISBN 185158-231-2.
5. McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 185158-231-2.
6. "Cairnbulg Castle". Fraserchief. Retrieved 9 January 2021.
7. Butt, Raymond (1995). The Directory of Railway Stations: Details Every Public and Private Passenger Station, Halt, Platform and Stopping Place, Past and Present. Sparkford: Patrick Stephens Ltd. p. 185. ISBN 978-1-85260-508-7.
8. . Archived from the original on 20 October 2019. Retrieved 20 October 2019.

External links

• Official Website of Lady Saltoun

57°39′56″N 1°58′25″W / 57.6656°N 1.9736°W / 57.6656; -1.9736