Cairnbulg Castle

Cairnbulg Castle stands on a rocky headland in north-east Aberdeenshire, beside the River Philorth. It is a Z-plan castle, with two projecting towers and a central block. The site was first fortified in the early 14th century but was destroyed during the Wars of Independence. After rebuilding in 1380, it passed through the Comyns, the Earls of Ross, and the Frasers of Philorth. The Frasers added a round tower, courtyard, and outbuildings in 1545. The castle’s history includes near-bankruptcy in 1613, abandonment by 1799, and two major restorations in the 19th and early 20th centuries. In 1934, it returned to the Fraser family and was later lived in by Flora Fraser and her husband, Captain Alexander Ramsay of Mar. During the Second World War, it served as an Officers’ Mess for nearby RAF Fraserburgh. Today, the castle retains its Z-plan form with crow-stepped gables and two towers. Visitors find a restored 17th-century house set within a quiet riverside landscape. The interior includes rooms rebuilt after the 1915 fire, and the surrounding grounds overlook the River Philorth. The site remains accessible only by appointment, preserving its atmosphere of quiet history.