Kildrummy Castle

Kildrummy Castle stands in a quiet glen in Aberdeenshire, a ruined 13th-century stronghold once home to the Earls of Mar. Built on the edge of a steep ravine, its shield-shaped plan and French-style Snow Tower show the high ambitions of its lords. The castle’s twin-towered gatehouse defended the flat side while the ravine protected the rear. Earthworks, a dry moat and the remains of lower walls still mark where the fortress once stood. The castle’s history is written in sieges and rescues. In 1306 it held out for Robert the Bruce’s family until Nigel Bruce and others were executed. In 1335 Christina Bruce defended it until her husband Sir Andrew Murray arrived. Later, Alexander Stewart seized the castle and title of Earl of Mar by force. James I took it for the crown in 1435, and James IV gave its keeping to Alexander Elphinstone in 1507. After the Jacobite Rising failed in 1715, the castle was abandoned and left to the weather. Today the ruins and their gardens are open to visitors. The Snow Tower and gatehouse foundations remain clearly visible, and excavations have uncovered decorative floors and signs of battle. Nearby, a hotel overlooks the estate and the old quarry where stone was once cut. From 1981 to 1997 the castle hosted the Scottish Sculpture Open, bringing artists and visitors to its grounds.