Muckrach Castle

Muckrach Castle stands in the Cairngorms National Park, three miles from Grantown-on-Spey and one mile from Dulnain Bridge. It is a small 16th-century tower house built in 1598 for Patrick Grant, second son of the powerful laird John Grant of Freuchie. The castle’s walls include timber, a local tradition in a forested area where stone masonry was less trusted. Its design may have been fashionable rather than purely functional, reflecting the influence of Patrick Grant’s travels. The castle served as the seat of the Grants of Rothiemurchus, a branch of Clan Grant, until it fell into ruin in the 18th century. By the late 19th century, only the walls remained, and the building was listed in the highest category for Scottish monuments in 1971. The castle’s restoration between 1978 and 1985, led by architect Ian Begg, revived its original shape while adapting it for modern living. Begg noted the building’s social and cultural significance, and the restoration uncovered rotted timbers within the walls and a collapsed gable. The work revealed voids where timber had decayed, and the stone corbelling was reinforced. Today, the restored tower house functions as a holiday apartment and has appeared in films such as *Christmas in the Highlands*. The wider estate, covering 6,000 acres, is managed by Sir Euan Anstruther-Gough-Calthorpe, who inherited it in 1985. Nearby ruins include Castle Roy, a 13th-century structure, and Muckrach House, available for hire. Visitors to Muckrach Castle find a three-storey tower with an L-shaped floor plan and a rounded stair tower on the west facade. The south side features a single-storey round tower with embrasures for defence, and a corner turret with corbelling supports a small turret. The main hall, on the first floor, has wood panelling, a wood-burning stove, and stone flooring, while the ground floor contains a kitchen, dining room, and conservatory. The basement is vaulted, and the second and third floors hold bedrooms, including one in the tower. Slate roofs and four- or twelve-part lattice windows complete the restored structure, set against the backdrop of the Cairngorms National Park.