Cortachy Castle

Cortachy Castle stands four miles north of Kirriemuir in Angus as a castellated mansion built on the site of an earlier 15th-century structure. The present building was acquired by the Ogilvies in 1473 and later remodelled in the 17th and 19th centuries. In 1696 Tobias Bauchop of Alloa carried out significant work, while R & R Dickson added crenellations and other features in 1820. A fire in 1883 damaged part of the castle, which was then rebuilt by Kinnear & Peddie over the following two years. The castle is listed as a Category B building, and its grounds appear in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. The castle’s history includes a ghostly drummer said to haunt its corridors. The Ogilvies held the property for centuries, shaping its architecture through successive generations. The 17th-century remodelling by Bauchop introduced new stylistic elements, while the 19th-century alterations reflected the romantic tastes of the era. The fire of 1883 led to further changes, blending restoration with the castle’s evolving design. Its listing recognises both the building and its surrounding grounds as significant heritage sites. Visitors find a castellated mansion with a dramatic façade and crenellated roofline. The grounds include designed landscapes recognised in Scotland’s inventory. Inside, the rooms reflect centuries of architectural change, from 15th-century origins to 19th-century romantic additions. The castle’s haunting legend adds a layer of intrigue to its history. The setting in Angus offers a quiet, rural backdrop near Kirriemuir.