Avochie Castle

Avochie Castle stands in open farmland north of Huntly, beside the river Deveron in Aberdeenshire. A ruined tower house from the 16th or early 17th century, it was once the stronghold of the Gordons of Avochie. The Gordons took part in the conflicts of Mary Queen of Scots and her son James VI. By 1871 the estate belonged to Adam Hay Gordon. Today only the gable ends and a small corbelled-out bartizan remain. The surviving walls show it was a modest quadrangular building of barely two storeys. Measuring 45 by 21 feet, it was never more than a small fortified house. Despite its modest size it is recognised as a category B listed building. The modern Avochie House lies just to the west of the ruins. Visitors find only the shell of the old tower, standing in open fields. The river Deveron flows nearby, adding to the quiet rural setting. The remaining gables and bartizan give a clear idea of the original form. The estate remains in private hands, so the ruins are viewed from outside the boundary.