Leslie Castle

Leslie Castle stands in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, about 45 kilometres northwest of Aberdeen. It is the historic seat of Clan Leslie, built on the site of an earlier wooden fort. The present stone castle was constructed around 1661 for William Forbes of Monymusk as the last fortified house in Scotland. It originally had an L-shaped plan, a vaulted basement, a drawbridge with gatehouse, and a distinctive lamp-lit staircase in its square tower. By the early 19th century the castle had become a roofless ruin after the death of its last resident. The castle’s restoration began in 1980 when it was bought for about $25,000 and rebuilt by architect David Carnegie Leslie at a cost of around $1 million. The work reused stone from nearby collapsed cottages and cleared rubble up to 2.4 metres high. In 1989 it opened briefly as a five-bedroom hotel before closing and reopening in 2016 as a bed and breakfast. Since 2018 it has been run by the current Baron of Leslie as a guesthouse and venue for private events. Visitors find a small but complete castle with five guest bedrooms on the upper floors and the original kitchen serving as a breakfast room with a large fireplace. The owner’s private rooms occupy the fourth floor. The building retains its 17th-century staircase and lamp system, and the surrounding 1.9-acre estate adds to the fairytale setting. Clan gatherings have been held here, and the castle remains a private residence open to guests and event bookings.