Pittulie Castle

Pittulie Castle stands on a rocky headland in north-east Aberdeenshire, half a mile from Pitsligo Castle. Built in 1596 by the Frasers of Philorth, it is an oblong tower house with a square north-east tower and low angle turrets on the south gables. The castle replaced an earlier structure on the same site, built for the marriage of Alexander Fraser and Margaret Abernethy of Saltoun. The Cumines family later enlarged the property before it was bought by Sir William Forbes in the late 18th century and then abandoned. Historians recognise Pittulie Castle as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, a name given to the rugged coastline of the region. W. Douglas Simpson described it as one of the most notable of these. The castle’s armorial panels, pediment above the main door, and two oriel windows add to its architectural interest. Its main tower has two storeys and an attic, with a turreted stair rising from the hall on the north front. Visitors find an oblong block with a square tower at the north-east corner and low turrets on the south gables. The main stair only reaches the first floor, while a turreted stair on the north front leads higher. Another turreted stair, corbelled out from the second floor, provides access to the upper levels. Originally, the entrance was on the north front, and the castle’s design reflects its 16th-century origins.