Findlater Castle

Findlater Castle stands on a high cliff above the Moray Firth in Aberdeenshire. It overlooks the sea near the village of Sandend, between Cullen and Portsoy. The cliffs here contain white quartz, which gives the place its name. The name comes from the Scots Gaelic words for ‘white’ and ‘cliff’. The castle was once the stronghold of the Earls of Findlater and Seafield. The first written record of the castle dates from 1246. King Alexander III repaired it in the 1260s to defend against a Norwegian invasion. The Norwegians held the castle for a time before it was rebuilt in the 14th century. Walter Ogilvy received permission to repair the castle in 1445. James V of Scotland visited in 1535 after a pilgrimage to Tain. Visitors today see the remains of the old stronghold on the cliff edge. The ruins include parts rebuilt in the 14th century. The castle played a part in the conflicts between the Ogilvys and the Gordons in the 16th century. Mary, Queen of Scots, sent an army with artillery from Dunbar Castle to take the castle in 1562. After the Ogilvy family moved to Cullen House, the castle fell into disuse and now stands as a quiet ruin above the sea.