Castle Forbes

Castle Forbes stands in the Vale of Alford, a broad valley in Aberdeenshire. The house is a 19th-century country mansion built in the Scots Baronial style. It overlooks the River Don from a gentle rise. The estate covers six thousand acres of farmland, woodland and park. The family has owned the land since 1411, when Sir Alexander Forbes was granted it for his part in the Battle of Harlaw. An earlier house called Putachie once stood on the same spot. The present building was begun in 1815 by the 17th Lord Forbes. The architect Archibald Simpson designed it, but after cracks appeared he was replaced by Aberdeen’s City Architect John Smith. The completed house is a category B listed building. The grounds are recognised in Scotland’s Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. A prehistoric stone circle lies to the north of the castle. Visitors find a spacious country house with residential guest rooms. The estate offers fishing in the River Don and golf on its nine-hole course. A former dairy building now houses a small perfumery. The house and grounds are open to guests who wish to stay. The valley’s quiet fields and mature woodlands surround the estate.