Lauriston Castle

Lauriston Castle stands on a cliff near the village of St Cyrus in Aberdeenshire, about a mile from the North Sea coast. It is one of the oldest privately owned castles in the region and is listed as a Category C building. The site was once a royal fortress and is linked to Pictish king Giric, who ruled in the 9th century. The castle’s history includes a 13th-century charter, battles during Scotland’s Wars of Independence, and later changes under King Edward III. The Stratons, a powerful family, held Lauriston for nearly 450 years, leaving their mark on its story. The Stratons played a key role in Scottish history, with Alexander Straton signing the Declaration of Arbroath in 1320. Another Straton, known as the ‘noble knicht o’ Lauriston’, died at the Battle of Harlaw in 1411. The family’s conflicts with the Church over tithes led to one of Scotland’s first Protestant martyrs in 1534. In 1695, the Stratons sold the castle, and it later became known as ‘The Drown’d Barony’ after storms destroyed its port. The estate was redesigned in the Picturesque style with walks, waterfalls, and a walled garden. Today, visitors find a mix of historic and restored parts. The Great Hall and Doocot Tower were rebuilt in the late 1980s, and the Doocot won a Glenfiddich Living Scotland Award in 1992. The castle’s grounds include a two-acre walled garden and landscaped walks with waterfalls. Its clifftop setting offers views of the North Sea, and the nearby site of Ecclesgreig church adds to its historic atmosphere. The castle remains a private residence but is open to the public at times.