Fordell Castle

Fordell Castle stands in Fife, 2 kilometres east of Dunfermline. It is a 16th-century tower house with parts dating from before 1566 and most built around 1580. The chapel was rebuilt in 1650 and the interior renovated in the 1960s and early 2000s. The castle follows a Z-plan with square towers at opposite corners, each containing a circular staircase. It is the only tower house with two main stairs, each with its own outside door. The castle is worth the journey for its fine architectural details. The entrance is guarded by a studded door with a metal grate and leads to a vestibule. Three vaulted basement chambers lie below, one now a wine cellar, another marked by a rogue’s collar or jougs. The Great Hall on the first floor has a stone fireplace with a cast iron grate and a carved ‘witch stone’ above the door. Reclaimed timber from Edinburgh Castle and Italian Carrera tiles were added during recent restorations. Visitors find a dignified dwelling with simple treatment externally. The paneled ceilings carry star and half-moon mouldings from the Henderson coat of arms. Above is the main private apartment with a modern bathroom, the Laird’s Study with its stone fireplace, and Queen Mary’s Room, vaulted and paneled. A small castellated roof area holds a flagpole and wrought-iron beacon basket. The lead gargoyle at the eaves shows a winged four-footed monster in defiant attitude.