Kinnaird Castle, Brechin

Kinnaird Castle stands on low ground near Brechin in Angus. A 15th-century fortress, it has belonged to the Carnegie family for over six centuries. The castle is listed as a Category B building and its grounds appear in Scotland’s Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes. The castle’s long history includes visits from kings and a marquess. James VI stayed in 1617, Charles I and Charles II both visited, and James Graham, Marquess of Montrose, lived there for three years. In 1715 the Old Pretender spent winter there before the estate was seized. The architect James Playfair remodelled it in 1791, and in the 19th century it was rebuilt in Victorian baronial style after a fire. Visitors find a grand house with Victorian interiors and mature grounds. The castle’s rooms reflect its centuries of occupation by one family. The designed landscape includes lawns, trees and garden areas listed for their historic value. Views stretch across the surrounding countryside.