Colliston Castle

Colliston Castle stands in the rolling farmland of Angus, six kilometres north of Arbroath. Built in the 16th century as a Z-plan tower house, it was enlarged in the 18th and 19th centuries while keeping its original form. The castle remains a private home but is available for holiday rentals. It is protected as a category B listed building. The lands once belonged to Arbroath Abbey from the 12th century. The castle’s most striking feature is its 1583 Z-plan design with two round towers at opposite corners and a stair turret in between. The entrance tower projects outward and ends in a corbelled watch-chamber. Wide gun-loops and circular shot-holes show its defensive purpose. A doorway dated 1621 marks an early alteration, and later wings were added in the 18th and 19th centuries. Visitors approach across open fields to see the castle’s robust stone walls and projecting towers. Inside, the remodelled upper storey contrasts with the original lower parts. The stair turret leads to different levels, while the watch-chamber offers views over the surrounding countryside. The setting remains peaceful, far from the main roads yet close enough to Arbroath for convenience.