Durris Castle

Durris Castle stands on a 7-metre-high conical knoll beside the River Dee in Aberdeenshire. The site once held a medieval motte and bailey castle that controlled the northern end of the Crynes Corse Mounth trackway. Dating from at least the 13th century, it was occupied by Alexander III and mentioned in the Chamberlain Rolls. King Edward I of England stayed there one night in 1296 during his invasion of Scotland. The Fraser family later received the castle from King Robert I and it became a barony under King David II. The castle was burned by the Marquis of Montrose in 1645 and never rebuilt. Today only traces remain, including a 2.6-metre ditch on the western side that may have been a moat. The knoll’s flattened summit measures 41 metres by 30 metres, and its sides appear to have been artificially steepened. The site is now known as Castle Hill, though no stone structures survive above ground. Visitors find a quiet grassy mound rising above the surrounding landscape. The hill offers wide views across the Dee valley and the surrounding countryside. A path leads to the top where the outline of the old castle can still be imagined. The western ditch is faint but visible, hinting at the site’s former defences. The area remains peaceful, with few signs of its turbulent past.