Castle Grant

Castle Grant stands a mile north of Grantown-on-Spey in the Highlands, a former stronghold of the Clan Grant chiefs. Originally called Freuchie Castle, it was renamed in 1694 after the lands became the regality of Grant. The castle is a Category A listed building, and its grounds appear in the Inventory of Gardens and Designed Landscapes in Scotland. The Grants held the lands from the fifteenth century after they passed from the Clan Comyn. James Grant of Freuchie supported James V of Scotland in the 16th century. The castle is a Z-plan tower house built in the fifteenth century. John Grant, the sixth laird, improved the building, adding stone heraldic beasts carved by Ralph Rawlinson. The long gallery and dormer windows were painted and gilded by John Anderson of Aberdeen. Ludovick Grant, the eighth laird, fought against the Jacobites in the early eighteenth century despite the castle being occupied by them. Robert Burns visited Castle Grant in 1787. The castle was restored by Sir Robert Lorimer in 1912 and later requisitioned during the Second World War. A fire in 1982 caused further damage before it was sold in 1983. After passing through several owners, including businessman Craig Whyte, it was seized by the Bank of Scotland in 2012. The current owners purchased it in 2022 and are restoring it as their family home. The grounds and castle remain a notable example of Scotland’s historic architecture.