Archaeology Notes

Event ID 776274

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/776274

NH54NE 5.00 58386 49508

(NH 5838 4951) Red Castle (NAT)

OS 6" map, (1957)

NH54NE 5.01 NH 58309 49523 Lodge

NH54NE 5.02 NH 58550 49648 Stable Square/Clocktower Cottage (Redcastle Mains)

NH54NE 5.03 NH 58587 49692 Slaughter house (Redcastle Mains)

NH54NE 5.04 NH 58955 50118 Factor's House (Redcastle Mains)

NH54NE 5.05 NH 58590 49637 Steading (Redcastle Mains)

NH54NE 5.06 NH 58297 49502 Icehouse

NH54NE 5.07 NH 58626 49729 Kennels

For Gardener's House (Redmount, Milton, at NH 58300 49413), see NH54NE 46.

A mansion in which several portions of an older edifice have been incorporated. The building seems to have been originally a structure of an elongated L plan, with a staircase in the re-entering angle. The hall would in that case occupy the large central apartment, with private room at the east end. Two angel turrets on the west wing are of some age. Probably not earlier than the 16th. c., the castle, at the end of a steep sided promontory, occupies the site of a much older structure. It was here that William the Lion, in the 12th.c., erected the fortress of Ederdour. Redcastle belonged in 1230 to Sir John Bysset, in 1278 to Sir Andrew de Besco and in 1455 the Black Isle was annexed to the Crown. It came into the possession of the MacKenzies in 1570 who held it until 1790. It was burned to the ground in 1659 when Rory MacKenzie joined Montrose.

ISSFC 1888; D MacGibbon and T Ross 1889.

Now a roofless shell, but generally as described. A stone in the NE wall bears the initials R.M. and the date 1641.

Visited by OS (A A) 11 January 1971.