Interior view of Castle Fraser showing detail of chimney piece in Great Hall.

Description Interior view of Castle Fraser showing detail of chimney piece in Great Hall.

Date 9/1961

Collection Records of the Scottish National Buildings Record, Edinburgh, Scotland

Catalogue Number AB 630

Category Photographs and Off-line Digital Images

Copies SC 802408, SC 1766976

Scope and Content Fireplace in great hall, Castle Fraser, Aberdeenshire This photograph shows the fireplace in the great hall, on the first floor of the central block of the tower-house. It dates from the 16th century, and dominates the east end of the large room. The sword above the fireplace belonged to Major General Alexander Mackenzie Fraser of Inverallochy (1758-1809), a portrait of whom hangs above the sword. Major General Fraser was the father of Colonel Frederick Alexander Mackenzie Fraser (1796-1848), a laird of Castle Fraser. Above the great hall is a small vault, known as the 'laird's lug'. Accessible from the floor above, the small room was probably designed to store valuables or important paperwork. However, it has been suggested that the room was used to eavesdrop on conversations in the great hall. Castle Fraser is situated 26km west of Aberdeen. Since 1976, it has been owned by The National Trust for Scotland and is open to the public. The oldest parts of the castle date from the 15th and 16th centuries, and form a Z-plan tower-house. Source: RCAHMS contribution to SCRAN.

External Reference MW/BR/FRA/36

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/collection/761123