Archaeology Notes

Event ID 667220

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/667220

NJ43NW 13.00 42259 36980

NJ43NW 13.01 4177 3661 Mains of Beldorney

NJ43NW 13.02 4210 3693 and 4212 3695 Beldorney Cottages

NJ43NW 13.03 4211 3706 Keeeper's Cottage

(NJ 4226 3698) Beldorney Castle (NR)

OS 6" map, Aberdeenshire, 2nd ed., (1902)

Beldorney Castle belongs to the Z-plan, a main block lying approximately north and south, with a square stair tower projecting to the north-west and a large round tower to the south-east. The walls are roughcast and of three storeys. A later and lower wing has been thrust out westwards, parallel with the stair tower, to form a small paved entrance courtyard enclosed by a wall and gateway. Over the gateway is a stone bearing the date 1678, believed to belong to additions to the earlier building (ONB 1870). The original entrance is to the west, within the courtyard, in the foot of the stairtower. There is a modern house attached to the north.

The Gordons came to Beldorney about 1500 (Press and Journal 1965). In 1554 Gordon Beldorney is recorded as buying the property of Wester Fowlis from Huntly, but that date seems too early for the present house, which would appear to date from the first half of the 17th century.

Name Book 1870; N Tranter 1962-70; Press and Journal 1965.

Beldorney Castle, as described.

Visited by OS (RL) 9 October 1967.

Air photograph: AAS/00/05/CT.

NMRS, MS/712/100.