Archaeology Notes
Event ID 669516
Category Descriptive Accounts
Type Archaeology Notes
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/669516
NJ66SE 2 65598 60714
(NJ 6558 6070) Inchdrewer Castle (NR) (In Ruins).
OS 6" map, Banffshire, 2nd ed., (1904)
Inchdrewer Castle dates from the period between 1542 and 1700, and was probably remodelled in 1557. In 1713 the castle was destroyed by fire. It consisted originally of an L-shaped tower, the entrance door being in the re-entrant angle. In the 16th century remodelling, a round tower containing a staircase was added to the south, and long rows of buildings, on the north and south of the courtyard, were also added. The wing filling the south-east angle of the courtyard seems to have been added at a later period. The projecting tower at the SW angle of the courtyard has shot-holes, each provided with three openings.
D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92.
The remains of Inchdrewer Castle are as described by MacGibbon and Ross (1887-92). The castle is generally in a ruinous condition: on the east side of the courtyard the walls rise almost to the wall-head while, elsewhere, they stand between 0.2m and 3.0m high. The courtyard itself is filled with fallen masonry, among which are many field stones from the adjoining lands.
Visited by OS (WDJ) 29 September 1961.
The ruins of the castle are being renovated by the owner, and all the rubble has been removed from the paved courtyard.
Revised at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (NKB) 31 January 1968.
Inchdrewer Castle: standing structure on gentle slope at 104m OD. Built c. 1542, remodelled 1557, destroyed by fire 1713; rebuilt 20th century and now restored.
L-shaped tower of c. 1542. In the late 16th century a round tower containing a staircase was added to the S and a long row of buildings on the N and S of the courtyard. The entrance door was originally in the re-entrant angle but during the remodelling period this was changed to the W so as to front the courtyard. The projecting tower at the SW angle of the courtyard has shotholes each provided with three openings. There was probably a similar tower at the NW angle of the courtyard.
Air photograph: AAS/77/11/SQ/37, flown 17 August 1977.
NMRS, MS/712/35.
