Archaeology Notes

Event ID 669651

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/669651

NJ66NW 1.00 61155 65650

(NJ 6115 6565) Boyne Castle (NR) (In Ruins)

OS 6" map, Banffshire, 2nd ed., (1904).

NJ66NW 1.01 NJ 61043 65626 Dovecot

Boyne Castle is protected on three sides by the Boyne Water, and on the south side by a dry moat nearly 60ft wide.

The castle is all of one design, having been built about the end of the 16th century. It consists of a courtyard forming a parallelogram with a projecting round tower 22ft in diameter at each angle. The enceinte walls average 5ft in thickness. There have been ranges of buildings on the east, west and south sides of the quadrangle, but not on the north which was enclosed by a wall. The walls of the west side are still standing but those of the south side are greatly destroyed, while the eastern range has been almost entirely demolished.

The approach to the castle from the south is through the gardens and orchards, of which some of the walls still remain. The moat is crossed by a causeway on the level of the principal entrance which is in the centre of the south front. The gateway is flanked by two cirular towers, and was no doubt protected by a drawbridge in the raised causeway.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887-92.

The remains of the castle are generally described by MacGibbon and Ross (1887-92). The walls of the western range of buildings and the towers still stand to a height of c.10m. The remains are in a dilapidated and ruinous condition, overgrown with vegetation.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (WDJ) 25 September 1961.

As described above.

Visited by OS (NKB) 28 January 1968.

Visible on air photographs AAS/93/09/G21/6-10. Copies held by Grampian Regional Council.

Information from M Greig, Grampian Regional Council, March 1994.

Air photographs: AAS/94/17/G33/1-9.

NMRS, MS/712/21.