Archaeology Notes

Event ID 684995

Category Descriptive Accounts

Type Archaeology Notes

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/event/684995

NO22NW 24 24122 28904

(NO 2412 2890) Kinnaird Castle (NR)

OS 6" map (1970)

Kinnaird Castle, a tall and impressive tower, once a roofless ruin, was restored in 1855 (SDD List 1966) and is again inhabited. Tranter considers it to be of 15th century, or possibly earlier, date, while the SDD date it to about 1500 and MacGibbon and Ross state it dates from the early 16th century. It is oblong on plan with a small projecting tower or buttress at the SW angle.

The building, which formerly had a courtyard or outer bailey to the W, rises four storeys to the parapet, 60ft above ground level, and there is a gabled garret storey above, within the parapet walk.

There are two entrances, both in the S front. One, at basement level, is protected by an iron yett; the other, at first floor in the buttress tower, is now reached by a stone forestair. Originally almost certainly this door would give access to a parapet walk which would run round the top of the walling of the courtyard. E of the tower is a small two-storeyed building, dated 1610.

Kinnaird was the original seat of the family of that name, who it is said built their castle here in the 13th century, though this is too early for any of the present buildings.

D MacGibbon and T Ross 1887; N Tranter 1963.

Photographed by the RCAHMS in 1980.

(Undated) information in NMRS.