Crombie Castle

NJ 59102 52250 A programme of building recording was carried out 7–14 July 2011 and 28 June – 20 July 2012 at Crommey Castle (historically alternatively spelt Crombie), near Aberchirder. The castle was probably built between 1543 and 1547 by James Innes and subsequently underwent significant alterations. The original building is masked by a series of extensions dating to c1820, 1860 and 1910.

The building is an excellent example of a 16th-century L-plan tower house that preserves, with little subsequent alteration (except to the upper works), a wealth of early features and details. It is also notable for the survival of interior plastered surfaces. The tower preserves extensive evidence for an important remodelling, perhaps of 17th-century date, that involved major modification of the roof structure and reduction and reordering of the original wall heads. Effectively the building was ‘demoted’ from one of mock-martial, lairdly appearance to a structure of more domestic character. An ex situ dormer head, dated MGM 1678, may relate to these works (the estate had been purchased by the parish minister, George Meldrum in 1664).

Crommey is also notable for a long history of later repairs under the auspices of the Innes family. Works of the mid-1930s are particularly notable even though they remained unfinished. Survey drawings of the time by John Wilson Paterson provide an important record of the building before these works began. However his own proposals, very much in the Arts and Crafts tradition of Lorimer, were not enacted.

Monitoring was undertaken during the replacement of external harl in June–July 2012. The stripped exterior was surveyed and this confirmed and helped to refine the phasing of the building. The 17th-century alterations to the upper works were more fully defined. It is clear that the early wall heads and roof structure of the eastern jamb had formerly lain at a considerably higher level than existing. However, it was discovered that the main block of the tower to the W survives to its original height, the crow-stepped gable walls to N and S being undisturbed. Evidence survived for the removal of five original bartizans (two at the S gable, two at the E gable and one at the NW angle). That these had been roofed was demonstrated by plastered returns into the bartizan interiors visible internally. Remains of a number of original windows, either blocked or truncated were recorded at the upper level. Evidence for an unrecorded principal window in the S wall of the hall was recognised in the form of a relieving arch over, visible externally. Various shot-holes and gun-ports beneath windows and elsewhere were newly revealed or better defined. It is possible that the three corbels at the upper level above the entrance at the re-entrant supported an oriel rather than a more defensive feature.

The secondary works involved the removal of the bartizans and lowering of the E jamb wall head and roof (including the removal of loft-level chambers). The rebuilt gables and chimneys employed pale grey granite for its dressings, this in contrast to the more sharply cut sandstone dressings of the original build (various of the latter were incorporated into the secondary fabric). Following the removal of the bartizans the upper parts of the W wall of the main block were also reduced to upper floor level and re-erected. The existing three dormers date to this period though reusing earlier dressings. The E wall head of the principal block was also rebuilt, two pre-existing windows having been removed.

Various other openings at the lower levels saw secondary modification. That within the N wall of the hall seems to have been enlarged as part of the 17th-century works (granite dressings employed). Other modifications were of later date – the two windows in the W wall of the hall were lowered (the sill of the northern of the two very dramatically lowered), as was the window in its E wall – brick employed suggested this occurred in the later 18th/early 19th century. A large new window was opened in the early 19th century at the foot of the intramural stair down from the hall within the N wall.

Based upon the recorded evidence it was possible to propose a reconstruction of the 16th-century appearance of the tower.

Archive: RCAHMS

Funder: Private client

Information from Tom Addyman (Addyman Archaeology) 2012.

OASIS ID: addymana1-116199