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Pitfichie Castle

Tower House (Medieval)

Site Name Pitfichie Castle

Classification Tower House (Medieval)

Canmore ID 18040

Site Number NJ61NE 2

NGR NJ 67763 16652

Datum OSGB36 - NGR

Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/18040

Ordnance Survey licence number AC0000807262. All rights reserved.
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Administrative Areas

  • Council Aberdeenshire
  • Parish Monymusk
  • Former Region Grampian
  • Former District Gordon
  • Former County Aberdeenshire

Recording Your Heritage Online

Pitfichie c.1560-70. Dominated by circular angle-tower to southwest of rectangular block. The collapse of the east wall and south gable in 1936 led Dr W D Simpson to remark, in 1949, that it was 'an irremediable ruin'. He could not have envisaged the surge of castle restoring which was to spring up in the north-east during the 1970s and 1980s. Now completely restored, with vaulted ground floor, a small number of wide shot-holes and a pleasing mass of pale harl;

spare details and modern services contained in the almost blank east wall. Repaired 1736, unroofed 1769, rebuilt 1977, William Cowie.

Taken from "Aberdeenshire: Donside and Strathbogie - An Illustrated Architectural Guide", by Ian Shepherd, 2006. Published by the Rutland Press http://www.rias.org.uk

Archaeology Notes

NJ61NE 2 67763 16652

(NJ 6776 1665) Pitfichie Castle (NR)

OS 6" map, (1959)

The remains of the late 16th century Pitfichie Castle probably erected soon after 1560 and transitional in type between the simple oblong tower and the fully developed z-plan castle, being composed of a rectangular tower-house with a large round tower attached to its southern corner. Previous to 1596 the property belonged to the family of Hurrie or Urrie from from whom it passed first to the Cheynes of Fortrie then in 1650 to the Forbes of Monymusk. It may have been occupied until the beginning of the 18th century but by 1796 it had beed unroofed in which state it still remains.

Eight yards SW of the castle is a preserved fragment of the barmekin wall with an arched gateway now used as an entrance to the farmhouse garden.

W D Simpson 1921.

The roofless shell of Pitfichie Castle is generally as described and planned by Simpson (1921). The NE corner has collapsed and its foundation is mainly hidden under turf-grown debris.

Only the SE half of the arched gateway survives attached to the fragment of barmekin wall.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (ISS) 25 July 1973.

No change to previous field report.

Revised at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (NKB) 19 August 1976.

Under restoration, 1978-9.

(Additional bibliography cited).

NMRS, MS/712/56.

Air photographs: AAS/00/12/G30/2 and AAS/00/12/CT.

NMRS, MS/712/100.

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