Lethenty Castle

Lethenty Castle, later 16th century. Of the tower house 'soundly plundered' on 27 June 1640 by 200 Covenanters, and again in 1645, nothing now remains, but the ground floor of an angle tower with chamfered slit windows, and gunports of a miniature wide-mouthed type were recorded in 1982.

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

NJ72NE 2 7646 2541

(NJ 7646 2541) Lethenty Castle (NR) (Site of)

OS 6" map, (1959)

A considerable portion of Lethenty Castle, once the family residence of the Skenes, remains including a part converted into a stable and another part into a dwelling house. A stone at the castle is dated 1622, and two others dated 1602, from the castle, are built into the wall of the stables of Hillhead (NJ 76 25).

Name Book 1867.

All that remains of Lethenty Castle is a small L-shaped basement c.1.8m high with walls 0.9m thick, greatly obscured by tumble and household debris. The remains of barrel vaulting are discernible at the SE corner. It is believed locally that the present cottage occupies the site of the main structure, and this is supported by its thick harled walls with a short stretch of walling 0.9m thick and c.4.5m high joining the basement to the NE corner of the cottage.

No trace of dated stones.

Resurveyed at 1/2500.

Visited by OS (RL) 28 February 1969.

This castle is situated on a ledge high on the shoulder of a hill at an altitude of 78m OD. It was partially excavated by IAG Shepherd and MK Greig in March 1982.

[Newspaper and photographic references cited].

NMRS, MS/712/70.

All visible remains of Lethenty Castle were removed several years ago when the area was landscaped prior to the construction of a new house.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 20 February 1996.