Hill Of Blairbowie

NJ72SW 42 c. 724 226.

(Area: NJ 724 226). Blairbowie Castle stood on the Hill of Blairbowie close to the find-spot of the urns (NJ72SW 20) about the mid 17th century.

Mr Allan removed the foundation about 1850, during drainage operation, which also revealed, near the site an old malt-kiln and a draw well. (This site was never published, presumably because Allan was the only authority who knew anything about the castle, although most people in the district could remember the ruin.)

Name Book 1867; Information from Alex Allen, Netherton.

No further information.

Visited by OS (ISS) 11 July 11 July 1973.

Nothing is now visible of Blairbowie Castle, which was removed in about 1850. Although the site of the castle is indicated on the 1st edition of the OS 6-inch map (Aberdeenshire, sheet liv, 1869), the place-name entry in the Name Book has been scored through and annotated 'erased'. The reason for this is not clear, but the writer of the Name Book notes that Mr Allan of Netherton, who claimed to have removed the foundations of the castle, appeared to be the 'only person in the district who knows anything about Blairbowie Castle', and it may be that the OS writer had lost confidence in the accuracy of Mr Allan's account.

The recorded site lies within a featureless arable field on the summit of Blairbowie Hill about 300m SW of East Blairbowie farmsteading (NJ72SW 96) and there is also no trace of the kiln and the well that are said to have been found nearby.

Visited by RCAHMS (JRS), 19 March 1996.

Name Book 1869.