Craigievar Castle

Set in woodland, the delicate pink-harled granite tower house of Craigievar is considered to be the most romantic in Scotland.

The L-plan castle was built in the short period between the Union of the Crowns in 1603 and the Civil War in 1638. It was a period when the landowners in Scotland, no longer busy with military matters, found themselves with time and wealth to spare.

Many took up business abroad and Sir William Forbes, the new owner of Craigievar, was one of these. He had bought the half-built castle from the impoverished Mortimer family in 1610 and with the money he had made in Danzig could afford to finish the building in 1626 on a lavish scale.

The castle's six storeys are adorned with turrets, carvings, gables and a square tower. The upper storeys give spectacular views over the surrounding countryside.

No expense was spared on the interior and many rooms still have their Renaissance plaster ceilings. The only change to the building since 1626 is to the walled courtyard.  Only a section of the curtain wall and a tower remain with an arched entrance and wooden door showing the initials of Sir John Forbes, grandson of Sir William.

Although Sir William died only a year after completing the castle it stayed in the hands of his family until it was bought by the Scottish National Trust in 1963.

Craigievar was one of the last tower houses to be built. As it was impossible to build houses to withstand artillery bombardment indefinitely, castles became obsolete. Their place was taken by the town houses and mansions of the 18th century in the new classical style.