Pittulie Castle

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Pittulie Castle

Aberdeenshire

Geograph-317979-Des Colhoun-pittulie castle.jpg
Pittulie Castle
Location
Grid reference: NJ94526702
Location: 57°41’35"N, 2°5’37"W
History
Information

Pittulie Castle, also spelled as Pitullie Castle,[1] is an oblong tower house probably dating from the late 16th century,[2] half a mile from Pitsligo Castle, at Rosehearty in Aberdeenshire.

This is one of the castles described by W. Douglas Simpson as the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-eastern Aberdeenshire.[3]

History

The present castle probably replaces a previous castle on the site. It is thought that the castle was built for the marriage of Alexander Fraser and Margaret Abernethy of Saltoun in 1596. This marriage led to the Frasers inheriting the Saltoun peerage.[2] The Cumines acquired and enlarged the property.[2]

The castle was purchased by Sir William Forbes towards the end of the 18th century, but subsequently abandoned.[2]

Structure

The castle comprises an oblong block, which has a square tower at the corner to the north-east. There are angle-turrets, where are notably low, on the gables to the south east and south west.[2] The main tower has two storeys and an attic.. The main stair only reaches the first floor. From the Hall a turreted stair on the north front rises higher. A turreted stair, corbelled out from the second floor, leads to the upper floors. Originally the entrance was by the north front.[2]

Pittulie is a scheduled monument.[4]

References

  1. CANMORE (RCAHMS) record of Castle of Pittulie
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 Lindsay, Maurice (1986) The Castles of Scotland. Constable. ISBN 0-09-473430-5 p.398
  3. Simpson, W.D. (1949). "Cairnbulg Castle, Aberdeenshire". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 83: 32–44. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-352-1/dissemination/pdf/vol_083/83_032_044.pdf. 
  4. Pittulie Castle - scheduled monument detail (Historic Environment Scotland)


The Nine Castles of the Knuckle, Aberdeenshire

Cairnbulg CastleDundarg CastleInverallochy CastleKinnaird CastleLonmay CastlePitsligo CastlePittulie CastleCastle of RattrayWinetower