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Towerhouse castle, the present castle dating from the 16th century, on the site of a motte and possibly incorporating some of the earlier structure. The bailey of the original castle was probably formed by what is now the long lawn. A small structure, possibly a tower, occupied the highest point of the motte and is now encased within internal masonry of a later tower. It was surrounded by a curtain wall with high arched entrance in the northwest corner, which is still visible in the west wall of the tower. Originally belonging to the Thanes of Aberchirder, the lands of Kinnaidy came into the possession of the Innes family in the late 14th century. The second stage of development was a 6-storey tower with a flat battlemented roof occupying the northwest corner of the enclosure and erected circa 1420. The oak aumbry doors incorporating carved roundels and lozenges with portrait heads probably dates from circa 1500; and represents Alexander Innes (laird 1491-1537). In 1627 the estate was sold to Crichton of Frendraught and later passed to the Gregory Family. The estate was purchased in 1704 by Thomas Donaldson and his wife Elizabeth Duff, and the case was transformed into a country house. A plaque dated 1725 on the stair tower relates to their work: tow upper storeys were removed at this time and battlements and crow-stepped gable substituted. The stair tower was reduced in 1865. In 1923 the estate passed again to the Innes Family who carried out restoration works between 1923 and 1939. 'The Palace', as the building stretching to the east of the tower is called in the 18th Century, may date from circa 1500 although could be later. The south and east curtain walls have been demolished and the north curtain wall has been replaced by a garden wall. The west curtain wall, 3.04m high, still exists and the remains can be traced circling the motte. There is a B-listed dovecot and walled garden to the south-west (NJ64NW0082). Family research indicates the castle was known as Crombie Castle until the 17th century.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)