Aberdeenshire HER - NJ84NE0001 - FEDDERATE CASTLE

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Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ84NE0001
NameFEDDERATE CASTLE
NRHE Card No.NJ84NE1
NRHE Numlink 19857
HES SM No. 5951
HES LB No. NULL
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Incomplete
Details Remains of a castle. Fedderate Castle is an L-shaped tower-house probably dating to the 15th Century. Built by William de Craufurd/Crawford, who held the Barony of Fedderate from 1474 - 1519. The castle was formerly surrounded by a ditch and was reached by a causeway and drawbridge. Water was said to have been carried to the fosse by means of a pipe. There is now no trace of these. A stone was removed from the castle in circa 1830, now at Alehousehill, which was dated 1257, and is thought to have possibly come from an earlier castle on the site. Part of the castle was destroyed during a siege in 1690, and it is described as a ruin in 1732. In November 2010, a programme of geophysical surveys was carried by Blairgowrie Geoscience to see whether the moat and causeway could be located. These consisted of a trial magnetic gradiometer survey, a resistivity survey around the remains and a series of six electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) profiles to study deeper resistivity variations. The only really obvious linear negative anomaly which might correspond to a significant ditch or moat seen is parallel to the northeast side of the castle. Whether it would be possible to have a water feature in this position extend around the castle is problematic. There are various other short 'channels' leading off or around the castle area but none of them shows much sign of being part of an organised defensive system. The most likely position for a causeway would seem to lie among the positive anomalies to the north and northwest of the castle. The remaining northwest castle wall looks as if the missing portion may have collapsed at a large orifice which may have been a gateway. The field surrounding the castle have significant amounts of scallop shells which may have originated from a midden at the castle.
Last Update01/02/2024
Updated Bycpalmer
Compiler 
Date of Compilation 

Google Map for NJ84NE0001

National Grid Reference: NJ 8968 4984



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2010 Geophysical Survey

Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
CASTLES SITE OFA100
TOWERHOUSES L-PLANB100
DITCHES SITE OFC100
CAUSEWAYS SITE OFD100
DRAW-BRIDGES SITE OFE100
STONES DATEDF100
CLOSETSWALL G100
GARDEROBES  H100
KITCHENS REMAINS OFI100
STAIRCASESCIRCULARREMAINS OFJ100