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Remains of promontory fort and later castle, also known as Dundarg Castle. The prehistoric phase of Dundarg consists of the outer multiple ditch and banks, bone-rich midden deposits, probably post-holes on the promontory itself, together with worked flints and an enamelled bronze button with swastika symbol dated to the 3rd or 4th century AD. The inner ditch of the fort was widened to form a later castle moat. Simpson believed that Dundarg was the 'Cathair of Abbordobor' which the Mormaer Bede the Pict made over to St Drostan on his arrival at Aberdour in the 6th century AD, as narrated in The Book of Deer. Simpson considered the Celtic chapel to be represented by foundations of a building set at right angles to other buildings in the inner ward, however this has not been proven. The castle was built in the 13th century by Comyns and dismantled, probably by Bruce, in 1308. It was re-built 1334 and destroyed almost immediately afterwards in a famous siege which was broken by the use of cannon, the first known example of such cannondale in Scotland. The inner gatehouse survives though there is some evidence that it was partially rebuilt and provided with gunloops in the 1550s. The site was finally abandoned in the mid 17th century. The inner gatehouse of the castle survives. A house (Listed, Category B) was built on part of the site by Air Vice Marshall Carnegie in 1937-8 (see NJ86SE0073).
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Historic Environment Records (HER)