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Remains of castle. The wall remains are of mortared stone with a heavy chamfered base plinth. There are no visible remains of internal structures. This walling is set in a grass bank beside a footpath, which runs across the promontory on which the castle undoubtedly stood. A deep trench has been cut through the northwest corner of the promontory. It is said to have been a royal hunting castle built by Malcolm Canmore, but Watt (1914) states that this is erroneous, but seems to imply its existence in the 11th century. Buchanan refers to a Thane of Cowie called Macpendirus. Donald Bane, brother of Malcolm Canmore who is said to have bribed Macpendirus to assassinate Donald. Sir David Dalrymple called him Malpedir, which he translates as 'servant of Peter'. After him a Fraser was raised to the rank of Thane of Cowie (Buchan. Hist Scot Lib vii). The Defence of Britain Project recorded that during World War I there was a gun emplacement on the site of the 'ancient Castle of Cowie'.
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Historic Environment Records (HER)