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Brodie Castle, a Z plan castle built in circa 1567 by Alexander Brodie, 12th Brodie of Brodie, with considerable 19th century Scottish Baronial alterations and additions. Addition from 1824 were by William Burn, and completed by James Wylson in circa 1840-1852. There was further restoration work done in 1978-80. The Brodie family has been settled at Brodie since the 12th century, and the castle was handed over to the National Trust for Scotland by Ninian, 25th Brodie, in 1980. The south tower is thought to be part of original keep. The first structure was a standard Z-plan tower house, having a rectangular block with square projecting towers at the southwest and northeast. The southwest tower and main block now occupy the west half of the south front. Early in the 17th century, a west wing was added and in the 19th century a two-bayed east wing was built east of the main structure. A number of episodes of building and repair are present on the northeast tower, indicating it may originally have formed part of an L-plan castle, which has subsequently been altered, most notably by the reworking of the wall heads along the tower and the west wing. As the stonework of the east wall of the northeast tower continues along the line of the east wall of the adjoining hall without any clear change in build, it is likely that the two structures are contemporary. This implies that an L-plan castle was altered in the mid-16th century by the addition of the southwest tower to form the Z-plan, central to the castle design of today (see DES 1998, 66). In 1980 it was renovated and re-harled by Rubert Hurt and Partners. On Roy's Military Map of 1747-55, Brodie is shown to be surrounded by a series of rectangular enclosures, with the main approach from the W. A 1770 Estate map shows considerable elaboration of the landscape. The interior entrance hall is a circa 1845 adaption of an earlier vaulted undercroft by James Wylson, with stumpy column that have foliated capitals. There are also re-set inscribed stone plaques. The library, again from circa 1845, is lined with wooden bookcases that are under a continuous egg and dart frieze. The blue sitting room has a vaulted ceiling with embossed plaster motifs and strapwork from 1635-40. The red drawing room was originally the first floor hall of 1567. The castle was re-decorated 1820s by William Burn and there is now a groined plaster ceiling and an ornate panelled chimneypiece with carved figures rising to ceiling height. The dining room is in the former first floor hall of 17th century wing. There is a late 17th century heavily embossed ceiling, which was grained and stained in circa 1825. Panelling and doors are also grained. The drawing room, by William Burn in 1824, has painted decoration on the architraves, over-doors and ceiling probably dating from 1860s and was restored in 1982. The best bed chamber has a 17th century plaster ceiling frieze and corner motifs. Trial trenching was carried out in January 1995 in advance of a proposed play area to the northwest of the castle. Five trenches were excavated over the area, although much of the north part of the site had standing trees which are to be retained. No archaeological evidence was recovered from trenches 2, 3, 5 and the north part of 1, consistent with documentary evidence that this area was woodland from at least the 18th century. A cut or trench with an almost vertical south edge was recorded in the south part of trench 1 and trench 4. Comparison with 1770 estate plans indicates that this could be the outer north edge of the 18th century formal gardens to the north of the castle. Finds recovered were mainly glass wine bottles, table and kitchen ware. In the mid-19th century, this area had been levelled with a mixture of stone and midden material. In 1996 internal and external elevations of the courtyard to the north of the Z-plan tower house were made by Kirkdale Archaeology (DES 1996 p75). Archaeological recording was undertaken during removal of harling from all walls of 16th century northeast tower, and from the north walls of the 17th century west wing and the 18th century stair wing. In 1998 a topographical survey was carried out within the grounds of the castle to identify features associated with the development of the designed landscape (DES 1998, 66). An evaluation was carried out by MAS in January 2012 on a proposed play area north of the 19th century extension to the castle. Much of the area appears to have been woodland in the 18th century, but the work identified the line of the north boundary of the 18th century formal north gardens which were removed in the early 19th century. A geophysical survey was carried out in 2013 as part of a project to assess the potential survival of historic garden features and structural remains. A number of anomalies were identified, possible robbed out foundations have been detected northwest of the castle. More ephemeral anomalies southeast of the castle suggest the possible limits of the formal garden. Features to the northwest of the castle may be relic garden features. Other anomalies are thought to relate to earlier layouts if the castle grounds. Further resistance survey was undertaken within the Dovecote Park, although recorded variations are thought like to relate to recent land use and vegetation. Rodney's Stone, a Pictish stone with cross and interlacing patterns, is sited at the east entrance of the park (NH95NE0002). The Station Lodge (NH95NE0040) is sited circa 500 meters to the south of the castle. The West Lodge (NH95NE0039) is sited circa 450 meters to the west of the castle. The 19th century Brodie family burial ground can also be found within the grounds, to the southwest of the castle.
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Historic Environment Records (HER) 
Moray
HER -
NH95NE0009 - BRODIE CASTLE