Moray HER - NJ12NE0004 - BLAIRFINDY CASTLE

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Main Details

Primary ReferenceNJ12NE0004
NameBLAIRFINDY CASTLE
NRHE Card No.NJ12NE4
NRHE Numlink 15970
HES SM No. 105
HES LB No. NULL
Site Form Standing Structure
Site Condition Incomplete
Details Remains of castle. Blairfindy Castle is a 3-storey, L-plan tower house constructed of tooled rubble with ashlar dressings, and completed by John Gordon in 1564. It is now a ruin. The segmental headed first floor fireplace is still visible, as is the vaulted ground floor. There is a round-headed entrance in the ground floor northeast re-entrant angle, with box machicolation above and a shallow semi-circular stair tower corbelled out in angle. The 2-bay south elevation has a pair of first floor windows lighting the former hall, and two smaller windows in the second floor. There are various slit vents. There is a corbelled bartizan at the southeast angle, a wallhead stack in the centre south elevation and end stacks. It is roofless, though a few heavy local slates survive. The interior is gutted, but a segmental-headed first floor fireplace is visible. A datestone and shield coat of arms that is initialled 'IG' and 'HG' was added above the door in 1586, marking the passing of the castle to Earls of Huntly. From this period it was used as a hunting seat. In 1647, the 2nd Marquis of Huntly, who had been captured at Delnabo by Cromwellian soldiers, was incarcerated in the castle en-route to his execution in Edinburgh. A building survey was carried out by Alder Archaeology in June - July 2018. A watching brief was subsequently carried out in July 2018 during hand excavation of engineers' text pits at the castle in advance of consolidation works. Those against the south wall of the castle encountered a cobbled surface, thought to be 19th-20th century in date, and the floor of a lean-to structure. Stone roofing tiles which may have come from the castle roof were found over the cobbled surface. Further recording of the chimney heads and other features was carried out in May and August 2019. A watching brief in November 2019 during excavation of pits for lightening conductors recorded no archaeological features. Relocation of two tumbled stones was monitored in February 2021 but no archaeological features or artefacts were recorded.
Last Update02/08/2022
Updated Bycpalmer
CompilerAAS
Date of Compilation23/11/2009

Google Map for NJ12NE0004

National Grid Reference: NJ 1983 2864



Event Details

Event DateEvent TypeOASIS ID
2018 Building Recording alderarc1-382461
2018 Watching-Brief
2019 Building Recording alderarc1-382461
2019 Watching-Brief alderarc1-382461
2021 Watching-Brief

Excavations and Surveys


Artefact and Ecofact

Ecofact

Samples
Palynology
Ecofact Notes

Monument Types

Monument Type 1Monument Type 2Monument Type 3OrderProbability
PARAPETS MACHICOLATEDG100
CASTLES REMAINS OFH100
TOWERSSTAIR I100
VENTSSLIT J100
BARTIZANS CORBELLEDK100
STACKSWALLHEAD L100
STACKS ENDM100
FIREPLACES  N100
DATESTONES  O100
COAT-OF-ARMSSHIELD P100
CASTLES L-PLANA100
TOWERHOUSES REMAINS OFB100
FIREPLACESSEGMENTAL D100
STONESARMORIALDATEDE100
CELLARS BARREL-VAULTEDC100
BARTIZANS CORBELLEDF100
SURFACES COBBLEDQ100