Aberdeenshire HER - NJ74SW0009 - TOWIE BARCLAY CASTLE

Main Details

Primary Reference	NJ74SW0009
Name	TOWIE BARCLAY CASTLE
NMRS Card No.	NJ74SW10
NMRS Numlink	19196
Site Form	Standing Structure
Site Condition	Complete 2
Details	Castle, dating from the mid 16th Century, which was probably built on the site of an earlier castle. It is of L-plan, and the arms and initials of St Patrick Barclay are carved on the central boss of the vault of the entrance vestibule. At first floor level the late Gothic hall measures 30 feet by 20 feet. In the late 18th Century the turrets and embrasures were removed, the top two stories taken off and the ditch filled up. It was almost certainly built by the same master mason as Craig, Dalgety and Gight castles. The castle lay derelict until 1970 when it was bought and restored. It has a fine rib-vaulted hall with a small oratory above the entrance to the hall. The farmsteading to the east of the castle is of mid 19th century date, comprising two single-storey and loft L-plan blocks forming a U-plan. They are rubble-built and slated, with a loft dovecot and incorporating fragments from the castle.
Last Update	05/02/2024

National Grid Reference: NJ 7444 4394

Easting: 368872, Northing: 864176

Compiler
Date of Compilation

Monument Type 1	Monument Type 2	Monument Type 3	Order	Probability
FARMSTEADS			X	100
DOVECOTS			Y	100
CASTLES			A	100
DITCHES		SITE OF	B	100
STAIRCASES	WHEEL		C	100
EMBRASURES		NARROW	D	100
PASSAGES	MURAL		E	100
HALLS		RIB-VAULTED	F	100
CORBELS		ORNAMENTAL	G	100
BOSSES		SCULPTURED	H	100
FIREPLACES			I	100
AUMBRIES		DECORATED	J	100
EMBRASURES		ROUND-ARCHED	K	100
CHAMBERS	MURAL		L	100
STAIRCASES	MURAL		M	100
ORATORIES			N	100
SHELVES	ALTAR		O	100
CORBELS	EFFIGY		P	100
PANELS		DATED	Q	100
PARAPETS			R	100
GUN-LOOPS			S	100
SEATS	STONE		T	100
TURRETS	ROUND		U	100
CELLARS		VAULTED	W	100

National Status
Listed Building, Category A
Listed Building, Category B

Regional Status
Site of Regional Significance

Source	Reference	Photo Type	Film Type	Date
AAS	AAS/97/08/G17/6,7	Air-oblique	Black & White	19/06/1997
AAS	AAS/97/08/CT35-39, 41-44	Air-oblique	Colour Transparency	19/06/1997
RCM	DP 018433	Air-oblique	Digital	06/07/2006

Bib Ref No	Title	Author	Date	Others	Editor	Published	Details	Date Y
11156	A REAPPRAISAL OF THE RESTORATION OF SELECTED NORTH-EAST CASTLES. BSC DISSERTATION	C COUTTS	1990				Dissertation	1990
02157	JAMES GILES - ABERDEENSHIRE CASTLES		1990				p.23	1990
08159	THE CASTLES OF BUCHAN AND NOTES BY THE WAY	N. K. MACLEOD	1895	N		PETERHEAD: D. SCOTT	p.45-48	1895
01874	ILLUSTRATED TOPOGRAPHY & ANTIQUITIES OF ABERDEEN & BANFF	J ROBERTSON	1869	Y	Y	ABERDEEN	P.363-372	1847
05873	THE THANAGE OF GLENDOWACHIE	W BANNERMAN	1897	N	N	BANFF		1897
01423	BANFF & DISTRICT	AE MAHOOD	1919			BANFF	P.154-159	1919
01761	BUCHAN: A TOPOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION	J. B. PRATT	1858			ABERDEEN	P.271-275	1858
11095	A STUDY OF THE RESTORATION OF FOUR CASTLES IN ABERDEENSHIRE	C COUTTS	1990				pp.5-7	1990
02265	BUILDINGS OF ARCHITECTURAL & HISTORICAL INTEREST						TURRIFF 16
00512	EVENING EXPRESS		0			ABERDEEN	17/01/85	1985
01410	CASTEL & DOM ARCH OF SCOT VOL2	T MACGIBBON	1887	Y		EDINBURGH	51-2	1887
02059	PSAS 64(1929-30) 48-95	WD SIMPSON	1930				84-5, PLAN	1930
01109	PSAS 4(1860-2) 578-592	A JERVISE	1862				588	1862
02399	FORTIFIED HOUSE IN SCOT VOL 4	N TRANTER	1977				165-6	1977
00296	SCOTTISH CASTLE	SH CRUDEN	1960				166	1960
01333	LEOPARD MAGAZINE					ABERDEEN	1978? P.9-12
01307	CASTELLATED ARCHITECTURE OF ABERDEENSHIRE	A LEITH-HAY	1849			ABERDEEN		1849
05949	EARLY CASTLES OF ABERDEENSHIRE	N BOGDAN	2008					2008

Historic Administrative Area Name	Turriff
Positional Accuracy	Centred at
Buffer Zone	15-20m
Buffer Type	Bespoke
Capture Scale	Unknown
Spatial Feature Type	Polygon: Known Site Extent

Constraints	Privately owned, access by arrangement - easy access.
Altitude	55
Geology
Topography	Gentle slope
Aspect 1	NE
Aspect 2	Closed
Current Land Use	Residential
Vegetation
Soil Type
Hydrology

Castle mentioned in 1558, 1587; present building c1593; turrets removed 1792; farm buildings built 1869; castle altered 1873; renovated 1971-73.

James Duncan 1873-4, architect for present E gable and parapet with batizans; James Forbes-Beattie 1869.

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