Abergeldie Castle
| Abergeldie Castle | ||
|---|---|---|
 Abergeldie Castle |
||
| Creation time : | around 1550 | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg | |
| Conservation status: | preserved / restored | |
| Standing position : | High nobility | |
| Geographical location | 57 ° 2 '36 " N , 3 ° 10' 35.3" W | |
|
||
Abergeldie Castle is a four-story tower house . It is near Crathie in Aberdeenshire , Scotland , on the south bank of the River Dee .
history
In 1481 the area around Abergeldie was given to Alexander Gordon of Midmar, first son of the 1st Earl of Huntly. The 4th laird of this line, also called Alexander, called Black Alister, built the tower block in 1550.
In 1592, the castle withstood an attack by Clan Mackintosh and other clans in a campaign known as the Great Spulzie .
When the Covenanters took control of the area around 1640, they ordered the castle to be demolished because Alexander, 7th Laird, was an avid royal trustee. However, the command was not executed for an unknown reason.
In 1686, Abergeldie Castle was used by John Graham of Claverhouse , Viscount Dundee as a gathering point when he was a highland army against William III. put up. In return, the castle was taken during the Scottish Jacobite revolt of 1689 by General Hugh Mackay, who was only able to vacate it after a long blockade by the Farquharson clan.
When Queen Victoria and her husband began developing the neighboring Balmoral Castle as a holiday residence, they leased Abergeldie Castle. During this time it was first used by the Queen Mother, Duchess of Kent ; afterwards it was inhabited by Princess Eugenie , widow of Napoleon III. Most recently it housed the Prince of Wales and his family.
Abergeldie Castle is owned by John, 21. Laird Gordon, Baron of Abergeldie, who has lived here since 1972. However, the entire property is permanently leased to the Balmoral property (and thus to the Queen of Great Britain), with the last lease renewal taking place in 2000. It has recently been used to accommodate guests of the royal family when they are in Balmoral.
At the end of December 2015, unusually heavy rain fell due to the storm Frank Frank, which caused the river Dee to swell dramatically. This led to severe erosion of the bank in the area of the castle. The loss of land is currently around 18 meters. On January 5, 2016, the last parts of the castle's garden wall broke off and the northern corner of the building was partially washed away. Also on January 5, 2016, a team of engineers made their way to the castle to investigate possible security measures. The Baron of Abergeldie and his wife left the castle at the beginning of the first weekend in January 2016.
architecture
The rectangular residential tower measures around 11 m × 8.5 m with 1.2 m thick walls and has a basement, three floors and an attic. At its southwest corner there is a round stair tower with a diameter of about 4.6 m with the main staircase, the other corners of the building are rounded.
In the early 19th century, a bell tower covered with a keel arch was placed on top of the stair tower. Venetian windows were added to the south facade . Some more modern extensions are to the east of the residential tower.
The basement and the Great Hall on the ground floor have vaulted ceilings. The entire facility has been restored and is in its original condition.
Scottish architect W. Douglas Simpson notes similarities between Abergeldie and Balfluig Castle in Alford, suggesting that they could have been designed by the same person.
The building has been a listed building as a Category A building since November 24, 1972 .
Trivia
According to a legend, a French maid once lived in the castle. Her name is given in various sources as Catherine, Kittie or Katy Rankie, Rankin or Frankie. She accidentally humiliated her mistress and was subsequently accused of witchcraft and imprisoned before being cremated on the nearby Craig-na-Ban hill . Since then she has been said to haunt around at night.
Web links
- Entry on Abergeldie Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
- Listed Building Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
Individual evidence
- ↑ Abergeldie - Castles of Clan Gordon Wiki. Clan Gordon, accessed January 16, 2015 .
- ↑ Simon Johnson: Queen's neighbor's castle 'overhanging 12ft drop to river' . The Telegraph, January 5, 2016
- ↑ Water masses in Scotland: the Queen's neighbor lives on the precipice . Spiegel Online, January 4, 2016
- ^ Castles of Scotland - Abergeldie Castle. Britain - Ireland - Castles, accessed January 16, 2015 .
- ↑ David Ross: Abergeldie Castle. Britain Express, accessed January 16, 2015 .