Craigston Castle
Craigston Castle is a castle near the town of Turriff in the Scottish county of Aberdeenshire and was once the seat of the Urquhart clan . John Urquhart († 1631) from Craigfintry , called Tutor of Cromarty , had it built in the years 1604-1607. The castle consists of two main wings on either side of the entrance, which are connected by a raised arch and crowned by a parapet supported by many consoles . At the top corner of each of the wings is the foundation for a corner tower, but the towers themselves never appear to have been built. The wood carvings in the salon depict biblical themes and the coats of arms of Clan Urquhart.
Craigston Castle is part of the "Bell Group" of Scottish castles designed by master builders called Bell or Bel and, according to H. Gordon Slade, "together form perhaps Scotland's finest and most distinctive execution of Western architecture". The castle still belongs to the Urquhart family, whose members live there. The clan can trace its beginnings to Adam Urquhart , sheriff of Cromarty in the 14th century , even if Thomas Urquhart , translator of François Rabelais , thinks that the family through "Termuth", who after his portrayal found Moses in the reeds, and many other fantastic ancestors can be traced back to Adam and Eve.
In 1657 the Urquharts sold the castle, but in 1739 it was bought back by Captain John Urquhart , known as "The Pirate" and grandson of the builder. The new owner had the two wings built and new gardens laid out, but not according to the plans of the leading architect of the time, William Adam , which he had made in 1733. In the 1830s, the architect John Smith , who also designed Balmoral Castle , planned a major renovation of the castle, but only a new entrance was built. Historic Scotland has listed Craigston Castle as a Category A Historic Building. The Urquhart family, who still live there, rents rooms for weddings and other events as well as an apartment.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b H. Gordon Slade: Craigston Castle, Aberdeenshire . In: Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland . Pp. 262-299. 1977. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
- ^ The curious case of Thomas Urquhart . In: The Scotsman . April 18, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2017.
- ↑ Listed Building - Entry . In: Historic Scotland .
Web links
- Craigston Castle website.
- Craigston Castle . Gazetteer for Scotland.
- The Genealogy of the Urquhart Family . Kitty Brewster.
Coordinates: 57 ° 35 '4.6 " N , 2 ° 23' 57.5" W.