Durris Castle
| Durris Castle | |
|---|---|
 former castle hill |
|
| Alternative name (s): | House of Durres, Dores Castle |
| Creation time : | 13th Century |
| Castle type : | Moth with courtyard |
| Conservation status: | Burgstall |
| Standing position : | Noble |
| Place: | Kirkton of Durris |
| Geographical location | 57 ° 3 '42.8 " N , 2 ° 21' 53.6" W |
Durris Castle , also known as House of Durres and Dores Castle , is an abandoned castle in the Scottish village of Kirkton of Durris in Aberdeenshire , which was mostly used as a hunting lodge . Its castle hill, on which the L-shaped Tower House rose, lies south of the River Dee .
history
First mentioned at the end of the 13th century, the castle - a motte with a courtyard - was built by Alexander III. inhabited. The Chamberlain Rolls talk about repair work on the system. In 1296, Edward I spent a time at Durris Castle on his campaign against Aberdeen with his 35,000-strong army.
Initially owned by the Cummings , the castle was later inhabited by members of the Fraser family before they moved to the more comfortable Durris House , about two kilometers to the east .
In 1645 the castle was razed and burned by the Marquis of Montrose . It was then not rebuilt.
description
From the castle today nothing is received, however, the heavily overgrown hill on which the moth was, is today (as Castle Hill English castle hill ), respectively. This is about seven meters high and has an oval shape of about 30 × 41 meters. On the western side of the hill is a ditch about 2.6 meters deep , which may have served as a moat in the past . It is not known whether a stone bridge or a wooden one provided the passage, but it may have been a drawbridge .
literature
- Martin Coventry: The castles of Scotland. A comprehensive reference and gazetteer to more than 2000 castles . 2nd Edition. Goblinshead, Edinburgh 1997, ISBN 1-899874-10-0 , p. 146.
Web links
- Entry on Durris Castle in Canmore, Historic Environment Scotland database
Individual evidence
- ^ JA Henderson: Annals of Lower Deeside, being a topographical, proprietary, ecclesiastical and antiquarian history of Durris . Drumoak and Culter, Aberdeen 1892, pp. 1-2.
- ^ History of Durris , accessed September 20, 2013.
- ^ M. Coventry: The castles of Scotland , p. 146.
- ↑ a b c Entry on Durris Castle in Canmore, the database of Historic Environment Scotland (English)