Fetteresso Castle
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Fetteresso Castle is a 14th-century
tower house A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, to command and defend strategic points ...
, rebuilt in 1761 as a Scottish Gothic style
Palladian Palladian architecture is a European architectural style derived from the work of the Venetian architect Andrea Palladio (1508–1580). What is today recognised as Palladian architecture evolved from his concepts of symmetry, perspective and ...
manor, with clear evidence of prehistoric use of the site. It is situated immediately west of the town of
Stonehaven Stonehaven ( ) is a town on the northeast coast of Scotland, south of Aberdeen. It had a population of 11,177 at th2022 Census Stonehaven was formerly the county town of Kincardineshire, succeeding the now abandoned town of Kincardine, Aberd ...
in
Kincardineshire Kincardineshire or the County of Kincardine, also known as the Mearns (from the Scottish Gaelic meaning "the stewartry"), is a Shires of Scotland, historic county, registration county and lieutenancy areas of Scotland, lieutenancy area on the ...
, slightly to the west of the A90 dual carriageway. Other notable historic fortified houses or castles in this region are Dunnottar Castle, Muchalls Castle, Fiddes Castle, Cowie Castle and Monboddo House.


Prehistory

From
cropmarks Cropmarks or crop marks are a means through which sub-surface archaeological, natural and recent features may be visible aerial archaeology, from the air or a vantage point on higher ground or a temporary platform. Such marks, along with parch m ...
in the "policies" (improved areas) around Fetteresso Castle, there is evidence of a ring ditch sited at the north end of a
cursus Cursuses are monumental Neolithic enclosure structures comprising parallel banks with external ditches or trenches. Found only in the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, relics within them indicate that they were built between 3400 and 3000 BC ...
. A cursus is a prehistoric set of parallel linear structures of unknown purpose that were, somewhat fancifully, considered by antiquarians as used for some type of athletic competition, possibly related to hunting or archery; this is unsubstantiated. In 1822 a
cairn A cairn is a human-made pile (or stack) of stones raised for a purpose, usually as a marker or as a burial mound. The word ''cairn'' comes from the (plural ). Cairns have been and are used for a broad variety of purposes. In prehistory, t ...
was discovered near Fetteresso Castle with some human remains inside. The size and shape of the chamber made of unhewn
whinstone Whinstone is a term used in the quarrying industry to describe any hard dark-coloured Rock (geology), rock. Examples include the igneous rocks, basalt and dolerite, as well as the sedimentary rock chert. Etymology The Northern English/Scots term ...
clearly show that the burial site was a Bronze Age construct. Some legends say that this is the grave of Malcolm I, who is recorded to have been slain at Fetteresso in AD 954. The burial hillock has become known as Malcolm's Mount, even though it is not likely from current archaeological analysis that the crypt could be so recent. In 1998 a burial urn from the Beaker people was found at Fetteresso Castle. The
Roman Camp ''Castra'' () is a Latin language, Latin term used during the Roman Republic and Roman Empire for a military 'camp', and ''castrum'' () for a 'Fortification, fort'. Either could refer to a building or plot of land, used as a fortified milita ...
of Raedykes is located several miles north-west, where a full legion encamped and many archaeological recoveries have been made. This location is one of a string of marching camps that connected
Angus Angus may refer to: *Angus, Scotland, a council area of Scotland, and formerly a province, sheriffdom, county and district of Scotland * Angus, Canada, a community in Essa, Ontario Animals * Angus cattle, various breeds of beef cattle Media * ...
to
Moray Moray ( ; or ) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It lies in the north-east of the country, with a coastline on the Moray Firth, and borders the council areas of Aberdeenshire and Highland. Its council is based in Elgin, the area' ...
.


Middle Ages

The property is recorded to have been owned by the Strachans. Robert de Bruce opposed the Balliol (and later the Comyn) claim to the throne of Scotland, which culminated at the Battle of Barra Hill (1308). Castlehill of Strachan was in fact burned out by Robert de Bruce, and the Barony of Strachan later disinherited from the de Strachan family and granted by Robert de Bruce to Sir Alexander Fraser in c. 1316 (Robertson Index, 1-15). The Strachan family were supporters and kinsmen of
John Comyn, Earl of Buchan John Comyn, 3rd Earl of Buchan (circa 1260 – 1308) was a chief opponent of Robert the Bruce in the civil war that paralleled the War of Scottish Independence. He should not be confused with the better known John III Comyn, Lord of Badenoch, ...
. The barony of Fetteresso eventually passed to William Keith, the
Earl Marischal The title of Earl Marischal was created in the Peerage of Scotland for William Keith, the Great Marischal of Scotland. History The office of Marischal of Scotland (or ''Marascallus Scotie'' or ''Marscallus Scotiae'') had been hereditary, held ...
of Scotland, who inherited the barony through his mother, the daughter of Sir Alexander Fraser in the 14th century to the
Clan Keith Clan Keith is a Highland and Lowland Scottish clan, whose chief historically held the hereditary title of Marischal, then Great Marischal, then Earl Marischal of Scotland.Way, George and Squire, Romily. (1994). ''Collins Scottish Clan & Family ...
Earls Marischal, who built the tower house. The Earls Marischal also held the nearby fortress, Dunnottar Castle.


17th and 18th centuries

The characteristic Scottish designs of crow-stepped
gable A gable is the generally triangular portion of a wall between the edges of intersecting roof pitches. The shape of the gable and how it is detailed depends on the structural system used, which reflects climate, material availability, and aesth ...
s and the battlement crenellation elements were introduced. A
dovecote A dovecote or dovecot , doocot (Scots Language, Scots) or columbarium is a structure intended to house Domestic pigeon, pigeons or doves. Dovecotes may be free-standing structures in a variety of shapes, or built into the end of a house or b ...
of considerable height was constructed in the 17th century to the south of the castle. In 1659 Jean Hunter lived at Fetteresso. She was accused of witchcraft and hanged at her home. An artist and wright named Alexander Charles worked at Fetteresso as an overseer. Charles flourished from 1671 to 1678 and published his drawings in at least one book. Late in the 17th century, the Duff family controlled Fetteresso and expanded the building around the old tower house.


20th and 21st centuries

In the 1940s, the castle was owned by Maurice Simpson and Geraldine Simpson (née Pringle). She was the heiress to the Pringle knitware fortune. Subsequently, the Simpsons acquired and lived in nearby Muchalls Castle. After the Simpsons' tenure at Fetteresso, the roof was off the castle for some period starting around 1954, and the castle was bought by a local landowner and then left to the Don family in his will. In the latter part of the 20th century, the castle was restored and sub-divided into seven houses, which is its present use. Ms Simpson continued to reside in the local area until her death in 2010.


See also

* Allardice Castle * Kirkton of Fetteresso * Red Cloak * Stonehaven Tolbooth * Ury House


References

* C. Michael Hogan. 2008
''Fetteresso Fieldnotes'', The Modern Antiquarian
* Benjamin T. Hudson, ''Prophecy of Berchan: Irish and Scottish Kings of the Early Middle Ages'', (1996) * ''Scottish Notes and Queries 1899-1900'', edited by John Bullock, A. Brown and Company, Aberdeen * ''Historical Geography of the Clans of Scotland'' * ''Primitive Beliefs in the Northeast of Scotland'' {{coord, 56.9604, -2.2604, type:landmark_region:GB, display=title Buildings and structures completed in the 14th century Castles in Aberdeenshire Category B listed buildings in Aberdeenshire Listed castles in Scotland Country houses in Aberdeenshire 14th century in Scotland Stonehaven