Historic Places in Angus and Dundee

Broughty Castle is situated at Broughty Ferry on the mouth of the River Tay. It was built in 1496 on a rocky promontory. During the eighteenth century it fell into ruin, to be rebuilt in the 1860s as part of the Crimean War effort. Broughty Castle Museum houses fascinating displays on the life and times of Broughty Ferry, its people, the environment and the wildlife that live close by.

Claypotts Castle is a located one mile north-west of Broughty Ferry, near Dundee on the east coast of Scotland. The castle is a Z-plan tower house, with a rectangular block with round towers at two of the diagonally opposite corners. This was a popular design in the sixteenth century and allowed for defenders to fire along the faces of the main block from both towers. Claypotts was more of a residential building than a defensive structure though. There are two turnpike stairs (one for the family, one for the staff) in the angles created by the towers. The domestic stair runs right from ground level to the attic. The towers are fairly plain until they reach the square garret chambers perched at the top. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland. The castle was originally built by John Strachan between 1569 and 1588. In 1601 the Strachan family sold the castle to Sir William Graham of Ballunie who later sold it to Sir William Graham of Claverhouse. The castle became the property of the crown in 1689 after the death of the then current owner Viscount Dundee John Graham of Claverhouse at the battle of Killiecrankie. In 1694 the castle was gifted to James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas. Ownership later passed to the 13th Earl of Home through marriage who later gifted the castle to the state in 1926.

Dudhope Castle is located on Dundee Law in Dundee, Scotland. The castle was originally a smaller tower house built in the late 13th century by the Scrymageour family. This was replaced around 1460 and then further extended in 1580 to its current L-plan structure with circular towers. In the 1980s the castle was redeveloped and is now in use as offices, a conference centre as well as housing the University of Abertay Business School. The Scrymageour family sold the castle in 1668 to John Graham of Claverhouse (the following year John Graham died in battle leading the Jacobites to victory at Killiecrankie). In 1792 the castle was rented out for use as a woolen factory. In 1795 the park and the grounds were leased to the Board of Ordnance, who used Dudhope as a barracks for 95 years, from 1796 to 1879. Additional buildings were constructed, including a hospital, officers quarters, stables and guard-rooms. The castle was used as accommodation for 400 soldiers. The Board of Ordnance abandoned the castle in 1881. In council of Dundee bought the grounds and opened them up as a park in 1895. The building was later occupied by the Ministry of Works.

Edzell Castle is located at Edzell, six mile north of Brechin on the B966. Edzell Castle is located near Edzell about 5 miles north of Brechin, in Angus. Construction of Edzell Castle began around 1520 by David Lindsay, 9th Earl of Crawford. The castle consists of the early 16 century four-storey tower house (Stirling Tower), west range, and the late 16th century north range. The tower walls are over 6 feet thick at the basement. The entrance to the tower house is through a door protected by "inverted keyhole" shaped gun holes. The hall is on the first floor, above two vaulted cellars. The broad main spiral stair led up to three further storeys of private chambers, up to a small rooftop chamber giving access to a parapet walk. The four corners of the tower have open turrets. The parapet is supported on projecting stones, or corbels. Edzell Castle has an attractive Renaissance garden surrounded by a 12 feet high wall. The north wall is part of the castle courtyard. The castle was given into state care in the 1930s, and is now a visitor attraction run by Historic Scotland. The first castle at Edzell was a timber motte and bailey structure. The motte, or mound, is still visible 300 metres south-west of the present castle, and dates from the 12th century. The existing tower house and courtyard was built in 1520 by Sir David Lindsay. In August 1562, David Lindsay received Mary, Queen of Scots who spent two nights at Edzell. Her son, King James VI, visited Edzell twice in the 1580s. Sir David extended the castle in the late 16th century, with the addition of a large north range with round corner towers. During the Third English Civil War, Oliver Cromwell invaded Scotland and his troops took Edzell in 1651 for a month. The castle began to decline around the time of the 1715 Jacobite Rising. The last Lindsay lord of Edzell sold the castle to the 4th Earl of Panmure who ended up being stripped of his property for taking part in the failed rebellion. Edzell was then sold, by the Crown, to a London waterworks company which had an interest in the buying and selling of forfeited property. In 1746, the castle was damaged when a unit of government troops occupied the building. By 1764, the remaining contents of the castle, including the roofs, were removed and sold to pay off debts.

Ethie Castle is situated around 3 miles north of the fishing town of Arbroath in Angus. The castle was built around 1300 when a sandstone keep was built by the Abbot and monks of Arbroath Abbey. The castle was later owned by the de Maxwell family, and then by Scotland's last Cardinal, David Beaton who was murdered in St. Andrews in 1546. The castle was purchased in 1665 by the Carnegie family, who later became the Earls of Northesk, and was owned by them through to 1928. The castle is presently owned by the de Morgan family and has been converted for use as a hotel. The Arts The castle is reputed to be the basis for the fictional Castle of Knockwhinnock in Sir Walter Scott's novel The Antiquary. Sir Walter Scott was a close friend of William Carnegie, 8th Earl of Northesk and frequently stayed at Ethie Castle. Legends It is said that the monks of Arbroath concealed a treasury of church vessels, plates and vestments in the walls of Ethie Castle for safekeeping.

Glamis Castle is situated beside the village of Glamis in Angus, Scotland. It is the home of the Earl and Countess of Strathmore and Kinghorne, and is open to the public. The plasterwork ceilings of Glamis are noteworthy for their detail and preservation. Along with those of Muchalls Castle and Craigievar Castle, they are considered the finest in Scotland. The estate surrounding the castle covers more than 14,000 acres. The two streams run through the estate, one of them the Glamis Burn. An arboretum overlooking Glamis Burn features trees from all over the world. There is a tea room in the castle, and part of the gardens and grounds are open to the public. The venue can be hired for functions like dinners and weddings. The castle was built in the 15th Century as an L-plan castle. The main tower was added in about 1435, and the castle was enclosed within a fortified court. The West Wing was added in the 17th century as well as a small north-east wing containing the chapel. The courtyard buildings and much of the fortifications were replaced by a baroque setting of courts, sculptures and vistas. In the mid-18th century the grounds in front of the Castle were landscaped with radiating avenues of trees. New kitchens, a Billiard Room and new service courtyards beyond the East Wing were all added in 1773. Two years later, the West Wing was demolished and remodelling of the grounds into open parklands in the style of Capability Brown began. This was achieved by pulling down the garden walls in front of the Castle and moving the De'il Gates to the boundary where they stand today. The pitched roof of the East Wing was replaced with castellations in 1797 and the reconstruction of the West Wing in a matching style was effected in about 1800. The main avenue was replanted about 1820. In 1893, the 13th Earl laid out the Dutch Garden in front of the Castle. The Italian Garden was added in 1910. Glamis Castle was the childhood home of Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, best known as the Queen Mother. Her daughter, Princess Margaret, was born there. The Arts Macbeth is known as "Thane of Glamis" in William Shakespeare's play Macbeth. Glamis Castle is also featured in the Kelley Armstrong fantasy novel Haunted. Legends There is an abundance of legends associated with Glamis. The most famous is the "Monster of Glamis" abvout a hideously deformed child born to the family. In the story, the monster was kept in the castle all his life and his suite of rooms bricked up after his death. An alternate version of the legend is that to every generation of the family a vampire child is born and is walled up in that room. There is an old story that guests staying at Glamis once hung towels from the windows of every room in a bid to find the bricked-up suite of the monster. When they looked at it from outside, several windows were apparently towel-less. The legend of the monster may have been inspired by the true story of the Ogilvies. Somewhere in the sixteen-foot thick walls is the famous room of skulls, where the Ogilvie family, who sought protection from their enemies the Lindsays, were walled up to die of starvation.

Invermark Castle is situated in mountainous country at the end of Glen Mark east of Loch Lee about 16 miles from Laurencekirk. The castle was built around 1526 by the Lindsay family extending an existing 14th century tower. The existing castle is a tower house that gives the appearance of being disproportionately tall. The only entrance to the castle is at first floor level, where the main hall would have been. From there a spiral staircase led down to the kitchen and storage areas on the ground floor. The private apartments would have been located on upper floors. In 1605 gun loops were added at ground floor level. There is no public access to the castle interior, but the outside is impressive and worth a visit. The castle was used as refuge by David Lindsay in 1607, after he had killed Lord Spynie in Edinburgh after a long-standing quarrel. The castle continued in use as a family residence until at least 1729. By the start of the nineteenth century, the castle was in ruins and material from the site were removed to build the nearby Lochlee Parish Church and the associated manse.

Kinnaird Castle, Brechin is the home to the Carnegie family (Earl and Countess of Southesk). The castle was built in the 15th century and has been in the family for over 600 years and is now and is now Victorian baronial style. The castle has conical turrets, steep roofs, and armorial decorations. Most of the second floor of the castle has been transformed into two luxury holiday apartments. Kinnaird Castle is set amongst 1300 acres of walled parkland where herds of Highland cattle and fallow-deer roam. There are also formal gardens, a lake, and riverside walks alongside salmon-fishing pools. The castle was burnt down in 1452 after the battle of Brechin. The Carnegies were on the winning side supporting the King. However, after the royalist forces withdrew, the Earl of Crawford took revenge on those who had fought against him and destroyed the castle. In 1617, King James VI stayed at Kinnaird on a visit to Scotland. Kinnaird Castle was also visited by Charles I and Charles II. The Castle's most famous resident was James, Marquis of Montrose who spent 3 years there from 1629. He led the Royal army in the Civil War in the 1640's, winning numerous battles. Eventually he was betrayed and captured and taken to Edinburgh where he was hung, drawn and quartered.In the winter of 1715 the Old Pretender spent some time at the castle. As punishment for supporting the 1715 Jacobite Rebellion, the Carnegie family had their estate confiscated. The estate was bought back by the closest living descendant in 1764 and the Castle transformed by the architect, James Playfair in 1791 into a large handsome house. The family titles were regained in 1855 and the 9th Earl had the house remodeled in Victorian baronial style. In 1921, the castle was largely burnt to the ground, and rebuilt again.