The Brodies have been at Brodie Castle since 1160 when Malcolm IV endowed the lands. The 25th Chief, Ninian Brodie of that Ilk, had the castle passed to the
Trust in 1980 but continues to live there and takes an active part in the running of the estate.
Brodie Castle History
Brodie as it stands today owes much to the architect William Burn who enlarged it in 1824. However, the original Z-plan castle of 1567 survives, and the harling blends the various additions beautifully.
In 1645 the castle had been partially destroyed by fire by Lord Lewis Gordon during the Montrose campaigns. Alexander, 19th Brodie, was the Lord Lyon King of Arms, and his family’s interest in arms is clear from those on display.
The policies of 175 acres are also owned by the Trust, and the grounds are richly wooded.
In the spring there is also a magnificent display of daffodils, established by the 24th Laird, who bred over 400 varieties himself.
The ninth-century Rodney Stone, a Pictish symbol stone, stands by the drive.
Brodie Castle Tour
From the entrance hall, with the guardroom off, one enters the library, where the pillars are merely decorative and hold books.
The secondary stair, with its stained glass window of Brodie’s arms, leads to the dining room, the ceiling of which is a rich fenestration of wooden carvings.
The Blue Sitting Room has a vaulted plaster roof. The Red Drawing Room was the castle’s original high hall and is now adorned with a Gothic fireplace.
The drawing room follows, then a series of bedrooms, then a nursery, and on to the main staircase. The kitchen is fitted out to reproduce its look when it was added to the castle in early Victorian times.
Brodie Castle Location
Address: Brodie Castle, Forres, Moray IV36 2TE, United Kingdom. Get help with directions using the map provided below: