Corgarff Castle History
Originally part of the Earldom of Mar, James IV annexed the estates in 1435 and granted the ‘Foresta de Corgarf’ to Alexander Elphinstone.
In 1571 Corgarff Castle was set alight, killing Margaret Forbes and 24 others. The Erskines of Mar regained control in 1626. Montrose occupied the building in 1645.
The Jacobites burned it in 1689; the Hanoverians in 1716. It was then granted to the Forbes but in 1748 it was taken over by the Government and converted into a military barracks.
The tower was repaired, pavilions added, and the star-shaped curtain wall erected. Inside its cobbled courtyard is the round cistern. In 1750 40 privateers, three corporals, two sergeants, and a lieutenant occupied the building. It was abandoned by the troops in 1831.
The external stair leads to the first floor where the curator often has a peat fire burning. A wooden stair replaces the stone turnpike, leading to the second floor, which has been restored as a military dormitory, with beds, an eating area, and restored ceiling graffiti!
The upper floors are bare, apart from wall displays, and are sometimes used for exhibitions. The garret is adorned with a Flagstaff.
The ground floor of the tower is vaulted. The west pavilion houses a whisky still, as the castle acted as a distillery and shooting lodge for a time. By the 1900s the building was ruinous. In 1961 Sir Edmund and Lady Stockdale of Delnadamph passed it into care.
Corgarff Castle Location
Corgarff Castle Address: Castle Lodge, Strathdon AB36 8YP, United Kingdom. Get help with directions using the map provided below: