Kildrummy Castle

Set in dramatic Aberdeenshire scenery, Kildrummy Castle stands high on a hillside, protected on one side by the deep ravine of the Black Den. Its commanding position makes it easy to imagine the power it once held in the north of Scotland. Even in ruin, Kildrummy is described as “the noblest of northern castles” and remains one of the most extensive 13th‑century fortresses to survive in eastern Scotland.

Built in the mid‑1200s, Kildrummy Castle was once the powerful stronghold of the Earls of Mar and one of the most important castles in northern Scotland. During the Wars of Independence in the early 1300s, the castle was repeatedly besieged by English forces. These dramatic events helped shape the course of Scottish history.

Nearly four centuries later, Kildrummy played a role in the early days of the 1715 Jacobite rising. When the uprising failed, the Earl of Mar fled into exile and the castle gradually fell into ruin.

In its medieval heyday, Kildrummy’s most impressive feature was the Snow Tower. This elaborate structure showcased the wealth and refined tastes of the Earl and Countess of Mar.

Today, the castle’s atmospheric ruins are dominated by the three tall lancet windows of the chapel. These elegant openings once held stained glass that cast shifting patterns of coloured light across the high altar, where priests celebrated Mass for the castle household.