Discover Aberdeenshire's Castle Country

Kildrummy Castle - a Guide from Scotland's Castle Country


Once Glorious and Magnificent Kildrummy Castle, now a Ruin.

Said to have once been one of Scotland's most magnificent castles, constructed for the powerful Earl of Mar, Kildrummy Castle is now in a ruinous state.  Castle ruins though can sometimes be best for fuelling the imagination and bringing a historical site to life in a way that is different for each individual, so Kildrummy Castle is still well worth a visit.

Kildrummy Castle Aberdeenshire

 

 



 

 

 

 


Where Is Kildrummy Castle?

Nestled in the gorgeous Aberdeenshire countryside, close to Kildrummy and just a few miles from the Cairngorms National Park, Kildrummy Castle enjoys a fine location, on a slight hill.
 

Kildrummy Castle Address:

Kildrummy Castle
Kildrummy
Aberdeenshire
AB33 8RA

 

What There is to See at Kildrummy Castle

Kildrummy Castle WindowsMost of the outer walls of the castle are still in evidence so you can get a real feel for the impressive size that Kildrummy Castle would have been.  This castle was built to reflect the mighty powers of the Earl of Mar so was size-able and some say magnificent!  Parts of one tower remain and you can also see in places where the original grand windows would have been.  Set by unspoilt greenery, this is an idyllic location, close to Kildrummy Castle Hotel so after a visit to the castle you can always pop in to the hotel for a drink or a bite to eat (the hotel does breakfast, lunch, dinner and even afternoon tea).
 

History of Kildrummy Castle

  • Kildrummy Castle was built in the 1200s for the Earl of Mar, so this is a really old historical site and the castle was said to be a truly fine building in its hey-day, constructed as a base for controlling the Earl of Mar's powers in this part of Scotland.  

 

  • Circa 1250 - Kildrummy Castle built for the Earl of Mar.

 

  • During the 1300s - For those with a romantic heart, Kildrummy's Castle should truly capture your imagination, as it is associated with stories of Robert the Bruce (of Braveheart fame).  The castle was attacked in the times of Robert the Bruce by the English, and the story goes that the castle was set alight by the castle's blacksmith, and that this individual is then said to have been paid by having molten gold poured down his throat; a grisly tale indeed!   

 

  • Once repaired, the castle was twice more besieged by the English ; once in 1335 and once in 1357 (this time successfully).  The castle was passed over to King James I in the 1400s and passed to the Elphinstone family in the early 1500s.
     
  • In the 1600s, the Mar family became Jacobites and won Kildrummy Castle back.  However, following unsuccesfully leading a campaign in support of Price James Francis Edward Stuart (dubbed the Old Pretender), the Earl of Mar was forced in to exile and since then the castle has gradually fallen in to an increasingly ruinous state.  Kildrummy Castle is now under the care and protection of Historic Environment Scotland and can be visited by the public (entrance charges apply).

 

Find out more about Aberdeenshire's castles