Birse Castle is located in the Forest of Birse, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Originally a square tower house, it was rebuilt in the first decade of the 20th century into an L-plan structure. The 1930 addition of a new wing gave it a Z-plan. The building was designated a category B listed building in 1971. [1]
The Forest of Birse was originally a royal hunting forest that fell into the hands of the Bishop of Aberdeen. Sir William Gordon of Cluny feued the forest from the bishop in 1585 and built the tower house as a hunting lodge or summer retreat. Sir William Douglas of Glenbervie acquired the house in 1636 and it passed to Charles Gordon, 1st Earl of Aboyne, in 1666. By 1887 it was in ruins with only the north and east walls still standing. It was restored and enlarged with a new wing by George Bennett Mitchell for J. R. Heaven in 1905–1911. Another wing was added by Dr. William Kelly for Annie Pearson, Viscountess Cowdray in 1930. [1] [2]
The original tower house was a square, rubble-built, three storeys with attic tower house with turrets and a circular tower corbelled to square at the south-east corner. Mitchell added north and west wings to give it a L-shaped plan and added one-storey angle turrets on the corners. Kelly's 1930 addition added the east wing at the north end of the north wing to create the Z-plan. Very sympathetic to Mitchell's work, Kelly's angle turrets were slightly larger to add windows at the third-storey level and he added a one-storey northern extension and entrance. Above the main ground-floor entrance in the tower is a heraldic panel bearing a thistle, rose and crown. It is inscribed 19 AC 30 for the date and the owner's initials. [1] [2]
Colliston Castle is a 16th-century Z-plan tower house, altered and extended in the 18th and 19th centuries. It is located 6 kilometres (3.7 mi) north of Arbroath, in Angus, Scotland, and remains occupied.
Aboyne Castle is a 13th-century castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland 0.75 mi (1.21 km) north of the town of Aboyne. The location of Aboyne Castle was selected for its strategic position near the River Dee and controlling the northern end of one of the Mounth crossings. Aboyne Castle was formerly derelict, but was restored by the present Marquess of Huntly in 1979.
Bavelaw Castle is a historic house in the City of Edinburgh Council area, Scotland. It is north of Hare Hill in the Pentland Hills, four miles west of Penicuik, and two miles south of Balerno, above Threipmuir Reservoir. It was designated as a Category A listed building in 1971.
Ochiltree Castle is a 16th-century tower house a few miles south east of Linlithgow in West Lothian, Scotland. It is also described as a farmhouse and lairds house. Along with its boundary wall, the castle was designated as a Category A listed building in 1971.
Arnage Castle is a country house, incorporating a Z-plan tower house, located around 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Ellon, in Aberdeenshire, north-east Scotland. The tower house dates from the late 16th century, and was extended in subsequent centuries.
Pittulie Castle is an oblong tower house probably dating from 1596, half a mile from Pitsligo Castle, Rosehearty, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It is a scheduled monument. Built by the Frasers of Philorth, it was described by W. Douglas Simpson as one of the nine castles of the Knuckle, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.
Barra Castle is an unusual L-plan tower house dating from the early 16th century, about two miles south of Oldmeldrum, above the Lochter Burn, in the parish of Bourtie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It occupies the site of the Battle of Inverurie (1308), in which Robert Bruce defeated John Comyn, Earl of Buchan.
Beldorney Castle is a Z-plan castle dating from the mid-16th century, about two miles south of Glass, in hilly country in the valley of the Deveron, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Fordyce Castle is a T-plan castle, its oldest part dating from 1592, about three miles south-west of Portsoy, in the village of Fordyce, Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
House of Schivas is an L-plan tower house, dating from the 16th century, about three miles east of Methlick, in the valley of the River Ythan, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Lickleyhead Castle is a well-restored L-plan castle, dating from around 1600, a little south of Auchleven, by the banks of the Gadie Burn, in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Bridge Castle is an L-plan castle, dating from the 16th century, standing on a rocky site 3 miles (4.8 km) north west of Bathgate in West Lothian, Scotland, on the west of the Barbauchlaw Burn. The former name of the castle was Little Brighouse.
Tillycairn Castle is an L-plan castle, dating from the 16th century, standing on high ground around 2.0 miles (3.2 km) south-east of Cluny in Aberdeenshire, Scotland.
Ardblair Castle is an L-plan castle, dating from the 16th century, around 0.75 miles (1.21 km) west of Blairgowrie in Perth and Kinross, Scotland. This castle is the subject of a green lady ghostlore story.
Blairfindy Castle is an L-plan tower house, dating from the 16th century, around 6.5 miles (10.5 km) north of Tomintoul, and west of the River Livet. The tower was a hunting seat of the earls of Huntly.
Dalcross Castle is a restored 17th century tower house, about 1+1⁄2 miles southwest of Croy, Highland, Scotland, and about 7 miles northeast of Inverness. The castle stands on a ridge.
Castle Kennedy is a ruined 17th-century tower house, about 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland, around 0.5 miles (0.80 km) north of the village of Castle Kennedy.
Evelaw Tower is a ruined 16th century tower house, about 2.5 miles (4.0 km) north west of Westruther, Scottish Borders, Scotland, and about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) east of Wedderlie, south of Eve Law.
Kemnay House is a 17th-century tower house, now incorporated in a later house, about 5.5 miles (8.9 km) south and west of Inverurie, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, and 0.5 miles (0.80 km) south of Kemnay, to the south of the River Don.
Earlstoun Castle, sometimes spelled Earlston Castle, is a derelict tower house near St John's Town of Dalry in Dumfries and Galloway, Scotland. Built in the late sixteenth century, it was home to members of the Gordon family, including William Gordon of Earlston who was killed at the battle of Bothwell Bridge. It is unusual for a tower house of its age for its lack of defensive arrangements: it has no gun loops, its roof is without a parapet or corner turrets, and it lies in open ground without natural defences.