Dunnideer Castle

Dunnideer Castle
Dunnideer Castle in February 2024
Type	Tower house within vitrified hillfort
Location	Near Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Coordinates	57°20′32″N2°38′44″W / 57.342206°N 2.6454686°W / 57.342206; -2.6454686
Built	c. 1260 (tower house) c. 250 BC (hillfort)
Governing body	Historic Environment Scotland
Scheduled monument
Official name	Hill of Dunnideer
Type	Prehistoric domestic and defensive: fort (includes hill fort and promontory fort); platform settlement, Secular: tower
Designated	5 October 1934
Reference no.	SM95

Dunnideer Castle is a ruined tower house near Insch, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Built around 1260, it reused stone from an earlier prehistoric vitrified hillfort dating to approximately 250 BC. The tower measured 15 by 12.5 metres (49 by 41 ft) with walls 1.9 metres (6.2 ft) thick, likely featuring a first-floor hall and multiple stories. ^[1]

History

The site's hillfort was excavated by archaeologist Murray Cook, revealing evidence of an Iron Age settlement later repurposed for medieval fortification. ^[2] The castle itself, now a crumbling stone shell, is a scheduled monument managed by Historic Environment Scotland. ^[3]

In 2024, the Insch Connection Museum unveiled a 1:150 scale model of the castle as it may have appeared in the 16th century, created by Clive Metcalfe - a founding member of Pink Floyd and renowned artist. The model, based on research by historian Dr Colin Harris, forms the centerpiece of the museum's exhibition, "The Castle of Dunnydure," which has attracted record visitor numbers. ^[4] The exhibition highlights the castle's significance as potentially the earliest tower house on mainland Scotland and its links to Sir John de Balliol, King of Scots (1292-1296). ^[5]

Current Status

The site remains open to the public, offering panoramic views of Aberdeenshire. The Insch Connection Museum continues to advocate for an on-site museum to display local artifacts. ^[5]

See also

• List of castles in Scotland
• Vitrified fort

References

1. Historic Environment Scotland. "Dunnideer Castle (Site no. NJ62NW 1)" . Retrieved 24 June 2025.
2. Cook, M. (2010), "New Light on Oblong Forts: excavations at Dunnideer, Aberdeenshire", Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, 140: 79–82
3. Historic Environment Scotland. "Hill of Dunnideer, fort, platform settlement and tower (SM95)" . Retrieved 8 March 2019.
4. "Revealed: What ruined Dunnideer Castle in Insch looked like 500 years ago". Press and Journal. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.
5. "Plans progress for museum at ancient Dunnideer Castle". Press and Journal. 12 May 2025. Retrieved 12 May 2025.

External links

• Historic Environment Scotland entry
• Insch Connection Museum exhibitions