Dundarg Castle

Remains of Dundarg Castle, and the modern house on the site, overlooking Aberdour Bay

Dundarg Castle is a ruined castle about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north-northeast of New Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland, built within the ramparts of an earlier iron age promontory fort.^[1] 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.^[2]

The site consists of a triangle of gently sloping ground flanked by steep slopes on all sides, linked to a flat-topped elongated promontory extending to the north east, surrounded by 20 metres (66 ft) high sandstone cliffs.^[3] Its name comes from the Gaelic dun dearg, meaning red fort or castle, referring to the colour of the sandstone.^[3]

The 6th century Book of Deer records the existence of a cathair or fortified place at Aberdour.^[3]

It was built in the thirteenth century by the Comyn family, and subsequently dismantled, probably by Robert the Bruce, in 1308. It was rebuilt in 1334 by Henry de Beaumont, but destroyed almost immediately, after a famous siege by Sir Andrew Moray. Evidence of this double destruction was confirmed by excavations during 1911-12 and in 1950-51 (led by W. Douglas Simpson) when many medieval objects were found.

The only substantial part of the castle remaining is the inner gatehouse, which survives to a height of about 18 feet (5.5 m). The upper part was rebuilt about the middle of the sixteenth century, probably following the Coastal Defence Commission of 1550, and there is some evidence that it was provided with gunloops at this time. The site was finally abandoned in the mid-17th century, and a house was built on part of it in 1938.

References

1. RCAHMS.
2. Simpson, W.D. (1949). "Cairnbulg Castle, Aberdeenshire" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 83: 32–44.
3. Fojut & Love 1983, p. 449.

Bibliography

• Beveridge, W. (1912). "Excavations at Dundargue Castle" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 48: 184–91. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
• Fojut, N.; Love, P. (1983). "The defences of Dundarg Castle, Aberdeenshire" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 113: 449–56. Retrieved 2015-10-10.
• Rees, S.E. (1983). "A wooden ard-share from Dundarg, Aberdeenshire, with a note on other wooden plough pieces" (PDF). Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 113: 457–63. Retrieved 2008-10-15.
• "Dundarg Castle". Canmore. Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland. Retrieved 10 October 2015.
• Simpson, W. D. (1954) Dundarg Castle. Aberdeen University.
• Simpson, W. D. (1960) 'Dundarg Castle reconsidered', Transactions of the Buchan Field Club 17(4), pp.9-25.

Coordinates: 57°40′26.59″N 2°10′39.03″W / 57.6740528°N 2.1775083°W