Cluny
Situated in Cluny Parish, Aberdeenshire,
the gray granite Cluny Castle lies just
over a mile (1½ km) to the south of
Monymusk. A stronghold of the Gordon
family built in the 15th Century. Cluny
was rebuilt in the 19th Century in its
present style by John Gordon of Cluny.
Corgarff Castle -- we didn't own this castle, but we did burn it!
This castle is out in the
remote area of Strathdon.
A 16th-century tower
house, remodeled as
fortified military barracks
with star-shaped wall in
1748. Restored interior
of 200 years ago has
musket recesses, wide
wooden bunks and large
stone fireplaces. The
castle was built about
1530 by the Elphinstone
family and leased to the
Forbes. Corgarff was
used by the Jacobite as
supply storage for powder, muskets and ammunition. It was later retaken for the
government and eventually turned into a garrison outpost. Two sisters called “The
Castle Ladies” last occupied it in 1912. The castle was restored in 1960 turned over
to the state in 1961 for preservation.
The Castle Tragedy of 1571 - - A troop of men led by Adam Gordon went to take the
castle for Mary, Queen of Scots. The laird, John Forbes was away and his wife,
Margaret Campbell, refused entry to the men. The attackers removed the wall
stones that closed off the bottom of the latrine chutes and lit them on fire. The entire
castle caught on fire and the 27 women and children inside burned to death.
