Corgarff Castle

Corgarff, United Kingdom

Corgarff Castle is located at Corgarff, in Aberdeenshire. The castle was built in the mid-16th century by the Forbes of Towie. In 1571 it was burned by their enemy, Adam Gordon of Auchindoun, resulting in the deaths of Lady Forbes, her children, and numerous others, and giving rise to the ballad Edom o Gordon. After the Jacobite risings of the 18th century, it was rebuilt as a barracks and a detachment of government troops were stationed there, on the military road from Braemar Castleto Fort George, Inverness.

Military use continued as late as 1831, after which the tower served as a distillery and housed local workers. It remained part of the Delnadamph estate belonging to the Stockdale family until they passed the castle into state care in 1961 and gave the ownership of the castle to the Lonach Highland and Friendly Society. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland and is open to the public.

References:

Comments

Your name

Website (optional)


Address

Unnamed Road, Corgarff, United Kingdom
See all sites in Corgarff

Details

Founded: 16th century
Category: Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

More Information

en.wikipedia.org
www.historicenvironment.scot

Rating

3.9/5 (based on Google user reviews)

Interesting Sites Nearby


Elgin Cathedral (54,4 km)
Glenfiddich Distillery (33 km)
Balmoral Castle (13,6 km)
Ballindalloch Castle (28,9 km)
Brodie Castle (56,2 km)
Huntly Castle (42,3 km)
Balvenie Castle (33 km)
Braemar Castle (19 km)
Duke of Gordon's Monument (54,2 km)

User Reviews

Kathrine Wilson (19 months ago)
Wasn't open when I was visiting but was a nice morning walk with the dogs
Victoria Allen (20 months ago)
Beautiful building in a lovely setting
Michael Jefferson (2 years ago)
Been passing this for years and finally visited. Interesting history and well preserved. A few floors to climb and beautiful wild location. Recommended if in the area.
Robert Murray (2 years ago)
Views to die for. This castle has been renovated to a great standard. The road from tomintoul to here is amazing.
Shona Norman (2 years ago)
Nice castle with shop but no toilets. The reconstructed redcoat barrack room is interesting and if you go up to the top floor you can dress up in period costumes to take your tour.
Powered by Google

Featured Historic Landmarks, Sites & Buildings

Most beautiful castles in Lithuania
Photo from Flickr, copyright Makser

Historic Site of the week

Derbent Fortress

Derbent is the southernmost city in Russia, occupying the narrow gateway between the Caspian Sea and the Caucasus Mountains connecting the Eurasian steppes to the north and the Iranian Plateau to the south. Derbent claims to be the oldest city in Russia with historical documentation dating to the 8th century BCE. Due to its strategic location, over the course of history, the city changed ownership many times, particularly among the Persian, Arab, Mongol, Timurid, Shirvan and Iranian kingdoms.

Derbent has archaeological structures over 5,000 years old. As a result of this geographic peculiarity, the city developed between two walls, stretching from the mountains to the sea. These fortifications were continuously employed for a millennium and a half, longer than any other extant fortress in the world.

A traditionally and historically Iranian city, the first intensive settlement in the Derbent area dates from the 8th century BC. The site was intermittently controlled by the Persian monarchs, starting from the 6th century BC. Until the 4th century AD, it was part of Caucasian Albania which was a satrap of the Achaemenid Persian Empire. In the 5th century Derbent functioned as a border fortress and the seat of Sassanid Persians. Because of its strategic position on the northern branch of the Silk Route, the fortress was contested by the Khazars in the course of the Khazar-Arab Wars. In 654, Derbent was captured by the Arabs.

The Sassanid fortress does not exist any more, as the famous Derbent fortress as it stands today was built from the 12th century onward. Derbent became a strong military outpost and harbour of the Sassanid empire. During the 5th and 6th centuries, Derbent also became an important center for spreading the Christian faith in the Caucasus.

The site continued to be of great strategic importance until the 19th century. Today the fortifications consist of two parallel defence walls and Naryn-Kala Citadel. The walls are 3.6km long, stretching from the sea up to the mountains. They were built from stone and had 73 defence towers. 9 out of the 14 original gates remain.

In Naryn-Kala Citadel most of the old buildings, including a palace and a church, are now in ruins. It also holds baths and one of the oldest mosques in the former USSR.

In 2003, UNESCO included the old part of Derbent with traditional buildings in the World Heritage List.

Map Top Sights Tags Historical Periods City Guides About Us Sign Up Upload new site
© 2020 SpottingHistory.com. All rights reserved.