Melgund Castle, lying around 2 kilometres due east of Aberlemno

Aberlemno

Aberlemno is a parish and small village in the Scottish council area of Angus. It is noted for three large carved Pictish stones dating from the 7th and 8th centuries AD ; the stones can be viewed at any time in spring-autumn, but are covered by wooden boxes in the winter to prevent frost damage...

 in Angus

Angus

Angus is one of the 32 local government council areas of Scotland, a registration county and a lieutenancy area. The council area borders Aberdeenshire, Perth and Kinross and Dundee City...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

, is a restored 16th century house which today serves as a private residence.

The castle is generally said to have been built in 1543 on the orders of Cardinal David Beaton as a home for himself and his mistress, Margaret Ogilvie

Marion Ogilvy

Marion Ogilvy was the wife or mistress of Cardinal Beaton an advisor of James V of Scotland.Marion was a younger daughter of Sir James Ogilvy of Lintrathen. Sir James, a diplomat, was created Lord Ogilvy of Airlie by James IV of Scotland in 1491. Her mother was Janet Lyle Marion Ogilvy (c....

. However, Charles McKean

Charles McKean

Charles McKean is Professor of Scottish Architectural History at the University of Dundee.Charles McKean was formerly Secretary and Treasurer of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland. Educated at Fettes College, the University of Poitiers , and the University of Bristol, from 1977 to...

 has argued that the work of the 1540s was a re-modelling of an earlier building. It much later passed by marriage to the Earls of Minto, who were granted the title Viscounts Melgund, presently used by the heir to the earldom. The building is L-shaped and was probably styled on 15th century fortified houses. Archaeological investigations were carried out at the castle between 1990 and 1996. The castle was long in a semi-ruined state, and lacking a roof, until restored by Benjamin Tindall Architects.