Tolquhon Castle is located in Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...

, about 20 miles northwest of Aberdeen

Aberdeen

Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....

. The current castle was built by William Forbes

William Forbes

Sir William Forbes, 6th Baronet was a Scottish banker, born in Edinburgh to Sir William Forbes, 5th Baronet, and Christian Forbes. On 20 September 1770 he married Elizabeth Hay , daughter of Sir James Hay of Haystoun, 4th Baronet of Smithfield and Dorriel Campbell...

 from 1584-1589 to replace an earlier towerhouse known as Preston's Tower, which is still partly intact, forming the left-hand tower when viewed from in front of the gatehouse

Gatehouse

A gatehouse, in architectural terminology, is a building enclosing or accompanying a gateway for a castle, manor house, fort, town or similar buildings of importance.-History:...

 (at the northern corner).

The castle features unusual gun ports in the towers adjacent to the entrance, a design which was subsequently used in Dean Castle

Dean Castle

Dean Castle is situated in the Dean Castle Country Park in Kilmarnock, East Ayrshire, Scotland. It was the stronghold for the Boyd Family, who were lords of Kilmarnock for over 400 years....

. Also unusual is the stone tilework in the main hall.

External links

• More photographs of Tolquhon Castle

Gallery