Fetteresso Castle

Fetteresso Castle

Fetteresso Castleis a 14th-centurytower house,rebuilt in 1761 as a Scottish Gothic stylePalladianmanor, with clear evidence of prehistoric use of the site. It is situated immediately west of the town ofStonehaveninKincardineshire,slightly to the west of theA90dual carriageway. Other notable historic fortified houses or castles in this region areDunnottar Castle,Muchalls Castle,Fiddes Castle,Cowie CastleandMonboddo House.

Prehistory

Fromcropmarksin the "policies" (improved areas) around Fetteresso Castle, there is evidence of aring ditchsited at the north end of acursus.A cursus is a prehistoric set of parallel linear structures of unknown purpose that were, somewhat fancifully, considered by antiquarians as used for some type of athletic competition, possibly related to hunting or archery; this is unsubstantiated. In 1822 acairnwas discovered near Fetteresso Castle with some human remains inside. The size and shape of the chamber made of unhewnwhinstoneclearly show that the burial site was a Bronze Age construct. Some legends say that this is the grave ofMalcolm I,who is recorded to have been slain at Fetteresso in AD 954. The burial hillock has become known as Malcolm's Mount, even though it is not likely from current archaeological analysis that the crypt could be so recent. In 1998 a burialurnfrom theBeaker peoplewas found at Fetteresso Castle. TheRoman CampofRaedykesis located several miles north-west, where a full legion encamped and many archaeological recoveries have been made. This location is one of a string of marching camps that connectedAngustoMoray.

Middle Ages

The property is recorded to have been owned by the Strachans.

Robert de Bruceopposed the Balliol (and later the Comyn) claim to the throne of Scotland, which culminated at the Battle of Barra Hill (1308). Castlehill of Strachan was in fact burned out by Robert de Bruce, and the Barony of Strachan later disinherited from the de Strachan family and granted by Robert de Bruce to Sir Alexander Fraser in c. 1316 (Robertson Index, 1-15). The Strachan family were supporters and kinsmen ofJohn Comyn, Earl of Buchan.

The barony of Fetteresso eventually passed to William Keith, theEarl Marischalof Scotland, who inherited the barony through his mother, the daughter of Sir Alexander Fraser in the 14th century totheClan KeithEarls Marischal, who built the tower house. The Earls Marischal also held the nearby fortress,Dunnottar Castle.

17th and 18th centuries

The characteristic Scottish designs ofcrow-steppedgablesand the battlementcrenellationelements were introduced. Adovecoteof considerable height was constructed in the 17th century to the south of the castle. In 1659 Jean Hunter lived at Fetteresso. She was accused of witchcraft and hanged at her home. An artist and wright named Alexander Charles worked at Fetteresso as an overseer. Charles flourished from 1671 to 1678 and published his drawings in at least one book. Late in the 17th century, the Duff family controlled Fetteresso and expanded the building around the old tower house.

20th and 21st centuries

In the 1940s, the castle was owned by Maurice Simpson and Geraldine Simpson (née Pringle). She was the heiress to thePringle knitwarefortune. Subsequently, the Simpsons acquired and lived in nearbyMuchalls Castle.After the Simpsons' tenure at Fetteresso, the roof was off the castle for some period starting around 1954, and the castle was bought by a local landowner and then left to the Don family in his will. In the latter part of the 20th century, the castle was restored and sub-divided into seven houses, which is its present use. Ms Simpson continued to reside in the local area until her death in 2010.

See also

• Allardice Castle
• Kirkton of Fetteresso
• Red Cloak
• Stonehaven Tolbooth
• Ury House

References

• C. Michael Hogan. 2008.Fetteresso Fieldnotes,The Modern Antiquarian
• Benjamin T. Hudson,Prophecy of Berchan: Irish and Scottish Kings of the Early Middle Ages,(1996)ISBN0-313-29567-0
• Scottish Notes and Queries 1899-1900,edited by John Bullock, A. Brown and Company, Aberdeen
• Historical Geography of the Clans of Scotland
• Primitive Beliefs in the Northeast of Scotland