Tolquhon Castle

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Gatehouse of Tolquhon Castle

Tolquhon Castle ( also Tolquhoun spoken toh -hon ) is located about 20 km north- west of Aberdeen in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Already in the early 13th century owned by the Preston family, she was abandoned by them as residence until the 18th century.

History

As royal Thane of Formartine, the land between the rivers Don and Ythan, already the family Preston was called at the end of the 12th century. This also possessed the lands of Craigmillar in Edinburgh. When Henry Preston, Lord of Formartine, died in 1420 without male heirs, the estate was divided. Tolquhon fell to Preston's son John Forbes.

The either already built by Henry Preston or his son- Tower house remained until 1584 the residence of the family.

William Forbes, 7th Laird of Tolquhon, began in April 1584 with the conversion of the existing castle. The existing residential tower, called " Preston 's Tower ", was (presumably for reasons of expediency ) integrated into the new castle. In December 1589, after the end of construction, it counts in one of his surviving writings proud of the new rooms and outbuildings, "my houiss, tour, and place of Tolquhone " on.

After William Forbes death began under the following heirs a slow decay of the castle. As a successful military soldiers who served under different kings, the Lairds of Tolquhon usually laid their homes. William, the 11th Laird, was "saved" after being wounded in 1718 by his comrades by force from the castle and never returned. As a result, by the Earl of Aberdeen adopted and used as a better farm, the castle was inhabited until the mid-19th century. The further decline was only in 1929 ended when Tolquhon Castle was handed over by the then owner, the Marquess of Aberdeen and Temair under his title as " Earl of Haddo " in government oversight.

Description

The castle is rectangular and measures approximately 40 by 30 meters. Your precedes an enclosed by a circular wall of outer courtyard, which is about 50 feet wide; from the outer gatehouse to the entrance of the castle, there are about 80 meters. The towers of the outer gatehouse there is already the first architectural feature of Tolquhon Castle: loopholes in a lying position with triple openings. This unusual form comes before nowhere and later only found in Dean Castle.

" Preston 's Tower " is in large part still intact, it forms the northern tower of the castle ( the left tower, as you approach ). You enter the castle through the inner gatehouse, which is formed from two richly decorated with stone carvings towers. Here again the special loopholes to find. Turning to " Preston 's Tower " to be seen up to three meters thick walls. A stone vaulted cellar forms the basis; above that is the hall with a large fireplace. Two other floors with the private chambers, which are no longer received today, were reached by a spiral staircase. A few meters from the entrance to the Tower of the fountain is from the early days of the castle.

Going clockwise from " Preston 's Tower " by the system, one finds in the east on the ground floor three storage rooms in the first floor of a single large room with an unknown use. It follows the east tower, which houses the bakery and the prison at the base, above is a single chamber. In the south wing on the ground floor, the kitchen, wine cellar, and two storage rooms. A spiral staircase which employees could reach the Great Hall on the first floor. In this the second architectural feature of the castle is to be found: The mosaic-like stone floor. In the west wing two Braustuben and a storage room form the lower floor, while the upper floor is the gallery. It follows the west tower, each with a chamber in two floors, after the tour ends back at the gatehouse.

The castle today

Even if Tolquhon Castle at first sight still in good condition looks that all roofs are missing and a lot of the built by William Forbes walls collapsed. The further decline was indeed stopped by structural measures, but besides the various stone carvings and ornaments can be anything close to the former glory of a stately home.

The castle is now under the management of Historic Scotland.

Gallery

The great hall of the above

Courtyard and rear living area

Stone floor in the great hall - detail