Auchanachie Castle facts for kids
Auchanachie Castle, also known as Achanachie Castle or Auchanachy Castle, is an old stone building in Scotland. It's a type of castle known as a tower house. This means it's a tall, strong building that was used as a home and for defense. It was built a long time ago, in the 1500s! You can find it about 5 miles north-west of a town called Huntly in Aberdeenshire.
A Look Back in Time
Auchanachie Castle started as a very tall tower. Later, in the 1600s, it got an addition, and its height was changed. This castle was once the home of the oldest son from a powerful family called the Gordons of Avochie. Over time, it was passed down through their family. Today, some parts of the castle have been updated, and people still live there!
What the Castle Looks Like
The castle tower now has three floors. It also has a two-story part that sticks out to the east. You can see the year 1594 carved above the main door. There's a big round tower for the stairs in one corner. Look closely, and you might spot small openings under the roof, called shot-holes, and narrow arrow-slit windows. These were for defending the castle.
On the east side, there's a huge chimney. Next to it, you can find a special message carved into the stone: FROM OVR ENEMIES DEFENDE VS O CHRIST. This was a prayer for protection.
Inside, the basement has a strong, arched ceiling. These arches are decorated with carvings called bosses. They show the symbols of important families like Campbell, Fraser, and Gordon. A winding staircase leads up to the main hall on the first floor. This hall is not very big.
The castle has been fixed up and covered with a special rough plaster called harling. This helps protect the stone. In the castle grounds, there's also a round building from the 1600s called a doocot. This was a special house for pigeons. It's also covered in harling.
Auchanachie Castle is considered a very important historic building. It is a category A listed building.
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