Beldorney Castle facts for kids
Beldorney Castle is a historic castle located in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was built in the mid-1500s and has a unique "Z-plan" design. You can find it in a hilly area near the village of Glass, close to the River Deveron. The castle is also sometimes called Beldornie, Beldornay, or Beldorny.
A Look Back: Beldorney Castle's Story
Beldorney Castle is one of the oldest Z-plan castles in northeast Scotland. Over the years, many important families have owned it. These include the Ogilvy, Gordon, Lyon, Buchan, and Grant families.
In 1545, a man named George Gordon bought the land. The castle was then built before he passed away in 1575. Later, in 1679, two new parts were added to the west side of the castle. The original entrance was also changed at this time.
Another Alexander Gordon took over the castle in 1713. He made many changes to its inside. During this work, an interesting wall painting was found. It showed a woman playing a musical instrument called a lute.
In 1807, Thomas Buchan bought the Beldorney estate. He later sold it to Sir William Grant. Sir William was a very important judge and a MP for Banffshire. After he died, the castle went to his brother, Major John Grant.
More changes were made to the castle in 1830 when a north wing was added. The castle has also been carefully repaired and updated several times since then. This includes work done in 1890 and again in the early 1980s.
Exploring Beldorney Castle's Design
Beldorney Castle has a main building that runs from north to south. At its northwest corner, there is a smaller square tower. This tower holds the main staircase and is called the Dog Tower. It even has a dog statue, or "finial," on top!
On the southeast side, there is a large round tower. The first entrance to the castle was in the corner where the square tower and main building meet.
The bottom floor of the castle has a kitchen and two storage rooms. These rooms have arched ceilings, which are called "vaulted" ceilings. From one of these rooms, a secret staircase led up to the main hall. Some small pieces of the hall's painted ceiling can still be seen today.
The castle also has a courtyard on its west side. This area is surrounded by the two parts added in 1679. You enter the courtyard through an arched gate. This gate has the initials of John Gordon and Anne, along with the date it was built. It also features beautiful Renaissance-style decorations.
The main entrance to the castle was later moved to the center of the west side. It is decorated with a special panel showing a winged angel's head.
Beldorney Castle is considered a very important historical building. It is listed as a Category A building, which means it has special historical or architectural value.
Images for kids
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A view of Beldorney Castle.
