Dunninald Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Dunninald Castle |
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Dunninald Castle
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| General information | |
| Type | Private Residence |
| Address | Craig, Angus |
| Town or city | Craig |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Coordinates | 56°40′45″N 2°29′08″W / 56.6792°N 2.4856°W |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | James Gillespie Graham |
| Designations | |
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Listed Building – Category A
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| Official name: Dunninald Castle | |
| Designated: | 11 June 1971 |
| Reference #: | 336288 |
Dunninald Castle is a large, private house in Scotland. It is located near Montrose in Angus. In 1971, Historic Scotland recognized it as a very important building. It is a beautiful example of old Scottish architecture.
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What is Dunninald Castle?
The name Dunninald comes from old Scottish words. "Dun" means a fort or castle. "Ard" means high or towering. This name has been used for three different buildings over time. The first Dunninald Castle was called Black Jack Castle. It stood on a cliff overlooking the North Sea.
A Look Back in Time
The second building was a manor house. It was built around the year 1590. This house was close to where the current castle stands today. The Gray family owned the property until 1610. Then, Patrick Leighton bought it in 1617. Later, in 1663, it passed to Thomas Allardyce through marriage.
In 1696, the Scotts of Usan bought the property. The beautiful gardens around the house likely started in the 1600s. In the 1800s, the Scotts of Logie took over.
A New Vision for Dunninald
A man named David Scott bought Dunninald in 1786. He was a merchant and a leader of the East India Company. This company was very important for trade. David Scott wanted a new mansion built. He asked an architect named James Playfair to design it.
However, David Scott was very busy and not well. Also, James Playfair passed away in 1794. Because of these reasons, the plans for the new house were not built.
Building the Castle We See Today
David Scott died in 1805. His son inherited Dunninald. But he also inherited another property. So, he sold Dunninald to Robert Spears. In 1811, Peter Arkley bought the estate. He hired a famous Scottish architect, James Gillespie Graham.
Construction on the new house began in 1819. It was finished in 1824. The gardens and parks were also improved around this time. The castle you see today looks much like it did when it was first built. Peter Arkley's daughter, Eliza Arkley, married John Stansfeld. The Stansfeld family still lives in Dunninald Castle today.
How Dunninald Castle Looks
Dunninald Castle is a large, two-story house. It is built in a style called Tudor-Gothic castellated. This means it looks like an old castle with towers and battlements. James Gillespie Graham redesigned it in 1824.
The castle has a tall, three-story corner tower. It also has a smaller stair turret. Inside, the castle has many beautiful rooms and details.
