Kinnettles Castle facts for kids
Kinnettles Castle is a beautiful old castle from the mid-1800s. You can find it in Forfar, a town in Angus, Scotland. This amazing castle sits on 44 acres of land. It was built in a special style called Scottish Baronial. Today, Kinnettles Castle is a fancy hotel where people can stay.
Contents
The Story of Kinnettles Castle
Early Beginnings and Land Ownership
A long time ago, in the early 1300s, King Robert III of Scotland gave some land in Forfar to a man named Alexander Strachan. This land later became known as the Kinnettles estate. A stone near the castle's dovecot (a pigeon house) shows that a small two-story house was on this spot from 1678.
In the 1500s, the land was passed to the Lindsay family. They owned it for 200 years! After them, it went to Sir Thomas Moodie, who was the Provost (like a mayor) of Dundee. A survey from 1791 also mentioned the "manor house" at Kinnettles. It was noted as one of the oldest buildings in the area. In the 1600s, the Bower family bought the property.
Building the Castle We See Today
In 1802, the Kinnettles estate was sold to John Aberdein Harvey. He built a second manor house surrounded by lovely parkland. Then, in 1864, James Paterson bought the property. He started building the grand structure we now know as Kinnettles Castle.
Both of the older manor houses were taken down to make space for the new castle. This new castle was built in the Scottish Baronial style. It was more a way to show off wealth than a real defense. People say that the central tower of Kinnettles Castle was designed to look like the much older Ackergill Tower. This tower is located near Wick in Caithness.
Later Owners and Changes
More changes happened in 1914 when Sir James Duncan bought the mansion and nearby farms. He made "costly improvements" to the property. His ownership was short, as he passed away 12 years later. His family then sold the castle in 1926 to Sir Harry Hope. The Hope family lived in the castle until 1960. After them, the Walker-Munro family bought it.
More recently, the mansion house and the western part of the land were separated from the walled garden and eastern part. After some more updates by the previous owners, the castle was rented out. It was used as a training center for staff. The only building left from the very first Kinnettles estate is an old farmhouse. This farmhouse was turned into the gardener's house during James Paterson's big remodeling project.
Kinnettles Castle Today
Becoming a Luxury Hotel
Kinnettles Castle, which used to be called Kinnettles House, is now owned by Clarenco LLP. It is run under the AmaZing Venues brand. The company bought the house in March 2011. The owners before them had spent three years making big changes. They turned the building from a training center into a fancy hotel.
After the work was finished, the main part of the castle became a hotel with nine bedrooms. The old Gate Lodge, which is at the entrance to the property, was also changed. It is now a separate holiday cottage with two bedrooms.
Awards and Recognition
Since it reopened as a hotel, Kinnettles Castle has received special awards. Visit Scotland gave it a 5-star rating for "exclusive use" in both 2013 and 2014. This means it's a top-quality place for private events and stays.
