Tolquhon Castle facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tolquhon Castle |
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 Tolquhon Castle
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| Coordinates | 57°20′53″N 2°12′48″W / 57.3481°N 2.2132°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1584-1589 |
| Built by | William Forbes |
Tolquhon Castle (say "toh-hon") is a cool old castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It's about 1.5 miles (2.4 km) from Pitmedden and 2 miles (3.2 km) from Tarves. A man named William Forbes, who was the 7th Laird (or lord) of Tolquhon, built most of it. He worked on it between 1584 and 1589. He added new parts to an older building called Preston's Tower. Even though it's now a ruin, people say it's a great example of a Scottish Renaissance castle. Today, Historic Scotland looks after it, and you can visit it!
Contents
History of Tolquhon Castle
How Tolquhon Castle Began
The oldest part of Tolquhon Castle is Preston's Tower. It was built a long time ago, in the early 1400s. It might have been built by Sir Henry Preston or by his son-in-law, Sir William Forbes. Sir William inherited some of the land in 1420.
Building the New Castle
Many years later, William Forbes, the 7th Laird of Tolquhon, decided to build a brand new castle. He started this big project in 1584. He kept Preston's Tower but added much more comfortable rooms around it. He also made the gardens and parkland around the castle look nicer.
Royal Visit and Special Features
In July 1589, King James VI even visited Tolquhon Castle! The new buildings were built around a central courtyard. They included a fancy gatehouse and a long gallery on the first floor. A message carved into the gatehouse tells us about the building work. It says: "AL THIS WARKE EXCEP THE AULD TOWR WAS BEGUN BE WILLIAM FORBES 15 APRIL 1584 AND ENDIT BE HIM 20 OCTOBER 1589." This means all the new parts were started by William Forbes in April 1584 and finished in October 1589.
The castle was designed by a mason-architect named Thomas Leper. It was made to look impressive, not just for defense. Leper added unique triple holes for shooting from near the main entrance. You can also see these at other castles like Arnage Castle. The main hall also has unusual stone tiles on the floor.
Why the Castle Became a Ruin
William Forbes' family lived in Tolquhon Castle for many years after he died in 1596. But in 1718, they had to leave. This was because they lost a lot of money in a failed project called the Darien scheme. After they left, the castle slowly fell apart and became a ruin.
Today, Tolquhon Castle is looked after by Historic Scotland. It is also a scheduled monument, which means it's an important historical site.
What Tolquhon Castle Looks Like
Exploring the Castle Layout
The main entrance to Tolquhon Castle is on the north side. Preston's Tower forms the corner on the north-east side. The long gallery is on the first floor of the west side of the castle. The main hall is on the south side. You can get to it by a staircase from the courtyard. There was even a prison inside the south-east tower!
Outer Courtyard and Doocot
North of the main castle area is a walled outer courtyard. Here, you can still see the remains of a doocot. A doocot is a special building where pigeons or doves were kept.
Images for kids
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View from the front of the castle
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The main hall seen from above, with the countryside around it
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The central courtyard and the living area at the back
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A close-up of the stone tile floor in the main hall
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The Tolquhon tomb in Tarves churchyard. William Forbes had this built in 1589 for himself and his wife, Elizabeth Gordon.
