Westhall Castle facts for kids
Westhall Castle, also called Westhall House, is a historic country house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It's located north of a village called Oyne. This special house has parts that are very old, like a tower built in the 1500s. Over time, more parts were added in the 1600s and 1800s, making it much bigger. Westhall Castle is so important that it's protected as a category A listed building, which means it's a building of great historical or architectural interest.
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What is Westhall Castle?
Westhall Castle is a large house that started as a strong tower. It was built in a special "L" shape, which was common for castles and large homes in Scotland during the 1500s. These L-shaped towers were easy to defend. Later, in the 1600s, a round tower was added, making it even more impressive. The house continued to grow with more additions in the 1800s.
Who Owned Westhall Castle?
Westhall Castle has a long and interesting history with many different owners.
Early Owners: Bishops and Gordons
In the 1200s, the land where Westhall Castle stands belonged to the Bishops of Aberdeen. They were important religious leaders. Later, during a big change in Scotland called the Scottish Reformation, the land passed to the Gordon family. The Gordons were a powerful and well-known family in Scotland.
New Owners and Big Changes
In 1681, a man named Rev James Horne bought Westhall. He was a vicar, which is a type of church leader, from a town called Elgin. The house continued to be updated, with more parts added around 1838.
By the mid-1800s, a very important person named Sir James Elphinstone owned Westhall. He was a Member of Parliament, which means he helped make laws for the country. He represented the town of Portsmouth in the House of Commons from 1857 to 1880. Sir James was also interested in new ways to travel and transport goods. He invested money in the Aberdeen Canal Company and the Great North of Scotland Railway. This shows he was a forward-thinking person who helped develop new transport links.
Westhall's Later Life
After being a family home, Westhall Castle was used for different purposes. For a while, it was an agricultural school, where people could learn about farming. Later, it became a hotel, offering rooms to visitors. However, the hotel closed in the 1990s.
After the hotel closed, the house was not looked after very well. It was sold several times and even ended up on a list called the Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland. This list helps keep track of important buildings that need saving. Luckily, in 2011, new owners took over Westhall Castle. Today, it is described as "semi-derelict, but stabilised," meaning it needs a lot of work but is no longer getting worse. It's hoped that this historic building will be fully restored in the future.
