Historians

Now this we did plan to do...

Tolquhon Castle

Every since we passed the sign on our way home from Haddo a few weeks ago I was wanting to go back and check out this local Historic Scotland castle, because I had no idea it was so close.

Lightning was taking part in a football festival in Ellon after church today, so since half the family was going to be at that anyway, we figured the whole family might as well be at that, then grab some lunch, then hit a different type of culture on the way home.

The Gatehouse
An impressive front for the castle, decorated
with armorial panels, sculpted figures and ornate
gunloops

Visited by King James VI in 1589, Tolquhon (pronounced: Tolhoon) Castle was the height of fashion - designed to impress through elegance rather than strength.  The 7th laird and builder of the castle, William Forbes, was held in great esteem.  The Latin elegy composed for his tomb was 'Quantas Homo est' or 'How great a man he is'.

Most of the castle was built in 1584-9, incorporating the original tower house of the 1420s.  it was designed more as a palatial residence than a fortress: the elaborate gunloops are mostly for display, and the gatehouse is lined with statues of family members.  The castle sat within opulent ornamental gardens and a 'pleasance' of tree-lined avenues.

And inventory from 1589 lists 'silver wark, buiks, bedding, tapestrie, neprie [linen], timmer wark [woodwork], artalyrie [cannons]'.  A bakehouse and brewhouse provided essentials, and a supply of honey came from straw beehives called skeps.  Even local offenders were reasonably comfortable: the castles prison was kept warm by the bread ovens.

Preston Tower (the 'auld tower')
The oldest part of the castle - built around 1420s,
probably for Sir John Forbes and his wife
Marjorie Preston, it included a great hall
on the first floor, with bedchambers above and
cellars below

Well
Six meters deep, the odd position of this well
may be because it originally served Preston Tower

The Inner Court
Built in the 1580s to a highly fashionable design, this courtyard provided residential
accommodation for the household.  The West Range is on the right and straight ahead
the Main House.

Gallery
Part of the West Range, the first floor of this building included a
library with a long gallery, which was used for exercise in bad
weather

Outer Court (looking from the West Range)
Originally laid out as decorative gardens, it's possible the area included
flower gardens, an orchard, a bowling green and a fish pond

Looking towards the Main House
At the heart of William Forbes's private residence, the ground floor
included a kitchen with a great arched fireplace and two serving hatches

Brewhouse
Beer, the staple drink of the laird's household,
was brewed and stored here and in the cellar
beyond this wall

Kitchen
Serving the Laird's Hall and Chamber on the floor above.
There is an oven within the fireplace, a serving hatch and a slop-drain

Bakehouse
The staple diet of the Laird's household, bread, was made here in
the two brick-domed ovens

Principle Rooms
First-floor rooms included a decorated hall with
expensive wall-hangings and furniture.  Next
door was the lair's private withdrawing room.

Bee Boles
The west wall of the outer court was fitted with holes to house skeps