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Location
near Dykeside, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Description
Towie Barclay Castle is located 4.5 miles south-south-east of Turriff in Aberdeenshire. The castle was built in 1593 by Clan Barclays an L-plan tower house. The building was sold to the governors of Robert Gordon's hospital in Aberdeen in 1755. Towie Barclay fell into disrepair by the mid-20th century. The castle was bought in the 1970s by the American musician Marc Ellington who undertook extensive restoration work which took over 7 years to complete. The restoration project won a Saltire Society Award in 1973.
History
In 1792, the turrets and embrasures were removed, two stories taken off, and the ditch filled up.
Legends
Following a pillage of a nunnery in the 12th century by Clan Barclay, Thomas the Rhymer proclaimed: "Towie Barclay of the Glen/Happy to the maids/But never to the men.", which was interpreted as a curse on the male line. Belief in the curse was strong enough that it was given as a reason for the sale of Towie Barclay Casle in 1755.
Other Castles in the Area
Castle of Park, Aberdeenshire
Craigston Castle, Aberdeenshire
Delgatie Castle, Aberdeenshire
Dunnideer Castle, Aberdeenshire
Eden Castle, Aberdeenshire
Esslemont Castle, Aberdeenshire
Findlater Castle, Aberdeenshire
Forbes Castle, Aberdeenshire
Fordyce Castle, Aberdeenshire
Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire
Harthill Castle, Aberdeenshire
Huntly Castle, Aberdeenshire
Kinnairdy Castle, Aberdeenshire
Leslie Castle, Aberdeenshire
Licklyhead Castle, Aberdeenshire
Pitsligo Castle, Aberdeenshire
Pitullie Castle, Aberdeenshire
Tolquhon Castle, Aberdeenshire
Udny Castle, Aberdeenshire
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Towie Barclay Castle taken looking across the river Ythan. Towie Barclay was bought by the American musician, Marc Ellington, and is another example of a Scottish Baronial tower house.
Photograph by Colin Smith. Some rights reserved. (view image details)
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© OpenStreetMap contributors licensed as CC BY-SA
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