Glenbuchat Castle

Glenbuchat Castle stands at the foot of Glen Buchat above the River Don in Strathdon, beside the A97, built about 1590 for John Gordon of Glenbuchat and his wife Helen Carnegie. It is a Z-plan tower house, a main block with square wings at opposite corners and round and square turrets, though its long horizontal lines make it more fortified house than tower. Over the entrance is the inscription John Gordon, Helen Carnegie, 1590, Nothing on earth remains but fame. The arches carrying its stair turrets may show French influence, as Helen's father was ambassador to France. Like Huntly and Auchindoun it belonged to a branch of the Gordons, and its builder was allegedly involved in the murder of the Earl of Moray in 1592. In 1701 it was bought for John Gordon, later known as Old Glenbucket. The castle is closed and fenced for conservation work with no reopening date, but it can be seen from its car park and the field around it.