Durris Castle
| Durris Castle | |
|---|---|
| Aberdeenshire, Scotland | |
Castle Hill | |
| Site information | |
| Open to the public | Unknown |
| Condition | Ruin |
| Location | |
Durris Castle | |
| Coordinates | 57°03′43″N 2°21′54″W / 57.0619°N 2.36495°W |
| Site history | |
| Demolished | 17th century |
Durris Castle, also known as the House of Dores, was an early royal residence on the southern bank of the River Dee in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. The site consisted of a medieval motte and bailey castle and controlled the northern end of the Crynes Corse Mounth trackway.
History
Dating from at least the 13th century, the castle, a motte and bailey, was occupied by Alexander III and is mentioned in the Chamberlain Rolls of the time as the subject of repairs. King Edward I of England stayed one night in 1296 at the castle, during his invasion of Scotland. Durris was granted to the Fraser family by King Robert I of Scotland and created into a barony by King David II of Scotland.[1]
It was burned by the Marquis of Montrose in 1645 and not rebuilt.
No remains of the castle exist today, but the 7-metre-high conical knoll on which it stood retains the name Castle Hill. The hill has a flattened summit measuring 41 metres by 30 metres, and its sides may have been artificially steepened. Evidence remains on the western side of the site of a 2.6 metre ditch, possibly a moat.[2]
References
- Specific
- ^ McKean, Charles (1990). Banff & Buchan: An Illustrated Architectural Guide. Mainstream Publications Ltd. p. 129. ISBN 185158-231-2.
- ^ "Castle Hill, Durris". trove.scot. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 9 February 2026.
- General
- Coventry, Martin. Castles of the Clans: the strongholds and seats of 750 Scottish families and clans. Goblinshead, 2008. ISBN 9781899874361