Darnaway Castle

Darnaway Castle is the private home of the Earls of Moray, and has been for centuries. Although massively remodelled in the 19th century, at which time much of the earlier buildings were swept away, to the rear is the 15th century “Randolph’s Hall” which was probably built by the Dunbar family, and now encased in a 19th century facade.

The castle is built on a low ridge within the medieval royal forest of Darnaway, and probably there were buildings here which served as a hunting lodge, including the (now vanished) motte depicted by Nattes in the early 19th century. A tower was here by 1372, probably part of a courtyard complex which was soon to include the great hall. The royal forest was granted by Robert Bruce to his nephew Thomas Randolph as part of his massive earldom of Moray, which reverted to the crown to be granted in truncated form to his descendants the Dunbars, and then reabsorbed by the crown in the mid 15th century.

Darnaway was then the seat of the earldom granted out to various members of the royal Stewart dynasty, most recently in 1561 to the illegitimate son of James V, whose descendants remain the earls today. It declined in importance with the creation of Castle Stuart c1625, and was used as a garrison by Cromwells forces. In 1810, the motte and most of the old buildings were removed and replaced by the large mansion that stands today, although this was itself remodelled c1900. Internally none of the old buildings survive with the exception of the hall. The castle is occasionally to be seen on open days, but access inside is not usually possible.

HES Canmore database entry