Druminnor Castle

Druminnor Castle is the remaining hall block from an extensive palace fortress built over several hundred years by the chiefs of the Forbes family. It is built at the top of a bank overlooking the Kean Burn a short distance from the village of Rhynie in Aberdeenshire, and is overlooked by higher ground on all sides, reflecting that defence against a determined enemy was not on the minds of the Forbeses when the site was chosen. It is a private residence and is not open to the public.

The castle dates to the 15th century, but the site was in use much earlier than this, and although there is a tradition of the Castle Hill of Druminnor being on a different site a mile to the north, this was probably the site of barony from the 14th century. There were perhaps Forbeses in Aberdeenshire in the 13th century, and a member of the family was sheriff of Aberdeen in the reign of David II. A license to build a castle at Druminnor was granted by King James II in 1456, probably on the site of an existing manorial centre. The massive L-plan great tower, now vanished, was soon followed by the hall block that survives, and although the Forbeses and Gordons were to become deadly rivals, the similarities between Druminnor and Huntly Castle are clear, although Huntly was built on a grander scale.

The hall block with three vaulted basements was provided with a single great hall on the first floor with accommodation above, and the projecting round tower contains the staircase as well s armorial panels of the then Lord Forbes from the mid 17th century. The castle was renovated a few times, in the 16th and 17th centuries, and the old tower was abandoned at the end of this period, probably the cost of repairing it was too great. In the Jacobite period the castle was undamaged, the Forbeses supportive of the government, but by 1770 Lord Forbes had found the place uncongenial, and sold it to a relative, who then abandoned it in favour of the new castle at Keig (now known as Castle Forbes). In the 19th century the great tower was demolished and a mansion built on its site, but this has now been removed. Research into the development and history of the lost buildings of Druminnor is ongoing. Druminnor is now back in the hands of a member of the Forbes family, but it is a private home and not open to the public.

HES Canmore database entry

Official Website of Druminnor Castle