Knockhall Castle

Knockhall Castle is a much domesticised and rather plain-looking L-plan tower house with traces of an associated courtyard. It is intact to the wall head but the doorway and ground floor windows have been blocked up by the landowner after repeated vandalism. The tower is within the wider grounds of a farm steading but is accessible by vehicle.

Knockhall was held as part of the barony of Newburgh by the Sinclairs of Roslin in the late 14th century, and was probably occupied by supporters of the Comyn earls of Buchan the century before, however the early history of the lands is not clear. The tower was built by the Sinclairs in the mid 16th century, who by this time were Lords Sinclair of Newburgh. However the estate was wadset in the 17th century and claimed by Hamilton of Blackburn until 1632, when the estate was redeemed but then sold. A disastrous fire gutted the property in 1734 and it was abandoned. At the time of writing the tower is for sale and has been for several years.

HES Canmore database entry