Description

Courtyard castle comprising:- Z-PLAN TOWER HOUSE, Probably
c. 1550 and before 1575 3-storey and attic harled with
square N.W. Dog Tower, larger circular tower at S.E.
Very finely detailed, moulded square headed door in Dog
Tower with late gothic bases, sunk panels over. Rich gothic
ogee panel, now empty on W. wall of centre section. Other
sculptured details in angles, dog finial to Dog Tower.
Interior: ground floor vaulted, hall at 1st floor divided
into dining and drawing rooms late 17th century with
bolection moulded chimney piexes and coved ceilings at a
lower level than original which has joists on carved corbels;
has been painted, mostly renewed. Top of house remodelled
with straight skews and wall head gable late 17th or early
18th century; present doorpiece on W. wall architraved,
later 18th century.
N. WING Probably originally 17th century, remodelled or
rebuilt early 19th century and added to; additions
remodelling and repairs, A. Marshall Mackenzie 1890.
S. WING Single-storey remodelled or rebuilt second half of
18th century.
GATE AND COURTYARD WALL ON W.
Gate dated 1673 on E. face. Arched, Renaissance detail,
semi-circular tympanum above entablature with ball
finials.

Statement of Interest

The initials 'GG' on the S.E. tower are those George Gordon,

son of Adam Gordon, Dean of Caithness. He bought Beldorney in

1545 and obtained Crown confirmation in 1550. He died

September 1575. Bulloch believed that the initials referred

to the 3rd laird and that the castle was built or completed

in the 17th century soon after 1627 but the late gothic

character of the detail makes so late a date very unlikely.

The details suggest that it is earlier than Terpersie and if

so it is the oldest surviving Z-plan house after Huntly.

External Links

• Historic Environment Scotland Listing
• Beldorney Castle at Wikipedia
• Wikidata Q15978764

External links are from the relevant listing authority and, where applicable, Wikidata. Wikidata IDs may be related buildings as well as this specific building. If you want to add or update a link, you will need to do so by editing the Wikidata entry.

Recommended Books

• 
  Sussex: West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Hampshire: Winchester and the North (The Buildings of England) (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Period Property Manual (New Ed)
• 
  Maintaining and Repairing Old Houses: A Guide to Conservation, Sustainability and Economy
• 
  Oxfordshire: North and West (Pevsner Architectural Guides: Buildings of England)
• 
  Historic Environment Law: Planning, Listed Buildings, Monuments, Conservation Areas and Objects by Harwood, Richard (2012) Paperback