Gordon Castle

Gordon Castle

Gordon Castle is located in Gight, near Fochabers in Moray, Scotland. Historically known as the Bog-of-Gight, it was the principal seat of the Dukes of Gordon. Following 18th-century redevelopment, it became one of the largest country houses ever built in Scotland, although much has since been demolished.

History

Engraving of the castle by James Fittler in Scotia Depicta published 1804

The original castle was built by George Gordon, 2nd Earl of Huntly in the 1470s and enlarged by his grandson.

John Adam (architect) was commissioned with the French architect Abraham Roumieu to redesign the castle in 1764 but this did not come to fruition. Eventually the commission fell to the lesser-known Edinburgh architect, John Baxter, who rebuilt it in 1769 for Alexander Gordon, 4th Duke of Gordon. The central four storey block incorporated a six-storey medieval tower called the Bog-of-Gight, and was flanked by a pair of two-storey wings. The main facade was 568 feet (173 metres) long. Most of the castle has been demolished, but the Bog-of-Gight and one of the wings—now a detached medium sized country house in its own right—survive.

External links

• A description of Gordon Castle published in the 1880s
• Engraving of Gordon Castle by James Fittler in the digitised copy of Scotia Depicta, or the antiquities, castles, public buildings, noblemen and gentlemen's seats, cities, towns and picturesque scenery of Scotland, 1804 at National Library of Scotland
• Gordon Castle at House of Gordon, Virginia
• Profile of the Parish of Bellie, with information about the castle and estate - probably dates from the late 18th century
• Flickr images tagged Gordon Castle - not all of these are actually of this building