Published in Scotland Magazine Issue 37 on 20/03/2008.

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Scotland's showpiece

Charles Douglas visits Castle Fraser, near Inveruie in Aberdeenshire

Castle Fraser, in the Grampian Region, is one of Scotland’s showpiece castles, and yet another memorable treasure in the care of the National Trust for Scotland.

Long ago the land here was acquired by the Frasers or “Frizels” of Muchal-in-Mar, more usually known as Muchalls, a great Norman/Scottish family from Anjou in France who arrived in England with William the Conqueror in 1066. The earliest record of their presence in Aberdeenshire, however, is in 1366, when one Thomas Fraser of Cornton was given a Charter for the lands of Kilmundy by William de Keith, Hereditary Marischal of Scotland.

In the reign of James II, Thomas Fraser, a descendant of the above, exchanged Cornton for the lands of Muchall and, in the incestuous way of the old Scottish aristocracy, his descendants from then on inter-married with many of their neighbours.

Castle Fraser was built in the 17th century, built by the Aberdonian master mason I. Bel, whose name is carved into a stone on the north side of the castle. However, it is widely thought that the site was already occupied by a tower house built for the sixth laird, Michael Fraser, in the 16th century. Evidence to confirm this is suggested by the gun loops being identical to those at nearby Tolquhon Castle, which dates from 1587.

In 1633, Alexander Fraser of Muchalls was raised to the Scottish peerage with the title of Lord Fraser. It was he who completed the work on Castle Fraser that had been begun by his father. His son became a supporter of .....

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By Charles Douglas

Section : Scotland Houses

Page number : 14