Braemar Castle

This impressive fortress was built in 1628 by the Earl of Mar on the site of an even older habitation. Braemar Castle has been a centre of Jacobite resistance, used as a seat of Hanoverian authority after the Jacobite Rising of 1745 and later transformed by the Farquharsons of Invercauld into a residence of unusual charm.

In the dining room you can view a piece of the plaid worn by Prince Charles Edward Stuart. In the morning room a display cabinet contains a collection of 'Canadian Indian' objects of the Great Lakes region. Also on view is what must surely be the world's largest cairngorm, which weighs 52 pounds and was discovered in 1788 by a lady named Effie Morragh or Murray who lived in Castleton (now Braemar).

In the drawing room you will find many points of interest, including relics of the former Government troops who were billeted here, and whose names are roughly incised upon the window shutters.

In the passage next to the vaulted arms store there are two large maps, now encased. One shows Captain Cooks voyages and discoveries dated 1794. The second and larger map dated 1822 is an early Ordnance Survey Map commissioned by The Marquess of Huntly showing the county of Aberdeenshire. In the floor of this passage, an iron grill gives access to the old Laird's pit - the traditional accompaniment of the local administration of justice in 17th century Scotland, but no doubt used at later times also as a temporary prison.

General Information:

• Guided tours
• Souvenirs and gifts
• Ice cream and soft drinks
• Free car and bus park

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