153:
145:
51:
423:". The importance of the Burgh is questionable due to the fact "it does not appear to have long enjoyed that privilege not being ranked in the roll of boroughs for many ages" and as it was "said to have had all the privileges of a royal borough, except sending members to parliament."
713:
717:
1000:
813:
514:"side of the Castle Hill"... "found a great number of stones, supposed to belong to the kitchen of the castle, as"... "workmen found very large hearthstones covered with ashes."
1253:
544:
Thorough excavations at
Castlehill in 1985-1989 revealed the remains of the stone castle and traces of the previous timber one. Traces of the stone castle revealed a
77:
817:
1292:
187:. After Comyn's timber castle was burned down, it was replaced by a stronger stone castle which was engulfed during a 1720 sand storm along with nearby
582:
Aberdeen City
Council today holds various artefacts from Rattray and the Castlehill site and has previously held a temporary display of artefacts at
1182:
920:
324:
built upon the motte but it is unclear whether he upgraded the existing buildings or built an entirely new castle. He is known to have completed a
574:
and forms the most complete modern and peer-reviewed academic account of the Castle of
Rattray available to historians and archaeologists today.
747:
955:
385:, the husband of one niece; Alice Comyn, claimed the title under her name but was disinherited from the lands in 1314. A 1324 charter from
1317:
233:, Castlehill is today about 1 mile inland as shifting sands have significantly altered the shape of the coast. Located to the south of
321:
180:
1141:
783:
378:
This stone incarnation provided protection for
Starnie Keppie Harbour and the village of Rattray, as the previous incarnations did.
653:
566:
The results of this excavation can be found in the
Journal article (available free from the link in the journal citation below)
617:
1307:
381:
The
Earldom of Buchan and hence the castle was inherited and divided after the harrying between John Comyn's two nieces.
179:
it provided protection for Starny Keppie
Harbour and Rattray village. Sometime between 1214 and 1233 it was upgraded by
1302:
1297:
1115:
1033:
398:
290:
191:
village. After the storm, the castle was not dug out and remains covered to this day. The castle was described by
1090:
The
Statistical Account of Scotland: Drawn Up from the Communications of the Ministers of the Different Parishes
468:
to have happened during the great storm of 1720 which cut off
Strathbeg Bay. It is believed that the castle was
394:
152:
333:
171:
castle, with multiple variations on its structure over approximately six centuries. Originally built as a
535:"well-made causeway was discovered at the foot of the mound under which the Castle is said to be buried."
196:
157:
351:
510:
covered with a deep soil, and now- the swords of the warlike house beaten literally into ploughshares"
431:
744:
20:
959:
188:
37:
402:
343:
In the mid-1270s, it is reported that "a castle-strengthening programme
Rattray" took place.
207:
The castle was sited on Castlehill, on the south bank of the now-closed estuary flowing into
583:
408:
8:
1312:
1165:
881:
787:
350:
in the summer of 1308, when all the Comyn lands were bloodily burned to the ground after
1088:
1077:
1066:
1057:
Annals of Aberdeen, from the Reign of King William the Lion, to the End of the Year 1818
1055:
347:
192:
184:
657:
497:
However there is no date or record of which plague and it is a very unlikely account.
1213:
1205:
1157:
1149:
1121:
1111:
1094:
1029:
382:
1201:
1197:
1079:
Illustrations of the Topography and Antiquities of the Shires of Aberdeen and Banff
1049:. Vol. LX, July to December 1859. West Strand, London: John W. Parker and Son.
632:
523:
386:
359:
296:
174:
531:"a man who drove his spade through the panel of a door was immediately suffocated"
464:
The destruction of the stone castle and the nearby village of Rattray, is said by
1044:
879:
751:
355:
56:
520:"a quantity of regularly-laid stones were removed c. 1734 and some silver coins"
144:
483:
453:
420:
416:
374:
Following the harrying, the site of Rattray's timber castle was rebuilt with a
317:
234:
208:
64:
1286:
1268:
1255:
1209:
1153:
316:
who arrived at the start of that century. Between 1214 when he inherited the
212:
1161:
1125:
1244:
1240:
1236:
1217:
1098:
636:
363:
415:
in 1563 "to put an end to the disputes about superiority over it between
412:
251:
554:"divided into three parts, a central room, and two smaller end rooms".
366:
after which the "castle fell into ruins" if not burned to the ground.
435:
50:
505:
Today there is not much to be seen at the site as the remains have
168:
41:
1183:"Excavations at Rattray, Aberdeenshire: A Scottish deserted burgh"
1082:(in English and Latin). Aberdeen: Printed for the "Spalding Club".
568:"Excavations at Rattray, Aberdeenshire. A Scottish deserted burgh"
548:
It also ascertained that the later stone castle was approximately
223:
of Rattray village. The later stone castle is known to have had a
289:
The first construction of Castlehill was a small keep during the
257:
217:"beside an inlet which led from the sea into a sheltered harbour"
445:
427:
199:, referring to the rocky headland of north-east Aberdeenshire.
1232:
358:. The timber Rattray Castle was almost certainly attacked by
438:, some of whom are known due to charters that they granted.
956:"Strathbeg and Rattray - a brief history by Derek Jennings"
148:
Castle Hill in 2008, all that is left of the original site
522:
as well as two kilns stands found in 1829 (today held in
533:
having got caught in the sand and at an unknown date, a
880:
Sir William Gordon Cumming, BartChief of Clan Cumming.
1068:
A Geographical and Statistical Description of Scotland
19:
For Craighall Castle, the castle of Clan Rattray, see
625:
Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland
556:
It likely supported more than one storey, due to the
470:"blown over with sand one Sunday evening while the"
440:"David Rivis"... "superior of the lands of Rattray"
340:(0.4 kilometres) south, in Rattray village itself.
998:
811:
807:
805:
332:(the castle) which was accompanied by the private
243:"oval & natural with its top slightly dished".
1139:
950:
948:
946:
936:
934:
932:
848:
846:
844:
777:
775:
773:
771:
769:
767:
765:
763:
761:
711:
93:Comyn family (early 13th to early 14th centuries)
1284:
1108:Robert the Bruce's Rivals: The Comyns, 1212-1314
1190:Journal of the Society for Medieval Archaeology
802:
654:"An introduction to the Royal Burgh of Rattray"
648:
646:
309:In the 13th century, the Castle of Rattray was
211:- the north bank was protected by the opposite
943:
929:
841:
758:
304:
1071:. Archibald Constable And Company; Edinburgh.
615:
546:"perimeter wall".. and "two mural buildings".
1180:
781:
737:
735:
643:
397:. The lands again change hands in 1382 when
173:"late 12th- or early 13th century defensive
138:timber structure likely 1308, stone unknown.
814:"Descriptive gazetteer entries for Crimond"
1293:Buildings and structures completed in 1308
1142:"Excursion to Loch Strathbeg and Vicinity"
1231:Artists impressions of the site from the
1075:
913:
732:
707:
705:
703:
701:
699:
697:
695:
693:
322:William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan
181:William Comyn, jure uxoris Earl of Buchan
1086:
1064:
683:
681:
679:
677:
675:
539:
151:
143:
1053:
873:
745:World66.com "Rattray Head Travel Guide"
558:"indication of a possible forestair"...
311:"the principal seat of the Cummings"...
1285:
1046:Fraser's Magazine for Town and Country
1042:
690:
609:
512:. In c. 1730, a dig at the south-east
1181:Murray, H. K.; Murray, J. C. (1993).
1146:Transactions of the Buchan Field Club
1105:
1023:
672:
493:Another story says that the site was
426:In later years Rattray was run by a
401:was given the Earldom by his father
122:12th, 13th and early 14th centuries.
459:, superior of the lands of Rattray"
183:before being destroyed in the 1308
13:
1318:Buildings and structures in Buchan
989:Sinclair (1791), p.419 (footnotes)
940:Sinclair (1791), p.420 (footnotes)
577:
448:of the burgh of Rattray, superior"
346:Comyn's castle survived until the
284:
14:
1329:
1225:
958:. Visit Peterhead. Archived from
618:"Cairnbulg Castle, Aberdeenshire"
417:William Keith, 4th Earl Marischal
500:
369:
49:
992:
983:
974:
904:
895:
864:
855:
495:"buried because of the plague."
478:"were engaged in playing cards"
266:"above a small plain on the"...
1202:10.1080/00766097.1993.11735559
832:
600:
450:granted a charter in 1675 and
421:George Hay, 7th Earl of Erroll
301:built to protect the estuary.
270:"but is only 12 or 14 feet"...
215:. Specifically the castle was
130:originally timber, then stone.
1:
1060:. A. Brown and Co., Aberdeen.
589:
434:who maintained the land for
336:Chapel which he constructed
245:A 1791 book states it has a
16:Old medieval Scottish castle
7:
1133:
1028:. Vol. 1. Bard Books.
882:"History of the Comyn Clan"
461:granted a charter in 1711.
442:granted a charter in 1617;
330:"a fine timber-framed hall"
320:and his own death in 1233,
305:Comyn period (1200 to 1308)
237:it can be seen as a grassy
202:
197:nine castles of the Knuckle
158:nine castles of the Knuckle
156:Rattray Castle, one of the
55:The castle shown on a 1931
10:
1334:
1308:Former castles in Scotland
1148:. 1-2 (1887-1892): 82–85.
1140:Buchan Field Club (1892).
1076:Robertson, Joseph (1847).
1001:"Item: Vessel, kiln.stand"
444:"William Watson of Haddo,
352:John Comyn, Earl of Buchan
279:
18:
1054:Kennedy, William (1818).
743:quoted as book source at
518:Items recovered include;
274:"above the higher ground"
134:
126:
118:
110:
105:
97:
89:
84:
72:
48:
35:
30:
1303:Castles in Aberdeenshire
1298:History of Aberdeenshire
1065:Playfair, James (1819).
1017:
999:University of Aberdeen.
812:History of Britain.com.
594:
489:they were buried alive."
225:"harbour-side entrance".
1087:Sinclair, John (1791).
1024:Bruce, Stanley (2005).
901:Robertson (1847), p.394
712:Aberdeenshire Council.
362:or his younger brother
229:Originally situated on
21:Blairgowrie and Rattray
1237:12th to 13th-centuries
922:Gazetteer for Scotland
852:Sinclair (1791), p.419
637:10.9750/PSAS.083.32.44
616:Simpson, W.D. (1949).
160:
149:
101:Destroyed, no remains.
38:Rattray, Aberdeenshire
861:Kennedy (1818), p.323
838:Playfair (1819), p.78
714:"Castlehill, Rattray"
572:"Murray & Murray"
562:"the wall thickness."
540:1985-1989 Excavations
411:, declared Rattray a
403:Robert II of Scotland
395:Sir Archibald Douglas
338:"a quarter of a mile"
231:"a rock near the sea"
155:
147:
63:to the south-east of
1269:57.61011°N 1.85438°W
1106:Young, Alan (1997).
980:Fraser (1859), p.131
962:on 29 September 2007
910:Kennedy (1818) p.323
820:on 30 September 2007
720:on 27 September 2007
409:Mary, Queen of Scots
391:"lordship of Rattray
293:, or a 12th century
272:(3.7 or 4.3 metres)
1265: /
1043:Fraser, J. (1859).
870:Young (1997), p.150
784:"Buchan Field Club"
754:article on Rattray.
376:"stone-built hall".
276:to the south-west.
1274:57.61011; -1.85438
1110:. Tuckwell Press.
1093:. William Creech.
1026:The Bard O' Buchan
782:Rattray Head.net.
750:2007-09-27 at the
606:Murray (1993), p.1
507:"for a long period
354:was beaten at the
348:Harrying of Buchan
295:"timber castle or
262:"rises 38 feet"...
221:"the harbour side"
193:W. Douglas Simpson
185:Harrying of Buchan
161:
150:
584:James Dun's House
399:Alexander Stewart
383:Henry de Beaumont
318:Earldom of Buchan
314:"Earls of Buchan"
165:Castle of Rattray
142:
141:
31:Castle of Rattray
1325:
1280:
1279:
1277:
1276:
1275:
1270:
1266:
1263:
1262:
1261:
1258:
1221:
1187:
1177:
1175:
1173:
1164:. Archived from
1129:
1102:
1083:
1072:
1061:
1050:
1039:
1012:
1011:
1009:
1007:
996:
990:
987:
981:
978:
972:
971:
969:
967:
952:
941:
938:
927:
926:
925:. 1806. CRIMOND.
917:
911:
908:
902:
899:
893:
892:
890:
888:
877:
871:
868:
862:
859:
853:
850:
839:
836:
830:
829:
827:
825:
816:. Archived from
809:
800:
799:
797:
795:
786:. Archived from
779:
756:
739:
730:
729:
727:
725:
716:. Archived from
709:
688:
685:
670:
669:
667:
665:
656:. Archived from
650:
641:
640:
622:
613:
607:
604:
524:Marischal Museum
474:"a godless crew"
387:Robert the Bruce
360:Robert the Bruce
291:late middle ages
239:"circular mound"
85:Site information
80:
53:
44:
28:
27:
1333:
1332:
1328:
1327:
1326:
1324:
1323:
1322:
1283:
1282:
1273:
1271:
1267:
1264:
1259:
1256:
1254:
1252:
1251:
1228:
1185:
1171:
1169:
1168:on 3 March 2016
1136:
1118:
1036:
1020:
1015:
1005:
1003:
997:
993:
988:
984:
979:
975:
965:
963:
954:
953:
944:
939:
930:
919:
918:
914:
909:
905:
900:
896:
886:
884:
878:
874:
869:
865:
860:
856:
851:
842:
837:
833:
823:
821:
810:
803:
793:
791:
790:on 3 March 2016
780:
759:
752:Wayback Machine
740:
733:
723:
721:
710:
691:
686:
673:
663:
661:
652:
651:
644:
620:
614:
610:
605:
601:
597:
592:
580:
578:1989 to present
542:
503:
457:"Earl of Erroll
389:then gives the
372:
356:Battle of Barra
307:
287:
285:1100 AD to 1200
282:
205:
167:was a medieval
76:
68:
57:Ordnance Survey
36:
24:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1331:
1321:
1320:
1315:
1310:
1305:
1300:
1295:
1249:
1248:
1233:Scran database
1227:
1226:External links
1224:
1223:
1222:
1178:
1135:
1132:
1131:
1130:
1116:
1103:
1084:
1073:
1062:
1051:
1040:
1034:
1019:
1016:
1014:
1013:
991:
982:
973:
942:
928:
912:
903:
894:
872:
863:
854:
840:
831:
801:
757:
741:Bruce (2005);
731:
689:
671:
660:on 17 May 2007
642:
608:
598:
596:
593:
591:
588:
579:
576:
550:"20m by 6.5 m"
541:
538:
502:
499:
371:
368:
306:
303:
286:
283:
281:
278:
264:(11.6 metres)
256:(approx. 0.25
235:Loch Strathbeg
204:
201:
195:as one of the
140:
139:
136:
132:
131:
128:
124:
123:
120:
116:
115:
112:
108:
107:
103:
102:
99:
95:
94:
91:
87:
86:
82:
81:
74:
70:
69:
65:Loch Strathbeg
54:
46:
45:
33:
32:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1330:
1319:
1316:
1314:
1311:
1309:
1306:
1304:
1301:
1299:
1296:
1294:
1291:
1290:
1288:
1281:
1278:
1246:
1242:
1238:
1234:
1230:
1229:
1219:
1215:
1211:
1207:
1203:
1199:
1195:
1191:
1184:
1179:
1167:
1163:
1159:
1155:
1151:
1147:
1143:
1138:
1137:
1127:
1123:
1119:
1117:1-86232-053-5
1113:
1109:
1104:
1100:
1096:
1092:
1091:
1085:
1081:
1080:
1074:
1070:
1069:
1063:
1059:
1058:
1052:
1048:
1047:
1041:
1037:
1035:0-9547960-2-0
1031:
1027:
1022:
1021:
1002:
995:
986:
977:
961:
957:
951:
949:
947:
937:
935:
933:
924:
923:
916:
907:
898:
883:
876:
867:
858:
849:
847:
845:
835:
819:
815:
808:
806:
789:
785:
778:
776:
774:
772:
770:
768:
766:
764:
762:
755:
753:
749:
746:
738:
736:
719:
715:
708:
706:
704:
702:
700:
698:
696:
694:
687:Murray (1993)
684:
682:
680:
678:
676:
659:
655:
649:
647:
638:
634:
630:
626:
619:
612:
603:
599:
587:
586:in Aberdeen.
585:
575:
573:
569:
564:
563:
559:
555:
551:
547:
537:
536:
532:
527:
526:, Aberdeen).
525:
521:
516:
515:
511:
508:
501:~1720 to 1988
498:
496:
491:
490:
487:
485:
479:
475:
472:inhabitants,
471:
467:
466:"a tradition"
462:
460:
458:
456:
449:
447:
441:
437:
433:
429:
424:
422:
418:
414:
410:
406:
404:
400:
396:
392:
388:
384:
379:
377:
370:1308 to ~1720
367:
365:
361:
357:
353:
349:
344:
341:
339:
335:
331:
327:
326:"manor house"
323:
319:
315:
312:
302:
300:
298:
292:
277:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
253:
248:
244:
240:
236:
232:
227:
226:
222:
218:
214:
213:Lonmay Castle
210:
209:Strathbeg Bay
200:
198:
194:
190:
186:
182:
178:
176:
170:
166:
159:
154:
146:
137:
133:
129:
125:
121:
117:
113:
109:
104:
100:
96:
92:
88:
83:
79:
75:
71:
66:
62:
61:"Site of Cas"
58:
52:
47:
43:
39:
34:
29:
26:
22:
1250:
1245:14th century
1241:13th century
1193:
1189:
1170:. Retrieved
1166:the original
1145:
1107:
1089:
1078:
1067:
1056:
1045:
1025:
1004:. Retrieved
994:
985:
976:
964:. Retrieved
960:the original
921:
915:
906:
897:
885:. Retrieved
875:
866:
857:
834:
822:. Retrieved
818:the original
792:. Retrieved
788:the original
742:
722:. Retrieved
718:the original
662:. Retrieved
658:the original
628:
624:
611:
602:
581:
571:
567:
565:
561:
557:
553:
549:
545:
543:
534:
530:
528:
519:
517:
513:
509:
506:
504:
494:
492:
488:
481:
477:
473:
469:
465:
463:
455:
451:
443:
439:
425:
407:
390:
380:
375:
373:
345:
342:
337:
329:
325:
313:
310:
308:
294:
288:
273:
269:
265:
261:
249:
246:
242:
238:
230:
228:
224:
220:
216:
206:
172:
164:
162:
114:12th century
106:Site history
60:
25:
1272: /
1196:: 109–218.
724:3 September
413:Royal Burgh
268:north-east
247:"summit"...
119:In use
73:Coordinates
1313:Clan Comyn
1287:Categories
1257:57°36′36″N
590:References
454:Charles"..
430:system of
252:Scots acre
135:Demolished
1260:1°51′16″W
1210:0076-6097
1154:0959-2806
631:: 32–44.
436:the Crown
432:superiors
334:St Mary's
241:which is
127:Materials
98:Condition
1162:22144239
1134:Journals
1126:37976670
824:6 August
794:6 August
748:Archived
529:In 1740
482:"on the
250:"half a
203:Location
169:Scottish
78:NK088578
42:Scotland
1218:1607565
1172:11 June
1099:4261705
1006:11 June
966:22 June
887:13 July
664:13 June
484:Sabbath
280:History
258:hectare
189:Rattray
59:map as
1216:
1208:
1160:
1152:
1124:
1114:
1097:
1032:
446:bailie
428:feudal
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