Dundarg Castle

Remains of Dundarg Castle, and the modern house on the site, overlooking Aberdour Bay

Dundarg Castle is a ruined castle about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north-northeast of New Aberdour, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It was one of the The Nine Castles of Knuckle.

It was built in the thirteenth century by the Comyn family, and subsequently dismantled, probably by Robert the Bruce, in 1308. It was rebuilt in 1334, but destroyed almost immediately, after a famous siege. Evidence of this double destruction was confirmed by excavations during 1911-12 and in 1950-51 (led by W. Douglas Simpson) when many medieval objects were found.

The only substantial part of the castle remaining is the inner gatehouse, which survives to a height of about 18 feet (5.5 m). The upper part was rebuilt about the middle of the sixteenth century, probably following the Coastal Defence Commission of 1550, and there is some evidence that it was provided with gunloops at this time. The site was finally abandoned in the mid-17th century, and a house was built on part of it in 1938.

References

• Beveridge, W. (1912). "Excavations at Dundargue Castle". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 48: pp.184–91. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_048/48_184_194.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-15. 
• Fojut, N. & Love, P. (1983). "The defences of Dundarg Castle, Aberdeenshire". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 113: pp.449–56. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_113/113_449_456.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-15. 
• Rees, S.E. (1983). "A wooden ard-share from Dundarg, Aberdeenshire, with a note on other wooden plough pieces". Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland 113: pp.457–63. http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/PSAS_2002/pdf/vol_113/113_457_463.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-15. 
• Simpson, W. D. (1954) Dundarg Castle. Aberdeen University.
• Simpson, W. D. (1960) 'Dundarg Castle reconsidered', Transactions of the Buchan Field Club 17(4), pp.9-25.

Coordinates: 57°40′26.59″N 2°10′39.03″W / 57.6740528°N 2.1775083°W / 57.6740528; -2.1775083