In Aberdeenshire, the pink, slender silhouette of Craigievar Castle seems to have stepped out of a fairy tale. An L-plan tower house of seven storeys completed in 1626, it is the masterpiece of the late Scottish baronial Renaissance — a castle that displays its wealth not through defence, but through decoration.
The fortune of a Baltic merchant
Craigievar was bought unfinished from the Mortimers, in 1610, by the merchant William Forbes, nicknamed 'Danzig Willy' for the fortune he had made in the Baltic trade. He completed it around 1625-1626. Unlike the old fortresses, Craigievar has no warlike purpose: its height, its turrets, its pink harling speak of the prestige and refinement of a new man, enriched by trade, at the end of the Jacobean age.
Decoration rather than defence
The interior is sumptuous: the moulded plaster ceilings of the great hall — adorned with the Nine Worthies and family emblems — are among the finest in Scotland, alongside Glamis and Muchalls. The arms of the Stuarts crown the great hall chimneypiece, affirming loyalty to the Crown. A musicians' gallery and a secret stair complete this decoration of display. Craigievar illustrates the moment when the Scottish castle, at peace, becomes a work of art celebrating success and taste.
What to see
- The moulded plaster ceilings of the great hall (Nine Worthies).
- The arms of the Stuarts above the chimneypiece.
- The musicians' gallery, the secret stair and the pink harling.
Did you know?
The pink, slender silhouette of Craigievar is said to have inspired fairy-tale castles. A delicious detail: its original oak door, replaced in 1825, was rediscovered in 2019 — four centuries after 'Danzig Willy', the castle was still yielding its secrets.
Practical information
Craigievar Castle lies about 10 km south of Alford, in Aberdeenshire; in the care of the National Trust for Scotland. Hours liable to change; check against the official sources.
Quiz
- Who completed Craigievar Castle around 1626?
- The merchant William Forbes ('Danzig Willy')
- King James VI
- Robert Smythson
- How does Craigievar display its wealth?
- Through decoration (plaster ceilings), not defence
- Through its cannon
- Through its moat
- Where did William Forbes's fortune come from?
- The Baltic trade (Danzig)
- Gold mines
- Piracy