Location
About 2 miles S. of Tarves, well signed.
Access: Historic Scotland. Open to public. Entrance fee for non-members.
Contact: Tel: 01651 851286
Tarves, Ellon, Aberdeenshire
OS Map Reference
NJ 873 286
Date
15th to 16th century
Description
Apart from the original Preston tower this is not a building with serious defensive intent, more a stylish country palace. As with the tomb for the same client and the other castles he was involved in the design of, Leper has combined what was then modern style with older traditions to create a fusion that is peculiarly Scottish. He has an approach that resonates with C. R. Mackintosh in a much later era.
Related Information
The earliest part is the 15thC Preston Tower which lies in NE corner to the E of the main entrance. The massive walls of the old tower are up to 3m thick.
At ground level was a vaulted cellar with the hall and private chambers above. This was surrounded by service ranges which were removed when the castle was extended by William Forbes in 1584 to form a rectangular block enclosing a courtyard with well.
The gatehouse has an arched portal protected by drum towers with gun-loops. The E range was domestic in nature with the bakehouse at the S end with two domed ovens, behind which was a pit-prison. The main suite of rooms occupied the S side of the courtyard, and the upper floors of the W & N range. A round tower sits in the NW corner. Vestiges of a formal garden remain to the W & S side of the castle & forecourt, with bee-boles in the forecourt wall. In the NE corner of the forecourt are the remains of a dovecot with stone nesting boxes. The castle was lived in till 19thC when it slowly fell into disrepair. SMR
Designed by Thomas Leper (Initialled T.L.) some work still in hand 1600. "Auld Tour" (Preston's Tower) late 14th/early 15th century, much ruined above vaulted ground floor, 40' 6" x 29' with 7' 6" walls incorporated at N.E. angle of Leper work, large roofless courtyard castle, pinned boulder rubble, court 68' x 50'; angle towers echeloned N.W. (circular) and S.E. (square, containing ovens and prison). Ground floor vaulted, S. wing 3-storey and attic L-plan containing hall 37' x 19' and private room, principal stair in N.W. jamb; circular tower corbelled to square with stair from 1st floor up at centre N. elevation. W. wing
2-storey containing gallery 57' x 14' N. wing 2-storey with central arched pend flanked by semi-circular towers, further gallery 8' x 34' 6" over, rich frontispiece with coats of arms and figure sculpture. E. range much ruined, bake-house at S. Large hexagonal outer forecourt with ruined ancillary buildings, gate at N., 12 bee boles S.W. wall; walled garden to N., walled pleasaunce surrounds main buildings. LBR
Guardianship Monument. Originally a Preston house passed to the Forbes family by marriage in 1420. The Forbes family were obliged to sell as a result of the Darien Scheme 1716. Evicted 1718 moved to their Whitehaugh property. Subsequently passed to Lord Aberdeen, farmhouse until early 19th century. For Leper see particularly Simpson P.S.A.S. LXXX p. 117-125; his hand has also been identified at Schivas, and more recently at Arnage and Esslemont, of the castle at Tillyhilt (see also Simpson Tarves p. 44) little now remains. The cottage built of its stones is now in ruins and in great part collapsed. There is a dormer from it at Nethermill.
SMR
Era
1500s
Information Source
Sites and Monuments Record, Listed Building Record, RCAHMS
Related Artefacts
Categories
Iconography
- cross, Greek
- heraldic motifs
- human figure
- lion
- mythical or heraldic beast
Creator
- Thomas Leper, Architect
Photographer
- David Watson Hood
Unavailable Data
- External Links
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