Birse Castle, Forest of Birse, United Kingdom

Birse Castle is located in the Forest of Birse, Aberdeenshire. The original structure was a square three-storey tower house with turrets and a corbelled circular tower at the south east. The building is owned by Viscount Cowdry, Dunecht House, Dunecht, Aberdeen.

The castle was built about 1600 for the Gordons of Cluny. When the Gordons built Birse Castle, they encroached upon The Forest of Birse, which consisted of about 24 farms. Eighteen of these were owned by the Gordons, but the owners of the other six farms did not take too kindly to the Gordons intrusion and burned down the castle about 1640. The castle was a ruin by 1887, but restoration started in 1905. In 1930 a three-storey wing was added.

References:

britainirelandcastles.com

Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom

User Reviews

Elliot Hoare (5 years ago)

Nicholas Bearce (5 years ago)
Birse Castle is an Amazing Place! Both the Building and the Grounds. I was raised in Maine of Bearce family. While traveling in Scotland we were touring Balmoral Castle. While there we were given a personal tour by one of the Gardeners. Prince Andrew was on site and notified of our presence. He came out and met my family found out our names looked at the Gardener and said, "You know what to do!" The little Gardener grinned from ear to ear and informed us of BEARCE or BIRSE Castle very near to Balmoral. He called them up. We were given a brief but full tour of the Castle and the Birse Forest and Birse Kirk or Church. I actually drank from the Birse Cup that was in the original BIRSE CHURCH. We all felt at Home there in Birse. I went back in 1990 and am looking forward to another visit there soon I hope!

Vaida Cikstiene (5 years ago)
Beautiful, peaceful, easy walk, sheep, cows,rabbits, birds...

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