Braemar Castle

Braemar Castle is a granite-built, five-storey structure arranged in an L-shape. It is surrounded by a star-shaped outer wall featuring six sharply angled projections called salients. This curtain wall, influenced by French military designs, was added during army repairs after 1748 to strengthen its defenses. Several corner turrets rise three storeys high, and the main tower includes a round stair tower facilitating vertical access within the castle.

The original entrance still retains an iron yett, which is a latticed metal gate designed for added security. Many windows are protected by heavy iron grilles, underscoring the castle’s defensive nature. On the ground floor, stone-vaulted rooms occupy the wall projections; these spaces served functional roles such as the guardroom, ammunition store, and the initial kitchen area. A second kitchen was introduced in Victorian times beside rooms used by staff, reflecting the castle’s evolution into a family residence.

Inside, each upper floor’s arms contain two main rooms. The first floor accommodates the Dining Room and Morning Room, while the second floor houses the Laird’s Day Room, the Rose Room, and a small bathroom installed in 1901. Higher floors include bedrooms such as the Four Poster Bedroom on the third level and several guest and principal bedrooms on the fourth floor.

One notable interior feature is found in the Drawing Room on the second floor, where soldiers once stationed at the castle left carved graffiti on window shutters. Among these marks is the inscription “John Chestnut, Sergeant, 1797,” providing a tangible link to the British army’s occupation period. Additionally, a passageway contains an iron grill that offers access to the Laird’s Pit, a dungeon hole that was likely used for detention within the castle.

Before British military repairs, Braemar Castle had suffered partial ruin, including damage that exposed it to the elements. The 1748 restoration addressed roofing and defensive walls but did not fully resolve all issues, as soldiers continued to complain about persistent chimney smoke problems well into the 20th century.

Nearby, the ruins of Kindrochit Castle remain visible opposite a butcher’s shop in Braemar village. Recent stabilization work on this site suggests it could be Scotland’s oldest stone castle, which contextualizes Braemar Castle within a longer tradition of medieval fortifications in the area.