CastleDufftown

Balvenie Castle

Balvenie Castle

The remains of the Castle can be visited

Near Dufftown, Moray, Scotland, Balvenie Castle is a ruin and among the oldest stone fortifications in the country.

History+

The origins of Balvenie Castle date back to the second half of the 12th century, when Alexander Comyn had the castle built. The surviving curtain wall dates from this period. After the defeat of the Comyns in 1306, who supported John Balliol, the castle fell to James Douglas, a follower of Robert the Bruce. In 1451, following the murder of William Douglas, 8th Earl of Douglas, by King James II, Balvenie Castle was taken from the Douglas family and passed to John Stewart, 1st Earl of Atholl. The Stewarts remained owners of the castle for approximately 250 years. In 1562, Balvenie Castle hosted Mary, Queen of Scots. In 1614, Robert Innes of Invermarkie acquired the complex, but his family had to sell it to the Duffs of Braco in 1687.

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Source: Wikipedia · Licence: CC BY-SA 4.0

This description draws on the facts documented in the linked Wikipedia article; Wikipedia content is licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Wording and editing: Mobile History.

Location: 57.4533, -3.1249