Knockhall Castle, Tower house in Newburgh, Scotland
Knockhall Castle is a roofless tower house in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, built on an L-shaped plan and rising three stories in dressed stone. The outer walls still stand to most of their original height, and you can still make out the gun-loops, the main stairwell opening, and the remains of the kitchen fireplace inside.
William Sinclair built Knockhall Castle in 1565 as a noble residence, and it later passed to the Udny family, who lived there for more than two centuries. A fire in 1734 destroyed the interior so badly that the family abandoned the tower and never returned.
The castle was home to the Udny family for generations, one of the most established noble families in this part of Scotland. Walking around the ruins today, you can still see how the tower once commanded a clear view over the surrounding land.
The tower has no roof, so the interior is fully open to wind and rain, and the ground can be uneven and slippery in wet weather. Sturdy footwear is a good idea, and it helps to visit on a dry day when the stone underfoot is easier to walk on.
When the fire broke out in 1734, a man named Jamie Fleeman, known as the Udny family's fool, pulled a heavy iron chest full of important documents out of the burning building. As a reward, the family arranged for him to receive a meal every week for the rest of his life.
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