Kincardine Castle

Kincardine Castle is a country house with five circular turrets and one square turret topped with crow-stepped gables designed to resist harsh Scottish weather. The building stands as a blend of fortress-like defense features with residential comfort, rising prominently on its riverside location.

The house was built between 1894 and 1896 by London architects Niven and Wigglesworth as a replacement for the earlier Kincardine Lodge. The new structure incorporated design influences from the Arts and Crafts movement alongside Scottish baronial traditions.

The building shows how traditional Scottish castle features were adapted to fit a more modern house style. Visitors notice how the towers and gables give it an old-fashioned look while the interior spaces work as a country home.

The building sits on the north bank of the River Dee, east of Aboyne, and operates mainly as a private venue for events and celebrations. Visitors interested in seeing the interior should contact ahead, as access is typically limited to organized functions.

The rear elevation displays design details that echo the work of architect Charles Rennie Mackintosh, a contemporary innovator. This fusion of forward-thinking design with traditional Scottish fortress elements makes the building a quiet example of late Victorian architectural experimentation.