Castles · Scottish Highlands
Balvenie Castle
Balvenie Castle — ruined castle in Moray, Scotland, UK.
Wikimedia Commons contributors — see linked file page for photographer and licence licence
Plan your visit
- Typical visit
- 1.5 h–3 h
- Nearest railway station
- Dufftown · 0.7 km
- Family-friendly
- Limited wheelchair access
About
Balvenie Castle is a castle in the United Kingdom — fortified architecture from the medieval, Tudor, or Victorian-revival period. Wikidata describes it as: "ruined castle in Moray, Scotland, UK". Coordinates: 57.4529°, -3.1240°.
Photo gallery
From Historic Environment Scotland
A wide ditch encircles this striking, curtain-walled castle. Built in the 1200s as the seat of the powerful earls of Buchan, the heavily fortified stronghold became an elegant lodging in the 1500s.
Read more on the official property page.
From the Wikipedia article
Balvenie Castle is a ruined castle 1 km north of Dufftown in the Moray region of Scotland.
Excerpt from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0. See the source article linked in Sources below.
Background
History
Originally known as Mortlach, it was acquired by Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan in the 13th century after "he surrendered part of his inheritance in order to build up his north-east possessions. Significantly, Alexander Comyn exchanged territory in Tranent (East Lothian) for Mortlach and its important castle of Balvenie, in Highland Banffshire - a charter of 1285 shows this transaction had taken place a generation earlier. Balvenie was a most valuable strategic site, making a bridge between Buchan and the lordship of Badenoch (and Lochaber) the two real seats of power for the Comyns in the thirteenth-century Scotland." Balvenie Castle was extended and altered in the 15th and 16th…
Sourced from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Coordinates
- 57.4529, -3.1240
- District
- Moray
- Postcode
- AB55 4GH
- Parliamentary constituency
- Moray West, Nairn and Strathspey
- Nearest railway station
- Dufftown — 0.7 km
- Official site
- www.historicenvironment.scot
Sources
- wikidata: Q805847 (CC0)
- wikipedia: Balvenie Castle (CC BY-SA 4.0)
- commons: Balvenie Castle - George Washington Wilson - ABDMS018095.jpg (CC BY-SA 4.0)
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Frequently asked questions
- Where is Balvenie Castle?
- Balvenie Castle is in the Scottish Highlands, United Kingdom (postcode AB55 4GH).
- Does Balvenie Castle charge admission?
- Balvenie Castle typically charges admission. Check the official site for current ticket prices and opening hours.
- How do I get to Balvenie Castle?
- The nearest railway station is Dufftown, about 0.7 km away. Drivers can navigate to postcode AB55 4GH.