Alternative Names Waterton House
Site type TOWER HOUSE
Canmore ID 20509
Site Number NJ93SE 7
NGR NJ 9729 3033
Council ABERDEENSHIRE
Parish ELLON
Former Region GRAMPIAN
Former District GORDON
Former County ABERDEENSHIRE

Canmore Mapping
View this site on a map

Archaeological Notes

NJ93SE 7 9729 3033.

(NJ 9729 3033) Castle of Waterton (Remains of) (NAT)
OS 6" map, (1959)

The fragmentary remains of the old castle of Waterton, the seat of the Forbes of Waterton. Supposedly built between 1630 and 1640, it was depicted in a 1770 sketch as a builidng of 4 storeys consisting of a central block with east and west wings, having crow-stepped gables, and slightly projecting from the main building. One partly vaulted apartment remains bearing the inscription "This stone marks the site of the ancient seat of the family of Forbes, Lairds of Waterton A.D. 1630 - 1770." A drinking horn, dug from the castle ruins in 1844, was donated to the National Museum of Antiquities of Scotland (NMAS) in 1863 (PSAS 1865).
J Godsman 1958; J Ferguson 1913; Proc Soc Antiq Scot 1865.

The remaining structure measures 4.4m E-W by 3.9m N-S internally with walls 0.7m thick and is reduced to c.3.0m maximum height, with the remains of barrel vaulting discernible within and on the outside of the E and W walls. Wall footings continue for a short distance on either side of the S wall. The N wall, containing a modern entrance, appears to be more recent.
The memorial plaque is on the inner S wall.
Resurveyed at 1/2500.
Visited by OS (R L) 12 December 1968.

Air photographs: AAS/97/04/G8/9 and AAS/97/04/CT.
NMRS, MS/712/29.

Bogdan and Bryce, N and I B D (1991) 'Castles, manors and 'town houses' survey', Discovery Excav Scot
Page(s): 28

Ferguson, J (1913b) 'The old castles of Buchan', Trans Buchan Fld Club, vol.10
Page(s): 84

Godsman, J (1958) A history of the burgh and parish of Ellon, Aberdeenshire, Aberdeen
Page(s): 148 Held at RCAHMS D.5.12.ELL