Leslie Castle
Leslie Castle is a castle in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, the historical seat of Clan Leslie, located just to the west of Auchleven, or about 45 kilometres (28 mi) northwest of Aberdeen. It was built on the site of a former castle (probably a wooden motte and bailey) around 1661[1] as "the last fortified house in Scotland".[2]
| Leslie Castle | |
|---|---|
| Leslie, Aberdeenshire | |
 Leslie Castle | |
  Leslie Castle | |
| Coordinates | 57.3125°N 2.666389°W |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Lord Leslie |
| Open to the public | Operates as a Guesthouse |
| Site history | |
| Built | around 1661 |
In 1980, the castle and estate were purchased for about $25,000 and restored by City of Aberdeen architect David Carnegie Leslie at a cost of about $1 million. The castle's walls had collapsed and there were piles of rubble up to 8 feet (2.4 m) high, and tons of carved stone had been stolen over the years. A full-sized tree had also grown inside a collapsed parapet. The castle's were restored using stone from 300-year-old cottages on a neighbouring estate that had also collapsed. In July 1989, it was opened as a hotel with five bedrooms.[3]
In 2016 Leslie Castle opened again as Leslie Castle B&B and after two successful years was sold to the current owners who also bought the title of barony.
Since April 2018, Leslie Castle has been operating as a guesthouse but is also available for exclusive hire for events, special birthdays, family gatherings, Burns nights, and Hogmanay.
In 1995, a Leslie Clan Gathering was held at Leslie Castle. The next Leslie Clan gathering in Scotland will be in 2020.
References
- Notes
- Leslie Castles, Clan Leslie Society International
- The Scottish Nation: A Modern History by T. M. Devine
- Prial, Frank J. (4 November 1990). "Staying with a Baron At a Scottish Castle". The New York Times. Retrieved 26 March 2019.
- Sources
- "Leslie Castle". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 8 May 2017.