Towie Barclay Castle

Towie Barclay Castle is a large L-plan tower house built in 1593, constructed from rubble and featuring two storeys. The upper part and gable of the east wing were demolished in 1792. The current east gable, upper floor of the wing, and battlemented parapet with bartizans were added by James Duncan in 1874. The castle was restored and harled with exposed dressings by J J Meldrum between 1971 and 1973. The main jamb measures 44 feet by 34 feet and lies in a north-south orientation. The ground floor is vaulted in two compartments, with a passage on the east side that has a rib-vault over the entrance and two turnpike stairs at the south end. The first-floor hall, measuring 20 feet by 30 feet, features a high rib-vault in two compartments, with an oratory (or 'piper's gallery' in some descriptions) in an elevated rib-vaulted window embrasure over the screens passage at the east end. A quatrefoil balcony was added during Duncan's restoration. An outbuilding with a short single-storey link to the tower is located to the north.