Aldourie Castle

Aldourie Castle is a predominantly mid 19th century building, featuring an 18th century core that incorporates fragments from the 17th century. The house was mainly enlarged between 1839 and 1862, creating a picturesque, Baronial mansion that stands two to three stories tall. A wing was added to the southeast in 1902-1903 by architect Robert Lorimer. The principal elevations to the northwest and southeast are characterized by an irregular arrangement of oriel windows, drum towers, turrets, crowstepped gables, and varied fenestration. The exterior is finished with ochre harling and polished, tooled ashlar margins and dressings.

The entrance porch on the southeast side projects from the gable and is adorned with engaged columns, a crest, strapwork, and ball finials. Blocked corbel tables and rope-moulded string courses are present, with angles enhanced by either round or square drum towers or corbelled bartizans. The roof features turrets that terminate in circular balustraded wallheads, ogee, or conical roofs, along with gun-loops and decorative pediments on dormer windows.

The windows include timber sash and case designs with 2-, 4-, and 12-pane glazing. The building has coped end and ridge stacks, slate roofs, and some ridges are decorated with cast-iron brattishing.

Inside, the castle mainly reflects alterations made in 1862, with extensive restoration work carried out between 2002 and 2010. The vestibule features walls marbled by painter Charles Hesp of York. The drawing room contains a re-used early 19th century marble chimneypiece, while the former dining room from 1902-1903 boasts a coffered plaster ceiling decorated with Tudor roses.