Hmp Castle Huntly, Terraced Garden And Statues

Castle Huntly has its origins in the 15th century. It is set on a flat plain close to the River Tay and it stands on a volcanic mound. Its corbelled and battlemented parapet and angle turrets contribute to its distinctive landscape presence. Constructed in the local pinkish brown stone, there is a strongly vertical L-plan tower house dating to the 15th century which is largely 3-storeys with an attic and deep basement. It was remodelled in the 17th century (mainly internal alterations and the enclosing of basement vaults to the north-west) and again in 1777-83 when a pair of 2-storey crowstep-gabled castellated wings were added to the east. In 1792-5 John Paterson was employed to build a single storey block between the wings. This was remodelled and recessed in 1937-8.

The stonework is predominantly random rubble to the earlier tower and roughly squared and coursed to the 18th century work. There is mostly 12-pane glazing in timber sash and case windows.

The interior was seen in 2014. The entrance lobby leads to a top lit oval saloon of 1793-5 with a decorative cornice and a classical style chimneypiece. There are 6-panel timber doors. There are early vaulted storerooms in the basement, one of which provides access to a pit-prison. Some of the principal rooms have architraved doorcases, corniced ceilings in classical styles and timber shutters. The former dining room has a vine leaf cornice and a moulded stone fireplace of the 1930s. There is a stone staircase with iron barleysugar balusters and a timber handrail.

The Garden Terraces lie to the south and are likely to date from the late 17th century. There are two main tall brick walls forming terracing which run west to east and various other surviving sections of walls. Along the upper terrace there are three (now painted white) Renaissance classical statues, one male and two female which are also thought to date from the late 17th century.