Megginch Castle

Megginch Castle

A substantial castle built in 1575, incorporating an earlier tower and fortalice of circa 1460. The building was altered in the 1680s, received a south-west bow-fronted castellated addition by R and J Adam around 1790, and underwent further work to the east which remained unfinished until completed in 1820 with a north-east wing and north porch by architect W M Mackenzie. Internal alterations, a porch and corridor were added in 1928 by Mills & Shepherd. Following a fire, the original condition was partly reinstated in 1969-70.

The castle is constructed of random, snecked and squared rubble with ashlar and concrete margins, some raised. A dividing course, mutuled eaves cornice and battlements run around the building. Corbels with chamfered arrises feature throughout.

The south (entrance) elevation is a symmetrically fenestrated three-storey, six-bay block with large windows to the first floor and a relief carved armorial stone dated 1820 at the centre of the second floor. A squat two-storey circular entrance tower projects to the outer right with a broad moulded doorpiece, cornice and stepped pediment.

The west (garden) elevation features an early set-back bay to the outer left with a large first-floor window and small openings above, leading to a timpany gable and corbelled conically-roofed turret at the left angle. The remaining bays are crenellated. A broad bay at the centre displays a variety of asymmetrically-disposed small windows, with a low rounded stair bay in the re-entrant angle to the left containing a door and first-floor window. The bow-fronted addition of 1790 to the outer right has a window to each floor, with the first-floor window enlarged and converted to a glazed door with cantilevered balcony.

The north (rear) elevation is an altered elevation with asymmetrical fenestration. The 1928 porch has a round-headed door at the centre, with the 1820 piended wing behind featuring a centre stack and further set-back early bays. A tower rises with a finialled crowstepped and corbelled caphouse at the centre, and conically-roofed corbelled turrets project to the outer angles.

The east elevation shows a variety of elements reflecting its complex building history, with a projecting single-storey bay to the left, a large multi-pane stair window to the recessed centre, and an advanced wing to the right with a second-floor window to the return featuring a carved (eroded) pedimented window-head. A further advanced lower polygonal bay with cantilevered balcony to the first floor is also present.

The windows throughout are largely small-paned timber sash-and-case glazing. Grey slates cover the roof. Coped ashlar stacks aligned diagonally to the east carry chimney cans, and ashlar-coped skews edge the roof.

The interior contains several fine decorative schemes. An original moulded ashlar doorway leads to a brick-vaulted scale-and-platt staircase with guilloche moulded cornicing. A top-lit square stair hall, known as the armoury, features fine decorative cast-iron balusters and a cantilevered staircase beneath a dome. The notable drawing room displays a fine ceiling (replaced after the 1960 fire) and a white marble chimney piece. Large dividing doors open to the library, which has a panelled ceiling and a grey and white marble chimney piece. The dining room retains 1575 linenfold panelling (imported), fine plasterwork, and a maroon marble chimney piece.

The designed landscape to the west of the castle includes a terrace garden with various stone structures: a Greek temple of paired fluted columns with plain frieze and cornice; a diminutive statue of Baroness Strange as a young child; and a sundial on a carved pedestal with square cope and octagonal base. Gold and green yews were planted to form a crown celebrating Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee in 1887 and the Golden Wedding of John and Frances Drummond in 1885, with circa 1895 topiary yew figures added later. The planting includes four yews thought to be over 1000 years old, a holly avenue (probably pre-dating 1600) leading to the chapel, 18th-century oak and lime avenues, an 1830 parterre altered to incorporate two fountains, three birch trees of 1921, and a Wellingtonia grown from seed collected in Canada by Mr Matthew of Gourdiehill, Errol.