Octagon Observatory, Invercauld Road, Braemar is a Grade C listed building in the Cairngorms National Park local planning authority area, Scotland. First listed on 22 February 1991.

Octagon Observatory, Invercauld Road, Braemar

WRENN ID
iron-bonework-laurel
Grade
C
Local Planning Authority
Cairngorms National Park
Constituency
West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP: Andrew Bowie (Con)
Country
Scotland
Date first listed
22 February 1991
OS grid reference
NO 152 914
Coordinates
57.00649, -3.39764
Source
Historic Environment Scotland listing

Also on this page: flood risk · radon risk · weather exposure · detailed attributes ↓

Description

This is a later 19th century octagonal observatory located on the green at the centre of Castleton, Braemar. Constructed with a granite base course, the building has a timber frame with boarded walls and glazed upper panels. A multi-pane timber door is located on the south side. The roof is covered with fishscale and bull-nosed grey slates, featuring lead flashings, and is topped by a large octagonal louvred cupola surmounted by a weather vane. The observatory is an unusual and prominent feature of the village streetscape. Established in 1856, it was the first purpose-built meteorological station in the area, founded with the encouragement of Prince Albert, who donated a set of instruments by Negretti and Zambra, London. The construction was financed by Mr Farquharson of Invercauld. Its connections with the Royal Family and Balmoral contribute to its significance.

Local climate

Octagon Observatory, Invercauld Road, Braemar sits in one of the wettest parts of the UK, with an average of 1,170 mm of rain a year. This makes it wetter than 90% of listed buildings in the UK. Its exposure to wind-driven rain is greater than that of 51% of listed buildings.

It experiences an average of 90 freeze-thaw cycles a year, more than 99% of listed buildings. Of these, 70 follow at least 1 mm of rain in the preceding 48 hours. Average temperatures at this location have risen by 0.3°C per decade since 1991.

Averages for 1991–2020; temperature trend 1991–2025. Figures describe the wider area (a grid cell of roughly 10 km), not the individual site. Contains modified Copernicus Climate Change Service information 2026.

More on this building

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Nearby listed buildings

  1. Bank Of Scotland And Bank House, 7, 9 Invercauld Road, Braemar Grade C 36 m
  2. 6 Castleton Terrace, Braemar Grade C 44 m
  3. North Of Scotland Omnibus Depot, Invercauld Road, Braemar Grade B 47 m
  4. 7 Castleton Terrace, Braemar Grade C 56 m
  5. 10, 12 Invercauld Road, Braemar Grade C 79 m
  6. Former Parish Church, Invercauld Road, Braemar Grade C 80 m
  7. The Highlander And Invercauld Sportsman, 8 Invercauld Road, Braemar Grade C 85 m
  8. St Margaret's Episcopal Church, Castleton Terrace, Braemar Grade A 88 m
  9. Gowan Lee, 8 Castleton Terrace, Braemar Grade C 100 m
  10. Invercauld Arms Hotel, Invercauld Road, Braemar Grade C 114 m