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Where in Moray?


By Alistair Whitfield

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Hazel Thomson took this photo of Auchindoun Castle on a cold but beautiful sunny day.

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The castle, which stands a couple of miles east of Dufftown, was built in the late 15th Century.

Who it was built for remains unsure, however an excavation carried out in 1984 provides a clue.

A barrel-vaulted chamber under the floor of the main cellar suggested it might have been Thomas Cochrane.

A favourite of King James III, Cochrane was hanged in 1482 by rebellious nobles during a plot to seize the throne.

Auchindoun Castle is most famous though for the gruesome events of 1571.

That was the year when the long-standing bitter rivalry boiled over between the Gordons, who were Catholics, and the Forbes, who had become Protestants.

The Gordons, who owned Auchindoun, vowed revenge after 20 of their number were killed at a banquet hosted by the Forbes.

After victory in couple of battles, the Gordons then rode to Corgarff Castle on the Lecht, which belonged to the Forbes.

This they set alight, burning to death the 27 people who were sheltering inside, including Margaret Campbell, the wife of Forbes of Towie.

And, even after that, the violence was still not at an end.

In retaliation for the massacre, Auchindoun was attacked and burned.

Corgarff Castle which stands on the right as you drive over the Lecht from Moray.
Corgarff Castle which stands on the right as you drive over the Lecht from Moray.

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