The 800-year-old Scottish castle and Robert the Bruce hideout being transformed under £5.6m masterplan

Fyvie Castle, an historic bolthole steeped in history and ghostlore, will be the focus of a masterplan designed to restore and enhance the A-listed complex and its surrounding estate and buildings, and improve its offering to visitors. 

The National Trust for Scotland (NTS), which owns the castle and its surrounding structures, has appointed architect firm, Page\Park, to spearhead the ambitious £5.6 million project. It said it hoped the works would help raise the profile of Fyvie and bolster tourist numbers. 

Regarded as one of the finest examples of Scottish Baronial architecture, the castle’s heritage is entwined with curses and folklore. One such legend surrounds a sealed medieval dungeon, where it is said any intruder will be killed if they dare enter.

Thanks to its Alexander Forbes-Leith, a 19th-century steel magnate who made his fortune in the the US and purchased Fyvie in 1889, it is also home to a treasure trove of antiquities, armour and portraits, including works by Raeburn, Batoni, Gainsborough, Lawrence and Hoppner.

Iain Hawkins, regional director for north east Scotland at NTS, said: “Fyvie is one of the most historic and eclectic properties in the National Trust for Scotland’s portfolio. Since its beginnings in the 13th century, it has served as a royal stronghold for William the Lion, Alexander II and Robert the Bruce and was, in succession, the seat of the prestigious Preston, Meldrum, Seton, Gordon and Leith dynasties. It was also a royal nursery for a time for Prince Charles, later Charles I, and the site of a tumultuous civil war battle in 1644.

“Very few places are soaked in so much eventful history and the castle and estate deserve to be better recognised for the heritage this place represents. That is our motivation for setting in train a process that will raise its profile and fully realise its potential to welcome more visitors and offer them a uniquely rewarding experience.”

As part of the plan, the NTS has purchased a nearby dilapidated farm building and intends to stabilise the structure, with a view to reusing it as an orientation and interpretation centre for the wider castle estate, located near Turriff. The trust has vowed to work closely with community groups, and expects to bring forward more detailed plans by spring or early summer of 2025. 

Eilidh Henderson, director of Page\Park architects, said: “We’re delighted to have been selected by the National Trust for Scotland to evolve the masterplan and conservation works to Fyvie Castle and estate. Fyvie is considered one of the finest examples of Scottish Baronial architecture in the country and is a must-see landmark in the collection of castles across the north east of Scotland.

“The project is intended to unlock all that the site has to offer, to ensure its ongoing sustainability and success as a visitor attraction and heritage experience for people from all walks of life.”