Slains Castle is an imposing ruin of a castle, set directly
into the cliffs, about 1km from the cruden Bay. You can walk
from the village, or about 1km down a track from a car park
on the A975 just north of Cruden Bay. The Earl of Erroll returned
from exile in 1597 and made his peace with James. Rather than
try to rebuild Slains, he instead used a tower house at Bowness
as the basis for a new Slains Castle. The tower was extended
and ranges of buildings were added around a courtyard. In
1664 the castle was again expanded and altered, and a corridor
was built across the courtyard. The final major change came
in 1836 when further wings were added and the underlying castle
was given a granite facing and generally Disneyfied. Building
costs and high living did little for the family finances and
in 1916 death duties forced the 20th Earl of Erroll to sell
Slains Castle. The new owner allowed the castle to fall into
disrepair, and in 1925 its roof was removed. The ruin is not
very well sign posted, maybe baecause no one wants the responsibilty
should you fall from the cliffs, or if part of the crumbling
castle should fall upon you.
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