Huntly is a small, rural town on the A96 between Aberdeen and Elgin. It can also be reached by the No10 bus Aberdeen / Elgin or by rail. Parking is recommended in the free carpark behind the police station on the far side of the square where Brander’s Library sits.
Take a walk towards the Gordon Schools’ arch built in 1839, flanked by the town’s “Bydand” emblem meaning steadfast or enduring – the historic motto of the Clan Gordon. Follow the avenue, lined with majestic trees down towards the river and Huntly Castle. Looked after by Historic Scotland it is worth taking time to explore these ruins filled with history.
If this walk seems too much, there is a carpark at the castle but the access from the square is not suitable for anything larger than a car.
Over the years, there has been several alterations and additions to the original stronghold founded in the 1100s. The motte is now a grassy area to the side of what remains today. From the 1400s, the footprint of an L-shaped tower house sits at one corner with the remnants of the ancillary buildings creating an open courtyard. By the 1500s, the construction of a new, larger palace replaced the tower house. The 4th Earl had spent time in France with Queen Marie of Guise and enlarged his palace to resemble French medieval buildings.
Visitors are free to wander around, noticing several points of interest. Above the entrance path is an oriel window and the stair that goes to nowhere now. The entrance door in the courtyard is framed by an impressive visual display of the coat of arms of the 1st Marquis and Marchioness of Huntly, those of King James VI & Queen Anna then two religious panels which were defaced in the reformation – this piece is unique in Britain.
Stunning fireplaces and private lavatories on the upper levels compare to the dark kitchen cavern and the prisoner’s hole in the cellars. But both echelons of the titled and their servants show signs of having been richly decorated whether with paint and tapestries or etched graffiti.
After you have enjoyed enough history – and maybe felt the cold of the green lady – wander back up the avenue to No30 to enjoy a cup of coffee and some of the wonderful homebakes. Before you leave Huntly, have a browse in Orb’s Bookshop opposite No30, where you are sure to find a treasure.
– Christine
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