Brodie Castle, Forres, Moray, Scotland

The historic house of Clan Brodie was built in 1567 on land with which the prominent Scottish family had been associated since 1160 when it was given to the family as a gift by King Malcolm IV.

Not a lot is known about the origins of the clan as many records were destroyed in a fire in 1645, and this partly explains the castle’s mixture of architectural styles. There are two towers on opposing corners of the 16th-century guard chamber adjoin a 17th-century wing and a Victorian-era extension. The latter expansion was completed by the architect William Burn in the Scottish Baronial style. Brodie Castle is now one of the Scotland's best historic houses.

The castle has more than 50 rooms stuffed full of bits and pieces  used by the Brodie clan. French furniture and carpets adorn the living quarters and the playroom has a wooden rocking-horse and a dolls' house. The castle has a collection of English, European and Chinese porcelain as well as 17th century Dutch art and  19th century English watercolours  with more than 6,000 books in the library. To survive times of clan warfare, there is a guard-room and there are  secret passageways in the castle.

The castle is at 45-minute drive from Inverness and is surrounded by a 71 hectare estate where you can wander through landscaped gardens and  woodland. You can enjoy the castle and its grounds almost all year round: in spring you can admire the daffodils, in summer the peachy hues of the stonework soaked in sun, and in winter if you’re lucky, the castle might be sprinkled with snow.

The estate is not far from the small hill known as Macbeth’s Hillock, where Macbeth is said to have come across the Weird Sisters.

Brodie Castle, Forres, Moray, Scotland
Brodie Castle, Forres, Moray, Scotland
Mihael Grmek / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)
Mihael Grmek / CC BY-SA (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Opening Hours

Monday:
10:00 - 17:00
Tuesday:
10:00 - 17:00
Wednesday:
10:00 - 17:00
Thursday:
10:00 - 17:00
Friday:
10:00 - 17:00
Saturday:
10:00 - 17:00
Sunday:
10:00 - 17:00
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