Archaeological and Historical sites in Gardenstown and the North
East Coast of Aberdeenshire and Moray.
St Johns Church: founded in AD 1004, the church is nestled precariously on the cliff
edge of Mohr Head overlooking Gamrie bay and the remains of Castle Findon. (Gamrie
bay is the name of the bay as the locals refer to it). The church is frequently referred to in
the 12th and following centuries. It was formerly known as the 'Kirk of Sculls' from the 3
skulls, said to be of Danes, which decorated the inside of the church.
Castle Findon, Iron Age: The site of the Castle of Findon is situated on the top of
a prominent knoll overlooking Gamrie Bay with steep natural slopes on all sides and
ravines to NE and SW. Traces of scarps and ditches can be seen around the top of the
knoll but no structural remains survive, except two blocks of masonry embedded in the
ground at the SW end.
16th Century Gardenstown Harbour: A picturesque busy little fishing harbour
consists of two stone-built piers enclosing an approximately triangular tidal basin;
repaired in concrete and partly cemented. Built 1720 onwards; reconstructed 1868-74.
19th Centruy Storhouses: Well preserved group of buildings beside the harbour,
the largest of which are a three-storey and attic, five-bay coursed-rubble block entered at
first-floor level from the rear, and a 3-storey and attic, 4-bay harled building. The ground
floor houses an excellent Heritage Centre of Gardenstown.
18th Century Garden Arms Hotel: Situated on the west side of Main Street in
the village. Built in the 18th century makes this building one of the oldest in the village.
Crovie (pronounced ‘Crivie’) the best preserved Fishing Village in
Europe: Nestled at the bottom of step cliffs on a remarkably narrow ledge between the
base of the cliffs forming the east side of Gamrie Bay and the sea. Crovie is unique, as
far as we know, there is nowhere else in mainland Britain where access by a motor
vehicle is impossible. There is only a narrow footpath in front of the tiny fisherman’s
cottages that separates them from the drop to the rocky foreshore and the sea.
17th St Peters Kirk: Built in 1808 on the site of its early-medieval predecessor.
Three Class I Pictish symbol stones and a Class III cross shaft have been incorporated
into the east gable.
Strichen Recumbent Stone Circle: This Bronze Age stone circle is 15m in
diameter and is situated in open rolling countryside. It retains the atmosphere of an
ancient stone circle. This recumbent stone circle is situated on a crest at an altitude of
85m OD; the grey granite stones are of local origin and it is situated within the remains of
a ring cairn.
18th Century Duff House: This Grand Mansion was built in 1735 commissioned by
William Duff, Lord Braco and now is a country house gallery and tearoom. A magnificent
example of baroque architecture.
18th Century Mausoleum: Built in 1793 by the second Earl of Fife, a mile or so
from the magnificent Duff House situated in an amazing woodland setting. According to
local legend the mausoleum was the final resting place of King Robert the Bruce.
16th Century Kinnaird Head Castle Lighthouse and Museum: This fine
16th century castle was altered in 1787 to take the first lighthouse built by the
Commissioners of the Northern Lighthouses. Guided tours of the lighthouse are included
and entry to the Museum of Scottish Lighthouses.
13th Century Findlater Castle: The magnificent ruins of Findlater Castle are
situated on a rocky promontory projecting out into the sea 15m above sea level, built in
1260. The name is Norse, ‘Fyn’ meaning white and ‘leitr’ meaning cliff as there is a high
proportion of quartz in the rocks on which the castle sits.
Elgin Cathedral and Burial Ground: A majestic historic ruin situated near the
Lossie river in Elgin, Moray. This is one of Scotland’s most beautiful medieval buildings,
built in 1224 and enlarged after a damaging fire in 1270.
Elgin Museum: Built in 1843, Scotland’s oldest independent museum which houses
a Scottish Government recognised collection of Devonian fish, Permian and Triassic
reptiles and trace fossils from the local Moray area. The Museum also houses objects
from around the world dating from before the dinosaur era to the present day. Other
collections include Pictish stones, archaeology, social history, natural history, art and
science.
Burghead Pictish Fort: This Iron Age fort is thought to be the oldest Pictish fort
situated on top of a headland which has extensive views over the Moray Firth. It encloses
3 hectares and is three times as large as any other fort of the same period in Scotland. It
was defended on the landward side by three banks and ditches which where destroyed
during the creation of the harbour of the modern village. During excavations six
magnificent carved slabs known as the ‘Burghead Bulls’ were found and four of these
can be found in the Burghead Visitor Centre and Elgin Museum. PLEASE NOTE: This
site is available from 4th April – 30th September 2015.
Burghead Well: The well lies within the perimeter of the promontory Pictish fort of
Burghead, it was discovered during excavations in 1809. A flight of stone steps leads
down into a chamber that measures 3.4m (11ft) high, and 3.4m (11ft) across with a 1.2m
(4ft) wide ledge around the edge and a tank which is fed by springs is 1.2m (4ft) deep.
There is a pedestal in the southeast corner and a sunken basin in the northeast corner.
PLEASE NOTE: This site is available from 4th April – 30th September 2015.
Sculptors Cave: A late Bronze Age cave situated at the foot of impressive cliffs
where the Moray Firth meets the sea. During excavations in 1928 a large quantity of
human remains and worked bone were discovered. The presence of skull and mandible
fragments in the entrance passage suggest the display of heads at the entrance.
Cullykhan a Multi-Period Site: A promontory surrounded by precipitous cliffs on
all sides which is connected to the mainland by an isthmus, 4ft wide at its narrowest part.
The promontory contains three sites: Site (i). The remains of a vitrified fort; Site (ii). A
medieval castle and small keep; Site (iii). Fort Fiddes, a late 17th Century coastal battery.
This site was used by the Picts and the beach cove as a natural harbour.