Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire

Crathes Castle sits on land given as a gift to the Burnetts of Ley family by King Robert the Bruce in 1323. In the 14th and 15th centuries the Burnett of Leys built a fortress of timbers on a crannog in nearby Loch of Leys. Construction of the current tower house of Crathes Castle was begun in 1553 but delayed several times during its construction due to political problems during the reign of Mary, Queen of Scots. It was completed in 1596 by Alexander Burnett of Leys, and an additional wing added in the 18th century. Crathes Castle served as the ancestral seat of the Burnetts of Leys until Sir James Burnett, 13th Baronet gave it to the National Trust for Scotland in 1951. A fire damaged portions of the castle (in particular the Queen Anne wing) in 1966. The castle and grounds are open to the public and the site is managed by the National Trust for Scotland. 371 photographs taken with a DJI Mavic2 Pro drone with permission. Canmore ID 36693