| Begun in 1553, although not completed for another century, Crathes is the earliest of those fairy-tale castles known as Tower houses whos proliferation in the north east makes this part of Grampian a rival to the Loire. Until it was acquired by the National Trust for Scotland, the castle had been in the possession of the Burnett family since its construction. As "Burnard" the family had been granted lands in the Banchory area by Robert 1st. An ivory hunting horn, the symbol of tenure, is still preserved in the castle. |
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