Although the Aberdeenshire village of Braemar is internationally famous for hosting the annual Highland Games it also boasts a stunningly well-preserved castle. Sited in the Dee Valley, high up in the Grampian Mountains, the main reason for the splendid condition of this “toy soldier” style fort is that work on its reconstruction commenced as recently as 1748. The original castle was begun in 1628 by John Erskine, Earl of Mar, as a base for his battles with the Farquaharsons, the Forbes and the Gordons. It was an unfortunate casualty of the unsuccessful Jacobite uprising in 1689 when it was burned and gutted and remained in a ruined state for the next sixty years until occupied by an army garrison for subduing the Highlands.
After the garrison withdrew in 1797 it was the Farquaharsons who took up residence and their descendants still live there to this day.
