Corgarff Castle - 17th Century and Jacobite Era

17th Century and Jacobite Era

In 1607 the castle was taken over as a base for local bandits who plundered the surrounding area until 1626 when it was acquired by John Erskine, 18th Earl of Mar. In 1645 Corgarff Castle's strategic location again came to the fore when it was used as the mustering point by James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, commander of the Royalist forces in Scotland during the Civil War. And during the 1689 rising led by John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee, Corgarff was again burned down, this time by Jacobites to prevent it being used as a base by supporters of William of Orange.

In 1715 Corgarff once again played an important role in national events. John Erskine, 22nd Earl of Mar launched the Jacobite rising from Kildrummy Castle, further down Strathdon. He then came to Corgarff to assemble and equip his army before marching on to Braemar. After the 1715 rising had been defeated, Government forces yet again burned down Corgarff, and the Earl of Mar's estates were forfeited.

The castle was then returned by the Government to the Forbes family. But 30 years later it was caught up in the maelstrom of Scottish history again. In early 1746, Jacobite forces were using Corgarff Castle as an arms store after their retreat from Derby. A forced march by 300 Government foot soldiers and 100 dragoons through the snow from Aberdeen caught the Jacobites off guard.

When the troops arrived the Jacobites had fled, but so hurriedly that there was a cat asleep in front of the still burning fire. The troops also found large quantities of gunpowder and over 300 muskets, which they either destroyed or took back to Aberdeen. The Battle of Culloden, which took place some weeks later on April 16, 1746, was so one-sided that the loss of these weapons by the Jacobites was probably not decisive: but it can have done little to help their morale.

The Corgarff Castle you see today owes much to events following the 1745 uprising. In an effort, either successful or unnecessary, according to your point of view, to suppress the Highlands once and for all, the Government stationed outposts of troops right across the country.

In 1748 Corgarff Castle was converted into barracks. At the same time it acquired the flanking pavilions you see today and the very unusual star shaped encircling wall. This was well equipped with musket loops, but it is obvious from the design that attack by artillery was not expected. In the event, these defences were never tested.

Over the following years, Corgarff Castle was used as a base for around 50 men under the command of a junior officer. Half would have been quartered in the castle itself. The other half were divided into small and widely scattered patrols and based in a variety of barns or in the homes of the largely hostile population. They spent much of their time chasing highlanders unwise enough to wear their kilts (which were made illegal in 1746), carry weapons, or smuggle whisky within view of the troops.

Life in the barracks would have been comfortable in terms of 1748 expectations. But when looking round the recreated barracks at Corgarff, remember that the beds, which look generously sized, were intended to be used by two soldiers. And although it would not have happened at an outpost like Corgarff, in a larger base like Fort George up to one in a hundred soldiers were allowed to marry, and his wife and any family would also live in the barrack room.