01 / The documented castle
The Keiths’ stronghold on the coast
The keep belongs to the late fourteenth-century transformation of Dunnottar under Sir William Keith, Scotland’s Great Marischal. The castle’s own history dates its construction to 1392 and records a dispute over fortifying consecrated ground, involving the pope in 1395. Military power and religious authority met on the same small headland.
The Keith family’s influence reached well beyond these walls. William Keith became the first Earl Marischal in 1458. Mary Queen of Scots visited in 1562 and again in 1564; later, the fifth earl, George Keith, enlarged the castle and founded Marischal College in Aberdeen in 1593.
Dunnottar’s fortunes changed after the tenth earl supported the failed Jacobite rising of 1715. His estates were forfeited, and the castle was subsequently stripped of valuable materials. Its survival as a place visitors can explore owes much to the Cowdray family’s later conservation work. What stands today carries the marks of occupation, abandonment and care.
02 / Reading the ruins
Beyond the tower, a household unfolds
The tower catches the eye first, but Dunnottar rewards looking beyond its silhouette. Architectural historian W. Douglas Simpson traced a gradual expansion from the older buildings near the entrance towards the more spacious north-eastern part of the rock.
The later palace ranges enclosed a quadrangle. A long gallery stood above guest accommodation, while other ranges held the principal public rooms and family chambers, with kitchens, storage and service spaces supporting them. These arrangements help turn a collection of roofless walls into a home you can begin to understand.
Look for the relationship between rooms rather than trying to absorb every name at once. Where could food move from kitchen to hall? Which chambers faced the court? A doorway or stair can reveal the daily journeys that once connected the household. The surviving plan offers a way into lives otherwise hidden behind the castle’s defensive appearance.
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03 / The Honours of Scotland
Treasures that outlasted the siege
Dunnottar’s most celebrated episode centres on objects small enough to carry, yet heavy with national meaning. After Charles II’s Scottish coronation in 1651, the Honours of Scotland could not safely return to Edinburgh Castle. The crown, sceptre and sword were brought here instead.
Historic Environment Scotland records that they were smuggled out during the siege and hidden at Kinneff Kirk. Their survival depended on people finding a way beyond the fortress while hostile forces surrounded it. The Honours returned to Edinburgh after the Restoration, continuing their ceremonial life.
It is a striking story to hold in mind while looking back towards the land. Dunnottar’s cliffs offered shelter, but escape required leaving that shelter behind. The regalia’s journey connects this exposed coastal ruin with the royal ceremonies for which they were made. HES’s linked account also provides digital models of the objects, allowing a closer look at the treasures once concealed here.
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04 / The Whigs’ Vault
A storehouse turned into a prison
In 1685, Covenanter prisoners were confined at Dunnottar. The chamber remembered as the Whigs’ Vault had been built as a vaulted store beneath later accommodation. Its use as a prison changed the meaning of an ordinary service space within the castle.
The established account summarised by Undiscovered Scotland gives 167 prisoners: 122 men and 45 women. It describes deaths during confinement and attempted escapes, followed by transportation of survivors overseas. The castle’s own timeline also records the imprisonment and the terrible conditions. These sources establish the historical episode behind the later haunting tradition.
The numbers are difficult to picture until considered as people sharing a confined room. Allow the space and its interpretation to carry that weight. Specific dietary details and the presence of children in the older article remain unconfirmed.
Sources for this section · 4
- Undiscovered Scotland — Dunnottar Castle: the 1685 prisoners (opens in a new tab)
- W. Douglas Simpson — The Development of Dunnottar Castle, p95: the vaulted store (PDF) (opens in a new tab)
- Dunnottar Castle — The Whigs’ Vault in the official timeline (opens in a new tab)
- Scottish Paranormal — Original Dunnottar Castle written entry (opens in a new tab)
05 / Reported hauntings
Cries said to linger after dark
Scottish Paranormal’s original written entry connects Dunnottar’s haunting with the prisoners of 1685. It says screams and cries have been heard at night and interprets them as a legacy of those held here.
The entry does not identify a witness, date, exact listening position or recording. We can preserve what it says, but cannot reconstruct a particular encounter from that short description. Nor does the historical imprisonment, by itself, identify the source of a later sound. The reported cries and their suggested connection remain distinct parts of the story.
If you hear something unusual during a permitted visit, note what reached you before deciding what it means: direction, duration, weather and whether anyone else heard it. Those details give a first-person account something solid to return to. Dunnottar’s inherited report remains open for better documentation, without losing its place in the castle’s remembered atmosphere.
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06 / The approach and access
Plan for the climb back as well
Dunnottar’s position shapes the practical visit. The operator’s access guide describes an approximately 300-metre earth path from the car park to the clifftop viewpoint. This relatively level approach allows a view of the castle for people unable to continue into it; designated accessible parking spaces are provided.
Entry to the ruins involves a descent of 180 steps, a short earth path and another 38 uneven steps up to the entrance. Further stairways follow inside. There is no wheelchair access to the castle and no lift or ramp alternative. Anyone unsure about the approach should read the full access guide before travelling.
Within the grounds, surfaces include grass, earth and cobbles, with uneven levels and some poorly lit areas. Choose footwear with a dependable grip and leave energy for the return journey. Keep to the marked visitor areas: the same drops that made Dunnottar defensible are a reason to take your time today.
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07 / Planning a visit
Let the weather have the final say
Dunnottar Castle, Stonehaven, AB39 2TL, is owned and operated by Dunecht Estates. Checked on 15 September 2026, the published summer season runs from April to September, daily 9am–6pm, with last entry at 5pm. Winter opening begins at 10am, with closing times varying through the season.
The operator warns that high winds, snow or ice can close the castle at short notice. Its opening page also carries an undated wind-closure notice, so the seasonal timetable should not be treated as confirmation of access on a particular day. Check the latest notice before setting out, and contact the castle if its status is unclear.
Tickets are available online or at the castle kiosk, with card payments only. Annual closures include 25–26 December and 1–2 January; check for additional dates. Allow enough daylight for the approach and return as well as exploring the ruins. A visit feels less hurried when the journey across the headland is part of the experience.
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Prepared for Scottish Paranormal / Haunted Scotland.
Sources and visitor information reviewed 15 September 2026.
