Affleck Castle

Overview and Early History

Affleck Castle, sometimes spelled Auchenleck, stands on the southern slopes of the Downie Hills near the village of Monikie in Angus, overlooking the coastal plain between Dundee and Carnoustie. Built in the late 15th century as the seat of the Auchenleck family, it occupies the lands of the barony of Downie, which were chartered to David, Earl of Crawford, at the end of the 14th century. A charter dated 1466 mentions “the castell and fortalice of Auchinleck,” suggesting that the tower was already standing by this time, and the first explicit record of the castle dates to 1501. The Auchenleck lairds were hereditary armour‑bearers to the earls of Crawford. Their tower served as a landmark for ships entering the River Tay and was described in the 17th century as an “old high tower house” seen from a great distance. The Auchenleck family remained at Affleck until the mid‑17th century, when the estate was sold to Robert Reid. A descendant, Thomas Reid, supported Viscount Dundee during the 1689 Jacobite rising and forfeited his lands. The castle then passed to James Yeaman, whose family built a new mansion nearby in the 1760s; Affleck Castle has been unoccupied since that time.

Architectural Features

Affleck Castle is a remarkably well‑preserved L‑plan tower house of four storeys crowned by a garret. Its main block measures about 11 × 8 metres (37 × 27 feet), with a “jam” (or jamb) projecting from the south‑east corner that houses the principal staircase and adds roughly 2 metres (7 feet) to the east–west dimension. The walls are built from local red sandstone rubble with finely dressed ashlar at the corners and openings. An arched doorway is set in the re‑entrant angle between the main block and the jamb; above the door is a niche intended for a statue and a blank panel for the laird’s arms. Gunloops of the “keyhole” pattern pierce the ground floor, and iron‑grilled windows survive on the upper floors. Around 1600 the parapet was rebuilt with corbelled walkways and two square battlemented cap‑houses—one above the jamb and another over the south‑west corner. Crow‑stepped gables and decorated chimney stacks with billet and cable mouldings date from the same period.

Inside, a short passage leads from the entrance to cellars divided by a cross‑wall. The first‑floor hall is vaulted and lit by three windows with stone benches; originally it had no fireplace or sanitation, so warmth and cooking were provided in the upper chambers or separate kitchens within the surrounding barmkin. A spiral stair in the jamb rises to the second‑floor great chamber, which contains a large fireplace on a dais, latrine closet and wall‑press. To reach the upper floors one must cross the hall to a smaller spiral stair in the north‑west corner, a design that allowed the laird to monitor movement within the tower. On a mezzanine above the hall is a tiny entresol bedroom, entered via eleven steps in the east wall and provided with two loopholes, a lamp niche and a latrine with a spy‑hole overlooking the hall. The third‑floor solar, or withdrawing room, is richly appointed with large trefoil‑headed windows, a moulded fireplace and wall closets. Off its south‑west corner is an exquisite vaulted chapel or oratory complete with a carved aumbry (cupboard for sacred vessels), a piscina (basin for washing chalices), a holy‑water stoup and carved stone candle‑holders. A final stair leads to the parapet and cap‑houses.

Later History and Preservation

Affleck Castle’s ownership changed hands several times after the Auchenlecks departed. The Reids and later the Yeaman family maintained the tower but did not occupy it as their principal residence after the 18th‑century mansion was built. Because it was neither remodelled nor ruined, the tower survives today much as it was in the 16th century, making it one of the best‑preserved small tower houses in Scotland. Visitors in the early 20th century could still admire its complete roofline and architectural details. In 1969 the Ministry of Public Building and Works described the tower as offering a clear illustration of how a medieval house was “up‑ended” for defence: cellarage, common hall, lord’s hall, solar and chapel are stacked vertically within the thick walls.

Current Status

Affleck Castle is protected as a scheduled monument and a Category A listed building. It stands on private land beside Affleck House and is not open to the public; dense woodland now hides the tower from view except in winter. Although the tower is maintained in good condition, there is no visitor access or signage, and all approaches pass through private farmland. Anyone wishing to see the castle should do so from public roads and respect the privacy of the owners.