Waterton Castle

Overview

Waterton Castle is a ruined medieval tower house located near Elgin in Moray, north-east Scotland. Built in the 15th century, it served as a fortified residence for a local branch of the Innes family, who were prominent landholders in the region. Though only fragments survive today, Waterton once exemplified the small, defensive laird’s towers that characterised much of rural Scotland during the later Middle Ages — combining elements of security, status, and self-sufficiency.

Early history

The lands of Waterton formed part of the extensive estates of the Innes family, who held property throughout Moray from the 14th century onwards. The castle was likely built by a cadet branch of the family in the 1400s, at a time when Scotland’s nobility and gentry were replacing timber halls with stone tower houses. Positioned on slightly raised ground near the River Lossie, the site provided both protection from flooding and clear views across the surrounding farmland.

Building and layout

Waterton Castle followed the typical design of a Scottish tower house — a compact, rectangular block of two or three storeys with thick rubble walls and narrow slit windows for defence. The ground floor would have been vaulted and used for storage, while the upper levels contained the hall and private chambers. A spiral stair, likely housed within a projecting turret, connected the floors. The castle may have been surrounded by a small courtyard or barmkin, enclosed by a stone wall that contained ancillary buildings such as kitchens, stables, and workshops.

Later history and decline

By the 17th century, as peace and stability returned to Scotland following the union of the crowns in 1603, fortified houses like Waterton lost their defensive purpose. The castle appears to have been abandoned by the late 1600s, with parts of its masonry reused in nearby farm structures. The estate eventually passed to other local landowners, and by the 18th century, Waterton was recorded in ruinous condition. Local tradition and antiquarian records in the 19th century still referred to the remains as “the old tower of Waterton.”

Present condition

Today, little remains of Waterton Castle beyond low stone foundations and fragments of walling incorporated into later agricultural buildings. The site lies on private farmland south of Elgin, and while no substantial masonry survives above ground, archaeological traces confirm its medieval origins. Though modest in scale, Waterton Castle reflects the widespread pattern of fortified domestic architecture that once dominated the Scottish countryside — a world of small, defensible residences that symbolised local authority, family lineage, and the enduring need for protection in uncertain times.