If you would like to learn more about Clan Burnett, you’re in luck! There is a wealth of sites steeped in Burnett history available for you to visit. From a haunted castle complete with spiral turrets and a maze of walled gardens, to a drained loch that was once the centre of an unlikely dispute between the Burnetts and the local monks, you’re sure to find something that takes your fancy!
Crathes Castle
How could we start anywhere but with the Clan Seat, Crathes Castle? Arguably one of the finest surviving castles in Scotland, amazingly, it was occupied by the Burnett family right up until 1952!
The Burnetts first came to occupy the area in 1323 thanks to the daring shown by Alexander Burnett, who fought alongside Robert the Bruce for Scottish independence from England. He was rewarded richly with land on the banks of the River Dee, in the parish of Banchory Ternan, just west of Aberdeen.
He was also given the title of forester of the royal Forest of Drum. As his badge of office, he received the "Horn of Leys", a carved ivory horn, decorated with medal badges and precious stones. To this day, the Horn belongs to the Burnetts and can be seen at Crathes Castles.
In 1553, the Burnetts began to work on this land, starting to build what would eventually become the magnificent castle. Construction was delayed several times due to the political instability of Mary, Queen of Scot’s reign, but was eventually completed in 1596.
To this day, there are four storeys and an attic. The upper storeys are strikingly ornate, adorned with corbelling, bartizans, stair-turrets, and decoration, while the lower storeys are comparatively plain, apart from a large modern window on the first floor. There was also an 18th-century wing, but this burned down in 1966 and was replaced by a two-storey range.
It is not just the building itself that is worth exploring; there is also an intricate maze of walled gardens with its own impressive history. The iconic yew hedges were planted as early as 1702! You should also take care to look out for wildlife, as you might be lucky enough to spot deer, red squirrels, woodpeckers, buzzards, and herons!
There’s even a chance that you might run into a ghost or two. What castle is complete without a few haunting tales?
It’s widely believed that there is a mysterious ghostly presence who walks the halls of Crathes Castle. Now known as ‘the Green Lady,’ nobody is sure who exactly this young woman was, but one popular story alleges that she was one of the Burnett Laird’s daughters.
It is thought that the girl had an illicit relationship with a stableboy and became pregnant. She hid her condition for as long as possible but was unable to conceal what had happened any longer after she gave birth. Supposedly, her father flew into a rage and soon after, the girl and the baby both disappeared. While it may sound fanciful, it seems that this tale could have some basis in truth, as during renovations on the castle in the 1800s, workmen discovered the bones of a young baby beneath the hearth of the fireplace.
Not only have many visitors claimed to have seen the ghost of the Green Lady and her baby, but in 2011 instruments during one sighting recorded temperatures plunging between 10pm and midnight in her room and then coming back up, while the surrounding rooms didn’t change.
Legend also has it that Crathes Castle is haunted by the vengeful ghost of Bertha de Bernard. The story goes that Bertha visited the Castle and fell in love at first sight with one of her cousins. Tragically, however, the young man was already betrothed to a daughter of the Duke of Hamilton, chief of Clan Hamilton. His mother, Lady Agnes Burnett would not allow a marriage into such a powerful Scottish family to be jeopardised, so she sent her son away to England. Bertha died in suspicious circumstances very soon after, prompting rumours that Lady Agnes had poisoned her. When Bertha's father returned and heard of his daughter's death, he cursed the family and since then, a 'White Lady' has haunted Crathes, seeking revenge, or perhaps searching for her long-lost love.
Muchalls Castle
Would you dare to visit and possibly encounter either of these two ghostly figures? If it’s all a bit too spooky for you, luckily there’s another Burnett residence nearby.
Muchalls Castle stands on high ground on the historic drovers’ road between Aberdeen and Stonehaven known as Causey Mounth. It offers stunning views of both the wild North Sea and the peaceful Aberdeenshire valley below.
The lower level of the Castle was built in the 13th century and remains intact. Alexander Burnett of Leys bought the land that housed these original foundations from the Fraser family in 1619 and quickly set to work building a grand home from his family. The work was finished in 1627 by his son, Sir Thomas Burnett, First Baronet of Leys. More additions were gradually made by other members of Clan Burnett, eventually resulting in what renowned historian, Nigel Tranter, calls one of the most interesting castles in Scotland!
One of its most renowned features is the plasterwork ceilings of the principal drawing rooms. They are widely considered among the most impressive examples of plasterwork ceilings in Scotland, and are in strikingly good condition, despite dating back to around 1624! The artwork depicts a mixture of Burnett family symbols, along with heraldry of relations and friends and biblical imagery.
Another prominent characteristic of the castle is the grand, imposing fireplace; it is so large that a grown man could walk upright into it! Even more interesting, however, is the reasoning behind building such a domineering feature. The fireplace was designed to house what was known as a ‘Laird’s Lug’ (Lord’s ears), which was used by the laird to eavesdrop into conversations taking place across the castle. Any servants or visiting friends and family hoping to have a sly gossip would have found themselves out of luck!
The grounds of the castle also boast rare and fascinating features. Perhaps the most magnificent is an ancient weeping elm tree, which measures twelve meters in height and is believed to be one of the oldest specimens in Scotland.
Links to Loch Leys
As we have seen, there is no shortage of grand Burnett castles remaining today, but unfortunately not all Burnett stomping grounds have been maintained quite so well.
Although it has now been drained, to the north of the village of Banchory, you could once find the Loch of Leys. In the centre of the loch was a crannog, or artificial island, which had been a place of refuge for centuries.
It is even thought to be the burial place of St. Ternan, or the Archbishop of the Picts, who was one of the first Christian missionaries in the north-east. St Ternan died before 500 AD so, if true, this accolade really illustrates the site’s long-standing status as a sacred and hallowed place.
For the first 200 years of the Burnetts’ residence in the area, starting in the early 1300s, this crannog was the site of the family’s main stronghold. The Burnetts clearly felt a great connection with the land, and had no qualms about defending it, even in the most unusual circumstances!
During a territory dispute between the Burnetts and a nearby laird, the Burnetts asked their local priest, Father Ambrose, to assist with negotiations. However, Ambrose refused, incensing the Burnett family. In retaliation, they denied the monks fishing rights in the Loch of Leys, prompting the monks to curse the family. This caused even more bad blood between the two parties, and the Burnetts attempted to drain the loch, to ensure that their adversaries could not benefit from use of their land in any way. However, a truce was reached, and the two sides reconciled before this mammoth task could be completed!
The loch was eventually drained in 1850, but there is some surviving walling from one of the early Burnett homes left on the crannog. There is also an abundance of vegetation and wildlife at the site, so while the loch itself is sadly long gone, there is certainly still a lot to see and enjoy even today!
We hope you’ve enjoyed learning a bit more about just a few iconic Burnett sites! Don’t forget to visit the Burnett Clan page to discover more about the Burnetts and let us know if you decide to visit any of the places we’ve explored today!
