Abergeldie Castle

Abergeldie Castle is a four-floor tower house in Crathie and Braemar parish, SW Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It stands at an altitude of 840ft, on the south bank of the River Dee, 5mi west of Ballater, and about 2mi east of the royal residence of Balmoral Castle. Behind it rises Creag nam Ban, a rounded granite hill about 527m high, and across the river to its front is the cairn-crowned Geallaig Hill, rising to 743m.It is protected as a category A listed building. The castle is the home of Baron Abergeldie.HistoryThe name derives from the Pictish language, and means the "Confluence of Geldie."(Note: attempts have been made to derive the name from Scottish Gaelic, such as "inbhir-gile", but while aber and inbhir both mean "confluence" the former is derived from Pictish, a P-Celtic language which once dominated in Britain, while the latter is derived from Gaelic, a Q-Celtic language, originating in Ireland. Since Abergeldie is in the heartland of the ancient Pictish realm, and is surrounded by other place names incorporating "aber", it is safe to assume that Pictish is the correct origin of the name.)A late Bronze Age standing stone, about 6.5 feet high, 2.5 feet wide, and 1.25 feet thick on the lawn of the castle is one indicator of the great antiquity of this site, and its long occupation by man. It also has one of the longest unbroken records of ownership, being in the hands of the Gordon family for 600 years. It was most likely built around 1550 by Sir Alexander Gordon of Midmar, son of the first Earl of Huntly, on grounds acquired by the Gordon family in 1482. The interior has been returned to its original state, restored by a descendant of the builder.