Inverugie Castle was once an imposing castle but today it sits in ruin, surrounded by a high security fence designed to keep all budding castle~finders out. As a result, there is no safe way of exploring these ruins which is very sad indeed.

The ruins lay next to a quite road in the village.

~ History ~

1100's ~ A timber motte and bailey castle is built by the Cheynne family.

1275 ~ Sir Reginald is created Lord Chamberlain of Scotland.

1320 ~ Reginald's grandson, also named Reginald, is one of 39 signatories who signs the Treaty of Arbroath, the Declaration of Scottish Independence.

1345 ~ Upon the death of Reginald le Chen, Baron Inverugie, the estate of Inverugie passes to the Keith Earl Marischals, whose main seat is at Dunnottar Castle, through marriage of Edward Keith and the heiress Marjory, daughter of Reginald le Chen.

1660 ~ The Keith's build a stone castle at Inverugie south of the original castle.

1715 ~ The Keith lands are forfeited following their support of the Jacobite Rebellion andare forcedinto exile.Their Inverugie estate passes to James Ferguson, the third Laird of Pitfour, who keeps the castle in a perfect state with must restoration undertaken.

1747 ~ James Ferguson, already serving as Major-General in the Russian army, is created Field-Marshall in the service of Frederick of Prussia. His elder brother rises to the position of Prussian ambassador to the court of France and Governor of Neufchatel.

1820 ~ The fifth Laird strips the Castle of all the restoration undertaken and his successor continues this stripping of the castle.

1890 ~ The Castle is in a state of ruin. Severe weather results in the collapse of some walls and the stair tower.

1899 ~ The castle is declared unsafe by the Local Authority following further storms on New Year's Day. The Laird instructs to have what is left of the ruins blown up, weakening the remaining structure. Within a fortnight, little remains of the castle.