Knock Castle is a small 16th century four storey tower house located high up on a knoll in a good defensive position with wonderful views in all directions. It was once surrounded by a stone courtyard, now by trees that shelter it from the road below. The castle can be found 1 mile west of Ballater and 6 miles east of Balmoral.

Access to the castle is from the road below where there is a small track that leads up from the junction where you can park and walk the remainder of the wall. A lovely little castle with wonderful scenery.

~ History ~

1562 ~ Knock castle is granted to the Gordon's of Abergeldie by the 4th Earl of Huntly following the Battle of Corrichie, fought between George Gordon and the forces of Mary Queen of Scots. commanded by James Stewart, 1st Earl of Moray.

1590 ~ Knock castle is attacked and partially destroyed by Clan Chattan. 

1592 ~ Henry Gordon, laird of Knock Castle is murdered by the neighbouring Clan Forbes during a cattle raid, further intensifying a long-standing fued between the Gordon's and Forbes.

Shortly afterwards his brother successor Alexander, rebuilds the castle on the ridge high above the River Dee. 

One day Alexander had sent his sevens sons out to cut peat for the winter store, but while the brothers are working they fail to notice that they had strayed onto the neighbouring Clan Forbes lands. After several hours they are discovered and attacked  by Forbes and his men. All seven brothers are killed. Forbes decides to make an example of the Gordon boys by severing their heads and impaling them upright on the handles of their peat spades. After a while Alexander begins to become concerned about their whereabouts and so sends one of his servants to look for the boys and give them a meal. When the servant discovers the boys heads all placed in a neat row on their upright spades he almost passes out. He flees back to the castle as fast as he feet can carry him to break the terrible news to his laird. Alexander is standing at the top of the turnpike stairs ofteh castle when his servant bursts through the door shouting the news if what he had seen. On hearing of the fate of his beloved seven sons, Alexander collapses at the top of the stairs and tumbles down, breaking his neck in the process.

Forbes of Strathgirnock is later summary executed for his terrible deed in his own house by Gordon of Abergeldie.

The castle is later burned out and abandoned.