Careston Castle

The name is said to derive from Keraldus, dempster to the Earls of Angus at the start of the 13th century.^[3][5]

Nothing remains of an earlier castle.^[3] The castle was built about 1582 by Sir Henry Lindsay, who became Earl of Crawford in 1620.^[3] It was later owned successively by Sir John Stewart of Grantully, by the Skenes, by a farmer, and in 1871 bought by John Adamson, a mill owner from Blairgowrie and son of a whaling ship owner from Dundee.^[3]

The property was listed for sale in October 2021. At that time, a report stated that it had been owned by the Adamson family for 149 years.^[6]

The L-plan tower originally had three vaulted rooms, linked by a corridor in the first floor, although one room now has had its vault removed.^[3] There is a large scale-and-platt stair to the first floor, a turnpike stair in the south west jamb, and a private stair on the north.^[3]

Careston Castle is notable for its chimney-pieces.^[3] The one in the Hall has an enriched cornice, and an overmantel with the Royal Arms of Scotland.^[3] There are fine chimney-pieces also in the dining-room, and the central and east bedrooms on the second floor.^[3] These chimney-pieces are thought to be derived in form from designs in Jacques Androuet du Cerceau's Second livre (1561).^[7] Campbell also argues that Careston incorporates two of du Cerceau's house designs in the formation of its elevation and plan.^[8] Two wings of the building have been demolished.^[3]

A report in late 2021 stated that the 15,700sq ft castle's principal accommodation consisted of "four fine reception rooms, a library, six main bedrooms and five bathrooms — laid out over the first and second floors". Much of the ground floor was being used for storage and the rooms on the third floor were unused.^[9]