Ravenscraig Castle

Though now only a large collection of stones, Ravenscraig was next to Dunnottar Castle, my favorite site that we visited. From the bridge, one must walk alongside the River Ugie on the fishermans path to reach the ruins.

. Since the River Ugie had been somewhat higher earlier in the week, the trek was slippery and filled with moderate obstacles. It was a great relief to actually come upon Ravenscraig in it's forested and isolated setting. Well worth the effort of finding, as evidenced by the number of photographs I took.

Photo 1: The bridge across the River Ugie at St. Fergus. To the right of the bridge is the beginning of the fisherman's path to the castle. 

Photo 2: Alice Hattenbrun beginning the ascent up the hill to the castle.

Photo 3: Alice Hattenbrun almost to the top of the hill. Note that much more of Ravenscraig abides than does Inverugie or Boddam Castles.

Photo 4: Slightly askew photo trying to capture the lush, overgrown nature of Ravenscraig and the height of the remaining walls.

Photo 5: An archway of the castle which overlooks the River Ugie.

Photo 6: At the top of the rise to the center of the castle, facing away from the Ugie, showing the height of the remaining wall.

Photo 7: A look downward through the core of the remaining pile, away from the River Ugie.

Photo 8: A look through a sentry window to the River Ugie below.

Photo 9: The overgrown inner keep of Castle Ravenscraig.

Photo 10: The 'other' side of Ravenscraig.

Photo 11: Ravenscraig from below on the fisherman's path of the River Ugie.

Photo 12: The view to the other side of the river directly opposite the castle.

Photo 13: Another view from the river side looking up towards the ruins.

Photo 14: Ravenscraig to the other side of the tree.

Photo 15: One more parting view of the castle from the river side.

Ravenscraig Castle Information

Alternative Names: Craig Of Inverugie Castle 
Type of Site: Residential/ Tower-House 

Parish: Peterhead 
Council: Aberdeenshire 

Ravenscraig Castle, previously 'the Craig of Inverugie', is a ruined L-shaped tower-house, for which a licence was granted in May 1491. It is situated on the precipitous banks of the Ugie, defended by a moat, and measures 83 feet E-W and 73 feet N-S, with walls 9-11 feet thick. On the inner edge of the moat there is a wall of large stones, and across the moat are three transverse dykes. Outside it, the ground is broken up into rocky ravines, on the ridges of which are traces of mounds and earthworks evidently for defense. 

Ravenscraig Castle, a large tower-house surviving to a maximum height of c.12.0m. The footings of a curtain wall, c.1.8m thick and 0.3m maximum height, are traceable to the S and E of the tower on the inner lip of the rock-cut moat. No buildings remain within the barmekin. Only two of the transverse stone-built dykes across the moat can be seen, but an entrance causeway on the S side is probably what is referred to as the third. 

The broken ground to the W of the moat, described by MacGibbon and Ross, may be defensive, but it seems more likely to be surface quarrying, possibly contemporary with the castle. 

Ravenscraig is situated on the Ugie River, near St. Fergus. This castle was the stronghold of the Cheynes of Inverugie and then passed on to the Keiths through marriage. Ravenscraig castle was built for Le Neym, a descendant of a Norman family, who had been given the lands of St Fergus and the title of Lord of Buchan.