Hall Forest Castle

Following the dedication of the Keith Cairn and the possibility of a tour of The Stables at Keith Hall where the Chief lives, we once again attempted to find the illusive Hall Forest Castle. 

Photo 1: Hall Forest is visible from the main freeway from Inverurie, but because of its color, it is easy to miss.

Photo 2: The side view of Hall Forest which appears the worse for wear.

Photo 3: Another view from the field which allows access to the castle. 

Photo 4: Another side view showing the square design of the castle.

Photo 5: A Scottish thistle growing amidst the ruins of Hall Forest.

Photo 6: Perhaps the most imposing view of the castle.

Photo 7: Another view with David Hattenbrun standing next to the tower to give its size some perspective.

Hall Forest Castle Information

A mile to the south-west of Kintore stand the ruins of Hallforest Castle, built in the 13th or 14th Century. It was a hunting castle which took its name from the great forest in which King James IV hunted. The forest, which lay between Kintore and Kemnay, is also recalled in street names such as Forest Road, Tom's Forest. 

Mary Queen of Scots is known to have stayed at Hallforest in 1562. It is said that it was built by Bruce and was a former stronghold of the Keith earls of Kintore, now the property of the Earl of Kintore. An oblong keep 48 feet by 30 feet, the walls are around seven foot thick and the castle in its current ruined state stands around 60 feet.

Alternative Names: Hallforest Castle; Hall Forest Castle; Hallforrest 

Type of Site: Residential/ Tower-House 

(Tower-house of the Second Period: name cited as Hallforest). This is one of the very few examples of fourteenth-century keeps now remaining in the north. It is said to have been built by Bruce as a hunting-seat, and bestowed by him on Sir Robert de Keith, the Great Marischal; and it is still the property of the Earl of Kintore, one of his descendants. In 1639 it was the residence of the Earl Marischal, and was frequently attacked in the wars of the period.

The castle is situated on level ground about 1 1/2 miles (2.6 km) from Kintore, and was no doubt formerly surrounded with a wall and fosse. It is a plain oblong on plan, 48 feet (14.6m) long by 30 feet (9.1m) wide; the walls are about 7 ft (2.1m) thick. There are two vaults, one at about half the height of the tower, forming the floor of the hall, and the other at the top, supporting the floor under the roof. Each of these vaulted compartments would probably be divided into two stories in the height, with wooden floors. The principal entrance would be at the level of the hall floor at the SE angle, where the aperture is still visible and where the remains of the circular well for the staircase to the battlements are traceable.

The loops of the basement are as usual very small. There was probably a door to the basement, for the admission of cattle, below that to the hall, where the long fissure in the wall is seen. The windows on the upper floors have been larger. There was originally, no doubt, a parapet similar to that at Drum, and probably a stone roof upon an upper arch, but these are now demolished, and are quite inaccessible.

The ruin of the oblong tower of Hallforest is still 60 feet high, with walls 7 feet thick, and must belong to the late thirteenth or early fourteenth century. 

The tower is as described above, but most of the east wall and a section of the north wall have collapsed. Parts of two floors remain intact. 

Hallforrest was visited by Mary Queen of Scots in 1562. It is one of the very few 14th century keeps to have survived and is a plain oblong structure which once had two vaults (divided by entresol floors) and a parapet; there was probably also a stone roof supported by an upper arch. As at Threave, the entrance appears to have led to the first entresol floor. There was possibly a cattle door in the basement (the gunloops of which are very small) and the interior has long been in ruins.