Dunnottar Castle
A spectacular clifftop fortress ruin near Stonehaven, where the Honours of Scotland were hidden from Cromwell's army in 1651-52.
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Share a photoHistory & haunting lore
Dunnottar Castle occupies a near-impregnable peninsula of rock thrusting into the North Sea south of Stonehaven in Aberdeenshire. Fortified from the early Middle Ages and long held by the Keith Earls Marischal, it became a key stronghold in the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. In 1651-52, during Oliver Cromwell's invasion of Scotland, the Honours of Scotland - the crown, sceptre and sword of state - were smuggled out under siege and concealed, preserving the regalia from capture. The castle later fell, and its exposed ruins remain one of Scotland's most dramatic coastal monuments.
Wind, seabirds and sheer drops create an atmosphere that invites ghost stories, and some visitors speak of uneasy feelings among the shattered walls. Such impressions are anecdotal; stewards rightly warn about cliff edges more than apparitions.
Dunnottar's documented role in saving the Honours, and its raw geology, need no embellishment. Approach it as national history set on a precarious rock, not as a haunt attraction.
Current site status
Dunnottar Castle is privately managed and open most days with an admission charge; hours shorten in winter and the site may close in severe weather. The approach from the car park involves a steep path and many steps.
Cliff edges are unfenced in places. Wear sturdy footwear, keep children close, avoid high winds, and stay within signed visitor areas.