New Slains Castle Ruins
 Cruden Bay: New Slains Castle by Martyn Gorman
With staircases that lead nowhere, this creepy castle is claimed to be the source of inspiration for the Dracula’s castle in the famous work by Bram Stoker. When visiting, make sure to inspect the visitor’s ledger to see Bram Stoker’s name among the castle guests.
New Slains castle was not always an ominous site. Built in the 16th century, it was first a defensive tower house and later converted into a pleasant mansion. Three vast gardens once graced the grounds. It has strong ties to Clan Hay, who were the Earls of Erroll. Their seat of power was in Old Slains Castle, and they conferred with kings. But when the 9th Earl of Erroll espoused Roman Catholicism and conspired with other Catholic nobles against the king, King James VI had Old Slains Castle demolished. It wasn’t until he rejected Roman Catholicism three years later that the Earl found favor once more with the king and began construction of New Slains Castle. This castle in ruins with crumbling walls is not the only reason to visit the area. Situated on the cliffs of Cruden Bay, the scenery makes for a memorable experience. Enjoy walking the cliff side grounds and discovering architectural ruins of a bygone era while basking in the breeze of the bay below. |
Take Scotland Home With These Great Amazon Products.      |
