Slains Castle
Slains
Now a crumbling ruin, Slains castle started life as a tower house. The original Slains castle (at a separate site south of Cruden Bay) was destroyed by King James VII in retaliation for support given to the rebellious uprising of 1594. In 1597 a the Earl of Errol built a tower house north of Cruden Bay to become the replacement castle.
Over the subsequent centuries the castle was expanded, altered and reconstructed, most recently in 1837. In 1925 the roof was removed, so saving the then owner, shipping entrepreneur Sir John Ellerman, from paying taxes on the building.
Slains Castle is one of the most popular castles in Scotland, perhaps most famously for its association with Bram Stoker. While on holiday at Cruden Bay in 1895, Bram Stoker started work on his most famous book, Dracula. Slains Castle became the inspiration for Count Dracula's castle, and in early versions of the book the count even came ashore to UK at Cruden Bay.
Photograph by Michael Stephens
