Fraser Castle Castle Fraser is a magnificent and well-preserved Scottish baronial tower building made from the local granite. It's often called a "Z" castle due to the floor plan resembling this shape. The drive in commands a super view of the castle with it's well preserved towers and is a real joy to behold and a glimpse of treasures to come. It was built in 1575 and previous Fraser family members of the family added onto the original structure. As you enter the castle (called the Laigh Hall - meaning low) you can see the original servants staircase to the left, which was demolished during the Second World War. The Entrance Hall has a display of weaponry and serves as the payment area.

This then leads through to the base of the tower where the original kitchen still has an impressive open fire and tools for cooking and baking.

Up the stairs leads to The Great Hall where there is an impressive sixteenth century fireplace and the famous "Laird's Lug". This was a strong room or prison cell until Sir Walter Scott romanticised it into a hidey hole where the Laird's trusted servants would hide and listen into private conversations and plots against the Laird and report them back to him!

The Smoking Room is remarkably well preserved with early nineteenth century wallpaper of peacock design that earned the room the nickname of "Peacock Parlour".

Up some more dizzy inducing stairs leads to the bedrooms - named Green and Pink - before another set of stairs lead to the tower rooms and the tower. If you've a head for heights, it's well worth popping out for the breath-taking views across Deeside.

Working your way back to ground level will take you to The Worked Room/The Laird's bedroom and then The Chapel with a wee adjacent Bailiff's or Priest's Room which has a wee squint hole for spying on The Great hall below!

Legend has it that a Princess was murdered in The Green Room, and then her body was dragged down the castle stairs. Whilst there is no actual ghostie - bloodstains appear on the hearth and the stairs - and are scrubbed away - only to reappear again...

No Scottish Castle tour is complete without a Ghost Story and Fraser Castle is no exception!

There has also been ghostly piano music and voices heard in the empty hall.

Witnesses have seen the ghost of Lady Blanche Drummond who died in 1874. She appears in a long black gown.

You can find more articles in the archive under Fada 's Farsaing (Far and Wide)