Licklyhead Castle, Aberdeenshire
Photo © Stanley Howe, 2 November 2003
Licklyhead Castle, Aberdeenshire
Photo © Stanley Howe, 2
November 2003
LICKLYHEAD CASTLE, ABERDEENSHIRE
Licklyhead, ancient seat of Leith family. The castle was designed by James Bell c.1626 and erected in 1663, by William Forbes of Leslie, for his son. John Forbes had an illegitimate son, William, to whom he left the lands.
August 17, 1645, at one of the clock, p.m. William Forbes killed Alexander Irvine of Kincausie, and fled to Premnay, where, in order to hide the crime, he amputated his own hand with the pistol. John Gordon of Haddo was pursued at the instance of Andrew, Lord Fraser, and John Forbes of Leslie, for plundering their lands, and Huntly fined him 13,500 marks.
Sept. 16, 1644, the army of Montrose encamped at Licklyhead, and plundered the country. It then fell into the Duff family. Patrick Duff held the lands in 1727, when it came a few years subsequently to Thomas Gordon, 1782. Proprietor, in 1827, is Harry Lumsden, Esq.
DONEAN TOURIST BY ALEXANDER LAING, 1828