One six-metre-high corner is all that visibly survives of a probable late sixteenth-century tower house.
Quick facts
- Date
- Probably later 16th century; scheduled in 1998
- Architect / designer
- Built for the Moncreiffes of Kinmonth
- Type
- Scheduled fragment of a tower house
- Designation
- Scheduled monument (SM9464)
- OS grid reference
- NO 14490 19285
Architecture, archaeology and continuing use
The north-eastern angle measures only a few metres across but preserves walls about a metre thick. A first-floor window, shot hole and joist socket show domestic floor levels and defensive detail within the fragment.
Its story
The Moncreiffes of Kinmonth built the tower as a residence, probably in the later sixteenth century. Most fabric was robbed away, with moulded sandstone jambs reused in a nearby steading and former stair evidence no longer visible.
Why it is included
Scheduling protects a small but informative remnant whose openings, wall thickness and buried foundations can contribute to the study of fortified domestic life and estate organisation.
What to notice
- Right-angled fragment defining the surviving corner.
- Small first-floor window with a shot hole below.
- Joist socket marking a vanished internal floor.
Reading the surroundings
Do not enter Easter Moncreiffe grounds or approach the ruin without explicit owner permission. Dense vegetation, unstable masonry and concealed foundations make the site unsafe for casual visiting.
Timeline
- Later 16th century A compact tower house was probably built for the Moncreiffes of Kinmonth.
- 19th century Surveyors still recorded a spiral stair that has since disappeared.
- 1998 Scheduling protected the standing corner and surrounding buried evidence.
What we know — and what remains uncertain
Only a fragment stands, foundations are hidden and the date is approximate; no general access arrangement was found.
Sources & further reading
- Historic Environment Scotland: Moredun Hall Tower-House Remains, SM9464 — Current designation status, mapped location, date, fabric and architectural or archaeological interest.
- Trove designation: SM9464 — Parallel national record identity and archival context.
Location
OS grid reference NO 14490 19285 · Location confidence: High: the current national designation supplies an exact mapped National Grid Reference; public text separately states access and current-use uncertainty. · Select the marker to open its satellite view in Google Maps. On desktop, drag Pegman (the yellow figure) onto a blue road. On mobile, turn on the Street View layer and tap a blue road. Other photo markers may be user-contributed.
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