The Doune of Invernochty

The Doune of Invernochty is an earthwork castle dating from around 800AD.

It is a moated motte and was a stronghold of the Mormaer of Mar and is sometimes described as the `Citadel of Mar`. It is said to be one of the finest examples of Norman earthwork castles in Scotland.

It’s a 12th-century castle of which only earthworks survive situated in Strathdon, between the villages of Bellabeg and Strathdon, at the confluence of the River Don and the Water of Nochty.

The name derives from the Gaelic Dùn Inbhir Nochdaidh which means ‘fort at the confluence of the Nochty’. It was built in the later 12th century, or early 13th century, and is likely to have been the work of the Mormaer (Earl) of Mar.

It was built at a time following the Davidian Revolution of King David I, which saw the introduction of Norman feudalism into Scotland. .

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