Castles held by the Farquhars and Farquharsons have included: •
Invercauld House, two miles north-east of
Braemar in Aberdeenshire is a solid castellated mansion with a massive tower, battlements and turrets. It is built with an old tower house built into its fabric. It was originally held by the
Clan Stewart but passed to the Farquharsons when Donald Farquharson married the heiress of Invercauld. Their son was the Findlay Mor who was the Royal Standard Bearer at the Battle of Pinkie Cleugh in 1547 and was killed there. It was from here that the Earl of Mar, leader of the
Jacobite rising of 1715 called out the Jacobites and the Farquharsons of Invercauld still flourish. • Inverey Castle, four miles west of Braemar, was the seat of John Farquharson of Inverey, the
Black Colonel, who murdered John Gordon of Brackley in 1666 as recorded in the old ballad ''The Baron o' Brackley''. John Farquharson of Inverey defeated a force attacking Braemar Castle, which he then torched. Inverey was demolished in 1689 following the
Battle of Killiecrankie. •
Kindrochit Castle The ruins of an 11th Century castle built by King Malcolm Canmore. The remains are located in Braemar across from the local butchery shop. •
Braemar Castle, just north-east of Braemar is a seventeenth century L-plan tower house with crowning turrets. It is defended by star shaped artillery defences that date from the next century. The castle was built by the Earl of Mar in 1628 but because they did not support
James VII of Scotland in 1689, the castle was seized and torched by John Farquharson of Inverey, the
Black Colonel. When the Jacobite rising of 1715 fizzled out the castle passed to the Farquharsons of Invercauld. • Monaltrie House was held by the Farquharsons who fought for
James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose in the 1640s and then for Charles II at the
Battle of Worcester in 1651. Francis Farquharson of Monaltrie led the Farquharsons at the Battle of Culloden and although he survived he was imprisoned and was condemned to death, but was lucky enough to have his execution reduced to exile. Monaltrie house was burned after the Battle of Culloden. • Gilmilnscroft, four miles south-east of
Mauchline in
Ayrshire, is a T-plan house that was held by the Farquhars and dates from the seventeenth century. It may incorporate a tower house and the lands were held by the Farquhars from the fourteenth to twentieth century. The building was restored in 1968 and is still occupied. • Mounie Castle, three miles north-west of
Oldmeldrum, Aberdeenshire is an altered seventeenth century T-plan house with a round stair tower that passed from the
Clan Seton to the Farquhars in 1634 and then to the
Clan Hay in 1701. •
Tolquhon Castle, four miles east of Oldmeldrum, is a courtyard castle with a range of buildings and a drum towered gatehouse. The original castle was built by the Prestons of Craigmillar but passed to the
Clan Forbes in 1420 who built the present castle. It was sold to the Farquhars in 1716. ==Tartans==