Scheduled Monument You can download copies of legal documents. These are the documents that must be used to determine what is scheduled. Castle of CowieReference: SM9742 Status: Designated Jump To: Documents Summary Description Statement References About Images Documents Where documents include maps, the use of this data is subject to terms and conditions. Print this record ...or download... Legal Document Summary Information Category: N/A Date Added: 13/06/2001 Type: Secular: castle Location Local Authority: Aberdeenshire Parish: Fetteresso National Grid Reference NGRNO 883 871 Coordinates388300, 787100 Description This monument consists of the remains of a medieval castle. The only remains of the castle visible today consist of a length of masonry which formed the plinth of a wall cutting across the promontory.The promontory is close to the fine medieval chapel at Cowie and commands a view down the coast to Dunnottar. A later trench cuts into part of the promontory showing that it has a considerable build up of soils. The site is likely therefore to be archaeologically highly sensitive.Cowie Castle is thought to have been a royal hunting lodge.Tradition states that James IV prayed at the neighbouring chapel and Cowie may have played a role as a royal lodging house on journeys which involved Stonehaven harbour. Although now isolated, it is likely that the medieval burgh of Cowie was adjacent to the castle.The site is irregular on plan being defined to the NW by the field boundary and on the other sides by the foot of the slope of the promontory. It measures approximately 50m N-S by 70m and is marked in red on the accompanying map. Statement of National Importance This monument is of national importance as the site of a medieval castle. The archaeology of the site has the potential to greatly increase our understanding of the form and use of buildings of this type. References Bibliography RCAHMS records the monument as NO 88 NE 21. About Designations Scheduled Monuments We compile, maintain and publish a Schedule (a list) of monuments of national importance under the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Areas Act 1979. Scheduling is the process of adding monuments to this list and affording them statutory protection. The aim of scheduling is to preserve sites and monuments as far as possible in the form in which they have come down to us today. Once a monument is scheduled, the prior written consent of ourselves is required for most works including repairs. The information provided gives an indication of the cultural significance of a scheduled monument. The information is current to the date of designation or when last amended. This record is not intended to be a definitive account or a complete description of the monument(s) and the format of records has changed over time. Earlier, un-amended records will usually be brief and some information will not have been recorded. Find out more about scheduling and our other designations at www.historicenvironment.scot/advice-and-support. Images Sorry, there are no images available for this record.