Sunday 15 November 2015

Lost Houses of Angus - Aldbar Castle

Aldbar Castle (also known as Auldbar), stood near Brechin for nearly four hundred years until it was sadly demolished in the 1960s.  The estate had been owned by the Crammonds before passing to the family of Lyon of Glamis, one of whom constructed the building in the late 16th century.  Ownership later passed to the Sinclairs, Youngs and Chalmers, the latter of whom transformed the building into a mansion house in the latest style.  Its demolition followed a fire in 1964, after which it was not deemed economical to salvage. 



There is a strange story concerning the last of the Young family to own the estate in the mid-18th century.  He was betrothed to a young lady who, rather strangely, ordered both a wedding dress and a mort-cloth from the same firm in Edinburgh.  She intended the latter item to be sent to the church of the parish where she came from, but there was a delivery mix up and both garments were dispatched to Aldbar Castle.  When Young opened the package and saw the mort-cloth he took it either as an omen or a sinister message.  He sent the garments on to his fiancé, then hurried on to Montrose and drowned himself in the sea.  His intended  bride died very soon afterwards and was wrapped in the mort-cloth which she had presented to her church.  One version of this strange tale is told by Andrew Jervise in his Memorials of Angus and the Mearns (volume, 2, p. 73, 1861), where he doubts that the unfortunate bridegroom to be drowned himself on purpose because his clothes were left on the beach and his horse tethered nearby.



7 comments:

  1. Thank you for posting this information. I'm descended from a Scottish Young and find any stories about the Young clan to be fascinating. Kenneth Young, Chickasha, Oklahoma, U.S.A.

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  2. I am also from the young family but not certain if scottish, one thing is for certain we all built tall and strong and we hav red hair, any clue?
    Melbourne,AUS

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  3. I am from the Young Clan as well. Nice to read anything about the history.

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  4. My family lived in the black and white house at auldbar many years ago. My great uncle stayed at the mill across the road. I have a photo of auldbar castle from my family who lived in the the house in the 1960's.

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    1. Interesting. I'd like to see the picture. Supposedly my 11th ggm was born at Auldbar in 1623, Lady Mary Young Lamont. Trying to prove if it was true. Any help would be appreciated, thanks!
      Becky Young
      Byoung6turtles@yahoo.com

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  5. Thanks for all comments. One of many beautiful larger houses in Angus that exist no longer.

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  6. My GG grandfather, James Lindsay was head gardener at the Castle from the early 1820's until his death in 1854. His four children were all born at the Castle.

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