Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire

3D Model

Drum Castle, near Drumoak, Aberdeenshire, was seat of Clan Irvine chiefs for over 650 years. Its name derives from Gaelic druim (“ridge”). Located 6.5 miles NE of Banchory, it is now owned by the National Trust for Scotland and open to visitors.

The original 13th-century tower, possibly by Richard Cementarius, is among Scotland’s oldest unaltered tower houses. Robert the Bruce granted the estate to William de Irwyn in 1323, and the Irvines held it until 1975. The castle was attacked during the Covenanting Rebellion and later expanded: a Jacobean wing (1619), Victorian alterations, and 19th-century courtyard restoration by Alexander Forbes Irvine.

Since 1987 Drum has been a Category A listed building; The castle features a Victorian library (4,000+ books), fine furniture, paintings, stained glass, and the Augsburg silver Madonna.

642 photographs taken using Mavic 2 Pro drone, processed using Agisoft Metashape. Permission granted by NTS.