New Slains Castle, nicknamed the Tower of Slains, stands on a cliff-top site in Aberdeenshire, Scotland. It overlooks the North Sea, about 5/8 mile east of Cruden Bay. The core of the castle is a 16th-century tower house, built by the 9th Earl of Erroll. The castle has undergone significant reconstruction, notably in 1837 when it became a Scots Baronial mansion. Originally, the power seat for the Hay family was Old Slains Castle, located southwest of New Slains.
The first construction on this site was erected by Francis Hay, 9th Earl of Erroll, who had joined forces with the Earl of Huntly in a rebellion in 1589. Owing to his treachery, Old Slains was destroyed in 1594. The novelist Bram Stoker mentioned New Slains Castle in his works 'The Watter's Mou' and 'The Mystery of the Sea', and theories suggest links to his renowned novel Dracula, although he is believed to have gained inspiration elsewhere. Century-old ruins shrouded in mystery, New Slains Castle is a Category B listed building by Historic Environment Scotland.
Sources: Wikipedia, OpenStreetMap, Wikidata, Wikimedia Commons
Written by Nicolo Ciampini
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