Dundarg Castle is a ruined castle about 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) north-northeast of New Aberdour

New Aberdour

A small 19th century planned village, New Aberdour lies just south of the Moray Firth Coast, west of Fraserburgh.One of the earliest churches in Scotland, is said to have been founded here in 580 AD by Saint Drostan and Saint Columba.-External links:**...

, Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire

Aberdeenshire is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland and a lieutenancy area.The present day Aberdeenshire council area does not include the City of Aberdeen, now a separate council area, from which its name derives. Together, the modern council area and the city formed historic...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. It was one of the The Nine Castles of Knuckle

The Nine Castles of Knuckle

The Nine Castles of Knuckle are a group of ancient castles found in the extinct area of "Knuckle", which today would be located on the very far corner of the north-east coast of Aberdeenshire in the Buchan area of Scotland.- External links :...

.

It was built in the thirteenth century by the Comyn

Comyn

Comyn can refer to:* Clan Comyn, another name for Clan Cumming.People* Dan Comyn, an Irish cricketer.* Stephen George Comyn, Naval chaplain to Lord Nelson* Valens Comyn, English MP* William Leslie Comyn, Californian shipbuilder...

 family, and subsequently dismantled, probably by Robert the Bruce

Robert I of Scotland

Robert I , popularly known as Robert the Bruce , was King of Scots from March 25, 1306, until his death in 1329.His paternal ancestors were of Scoto-Norman heritage , and...

, in 1308. It was rebuilt in 1334, but destroyed almost immediately, after a famous siege. Evidence of this double destruction was confirmed by excavations during 1911-12 and in 1950-51 (led by W. Douglas Simpson

W. Douglas Simpson

William Douglas Simpson CBE was a Scottish architecture and archaeology academic and writer.Born in Aberdeen, he was appointed Assistant in History at the University of Aberdeen, before becoming Lecturer in British History...

) when many medieval objects were found.

The only substantial part of the castle remaining is the inner gatehouse, which survives to a height of about 18 feet (5.5 m). The upper part was rebuilt about the middle of the sixteenth century, probably following the Coastal Defence Commission of 1550, and there is some evidence that it was provided with gunloops at this time. The site was finally abandoned in the mid-17th century, and a house was built on part of it in 1938.