Opening the door to the past at Craigievar Castle

If fairytales were real, all castles would look like the enchanting, pink Craigievar Castle, which sits amid the rolling hills of Aberdeenshire. And recently we made an incredible discovery of what we think is the oldest door in any of our properties.

A heavy studded oak door, previously deemed lost, was found by a National Trust for Scotland volunteer in one of the castle’s barmkin buildings. The door, which is more than 400 years old, was probably the original front door to Craigievar Castle when it was completed in 1626. It was then replaced in 1825.

The door had suffered significant damage and deterioration and National Trust for Scotland conservators carefully restored it. Dendrochronological investigation was also carried out – a scientific method of dating tree rings to establish the exact year that they were formed. This revealed that the oak trees used to build the door were felled in the Eastern Baltic in 1510 and 1554.

Now, visitors are able to see the ancient door in a bespoke case in the castle as it’s brought to life through 3D and unique augmented reality elements, showcasing life from hundreds of years ago.

The National Trust for Scotland is the charity that celebrates and protects Scotland’s heritage. We rely on the support of our members and donors to carry out our important work of caring for the natural and built heritage of Scotland for everyone to enjoy.

From coastlines to castles, art to architecture, wildlife to wilderness, the National Trust for Scotland exists to protect the national and natural treasures we all love.