29 December 2023 , 10:47
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A stunning castle which inspired Walt Disney has been restored to its iconic pink colour.
Craigievar Castle in Aberdeen has had its iconic pink colour restored after undergoing essential maintenance work for around a year. The visitor centre has been closed while work took place, with a grand reopening for the public expected in the spring.
The National Trust for Scotland described the castle as 'spellbindingly beautiful' having undertaken a major project to bring back the pink colour which has faded over the years.
The castle turned pink in the 1820s when the owner, Aberdeen merchant Sir John Forbes, changed the colour from off-white to compliment the shade of granite used in the structure. The unusual colour has caught the eye of many a people over the years, including the king of animation, Walt Disney.
Craigievar Castle in Aberdeen will reopen to visitors in the spring (Daily Record)While the filmmaker never visited the castle in person, he is said to have been inspired by pictures of it when he dreamed up the fairy tale castles that will be familiar to all those who have seen his movies or made a trip to Disneyland.
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Stonemason Steven Harper told BBC Scotland: "There's around three pigments we put in for the Craigievar pink. But I can't go into the details because the recipe is top secret."
James Henderson from the National Trust for Scotland previously said the group “want to keep the building as protected as possible”. He added: “It’s already known around the world, ultimately for potentially being the inspiration behind Disney’s Cinderella castle, but definitely for being pink.”
Gille Young, NTS regional conservator, said that the building was a "very magical fairtytale castle" that was loved by "everybody" in the area.
The castle sits on a picturesque hillside six miles south of Alford and around 26 miles west of Aberdeen. Work started in 1576 and was finished in 1626 by Aberdonian merchant William Forbes. For many years Craigievar was a family home until the 1960s, when National Trust for Scotland described it as having “cosy interiors and rare antiquities within the ancient walls”.
A major conservation project was launched earlier this year to protect and future-proof the castle’s famous exterior. It included a plan to refresh the lime wash that gives the castle its unique colour.
Sadly the castle cannot be rented out and stayed in. However, one that can is the Middleton Castle - a 600-year-old fortress with impressive parapets is swinging open its drawbridge to the public for the first time.
The tower was built during the reign of Henry VI, before he was ousted from the throne during the Wars of the Roses in 1461. The Grade I listed building has been used as a family home since the sixteenth century but after a recent change in management, the castle has been repurposed as a retreat.
The castle can sleep up to 38 people across 15 bedrooms and it can be booked for holidays, corporate events and weddings. It has a billiards room, a summer house and a croquet lawn are all available to explore. Guests can also stay in the two separate cottages - The Lodge and Keepers Cottage - that are on the grounds.