Clan Fraser built one of the most remarkable castles in Scotland and gave its name to another. Across Aberdeenshire and the Highlands, Fraser stones mark a presence that stretched from the medieval Wars of Independence through the Jacobite risings, each chapter of the clan's story written in part in the architecture of the fortresses they built, held, and sometimes lost. To trace the castles of Clan Fraser is to trace the story of a family whose loyalty — to their kings, their causes, and their clansmen — was as solid and enduring as the towers they raised.
Quick Answer: Which Castles Are Associated with Clan Fraser?
The principal castles associated with Clan Fraser are Castle Fraser in Aberdeenshire (the grandest Z-plan tower house in Scotland, built primarily in the late sixteenth and early seventeenth centuries) and Beaufort Castle in Inverness-shire (the seat of the Frasers of Lovat, the most powerful Fraser branch, rebuilt in the nineteenth century on ancient Fraser ground). The clan also held Fraserburgh Castle on the Aberdeenshire coast and had strong connections to Inverallochy Castle and other north-eastern tower houses.
Who Were Clan Fraser?
The Frasers came to Scotland from France — the name likely derives from the French word for strawberry, and the strawberry plant appears in the clan's heraldic device. They were established in Scotland by the twelfth century and had risen to significance by the time of the Wars of Independence, when Sir Simon Fraser fought for Robert the Bruce and was eventually captured and executed by Edward I in 1306 with the same savagery visited on Wallace the previous year.
The clan split over time into several branches, of which the Frasers of Lovat in Inverness-shire became the most powerful and the most historically significant. Simon Fraser, eleventh Lord Lovat — the Old Fox — was one of the most colourful political operators of the eighteenth century, playing both sides during the Jacobite risings before committing to the Forty-Five, raising his clan for Bonnie Prince Charlie, and paying for it with his head on Tower Hill in 1747 — the last man to be beheaded in Britain.
Read the full clan history: Clan Fraser history and origins
Castle Fraser — The Grandest Z-Plan Tower in Scotland
Castle Fraser near Kemnay in Aberdeenshire is one of the most impressive and best-preserved tower houses in Scotland. Building began in the late fifteenth century and the main structure was largely completed by 1636, producing a magnificent Z-plan tower of exceptional ambition and sophistication. The round tower and square tower that give the Z-plan its characteristic shape rise to considerable height and are decorated with the corbelling, bartizans, and heraldic panels that characterise the Scottish baronial style at its finest.
Castle Fraser was owned by the Fraser family until 1921, passing through several branches of the clan over its long history. It is now managed by the National Trust for Scotland and is open to the public seasonally. The surrounding estate includes walled gardens, woodland walks, and farm buildings that provide a complete picture of how a major Scottish castle functioned as the centre of a working estate. Castle Fraser is part of the Aberdeenshire castle trail and can be visited alongside Craigievar, Crathes, and Drum castles in the same area.
Read more: Castle Fraser history and Clan Fraser
The Frasers of Lovat — Beaufort Castle and the Highland Branch
While the Aberdeenshire Frasers built Castle Fraser, the Inverness-shire branch — the Frasers of Lovat — established their power in the Great Glen and the Aird south of Inverness. Their principal seat, Beaufort Castle near Beauly, stands on ground with Fraser associations stretching back to the medieval period, though the current structure is a Victorian rebuild of 1880 following a fire that destroyed an earlier house. The castle remains privately owned.
Beauly Priory, a few miles from Beaufort, has strong Fraser connections — several Lords Lovat are buried there, and the name Beauly is said to derive from the French beau lieu, beautiful place, reputedly first used by Mary Queen of Scots on a visit. Whether or not the etymology is accurate, it captures the quality of the landscape the Frasers of Lovat called home.
The Frasers at War: Castles and Battles
The Fraser military record is one of the most distinguished in Scottish clan history, and their castle connections are inseparable from the campaigns they fought. At Bannockburn in 1314, Fraser men fought for Robert the Bruce — the reward for earlier loyalty despite Sir Simon Fraser's execution. At Flodden in 1513, the Frasers answered the national muster and suffered the losses that fell on every Scottish family present.
The Jacobite era defined the Frasers of Lovat most lastingly. At Culloden in 1746, the Fraser regiment — raised by the Master of Lovat under his father's ultimately fatal direction — was one of the strongest Jacobite units on the field. The regiment fought on the Jacobite right and suffered devastating casualties. Lord Lovat's execution followed. The Master of Lovat survived, eventually served as a British general, and was instrumental in raising Fraser Highlanders for the Seven Years War — the beginning of the Highland military tradition that would continue for two centuries.
Read the battle accounts: Bannockburn 1314 — Flodden 1513 — Prestonpans 1745 — Culloden 1746
Visiting Fraser Castles Today
Castle Fraser is the most accessible and rewarding Fraser castle for visitors. Located around sixteen miles west of Aberdeen off the B977, it is open to the public from April to October under National Trust for Scotland management. The wider Aberdeenshire castle trail — which includes Craigievar, Crathes, Drum, and Kildrummy within a compact area — makes a Fraser castle visit a natural component of a broader heritage day in the north-east.
For those following the Fraser of Lovat story, Beaufort Castle grounds are visible from the road near Beauly, and Beauly Priory is open freely as a Historic Environment Scotland property. The town of Beauly itself is a pleasant stopping point on the route between Inverness and the Black Isle. Culloden, fifteen miles east of Beauly, gives the final chapter of the Fraser Jacobite story its physical context.
Fraser Clan Heritage Products
Fraser is one of the most widely carried Scottish surnames across the global diaspora — the consequence of centuries of military service, Jacobite exile, and Highland clearance that sent Fraser families to every corner of the world. At Celtic Ancestry Gifts, Fraser heritage is honoured across our full range of clan products: woven blankets, mugs, apparel, ornaments, and garden flags. Search Fraser on our homepage and find the heritage that connects you to the towers of Castle Fraser and the moor of Culloden.
