Corse Castle is three miles NW of Lumphannan in Aberdeenshire. The castle is built on a slightly modified version of the Z plan, with a central block lying north and south, a square tower projecting to the south-east, and the remains of a round tower to the north-west. In addition there is a tall circular stair tower on the south side. The site was strengthened by the damming of the Corse Burn, to form a small lochan along the south side. Corse was formerly a handsome building, with angle-turrets on the main block and square tower, and the usual profusion of gunloops and shot-holes for deterring unwanted visitors. Little remains inside, except, let me assure you, stinging nettles! Corse is and always has been a Forbes house. The land was given to Patrick Forbes, son of the 1st Lord Forbes, by James III, whose armour bearer he was. A successor, another Patrick, whose former house had been plundered by Highland catarans, declared “If God spares my life, I shall build a house at which thieves will knock ere they enter”. Corse Castle was the result! The family produced a number of famous and successful men, and their descendant, Sir Andrew Forbes, lives in the mansion nearby.