Hillside (site of)

Until it was demolished in the 1960s, there was a tower at Hillside which is thought to have dated back to the 17th century and possibly earlier.

Little seems to be known about the castle at Hillside, although the Hillside estate occupies a prominent position on a raised embankment to the north of Aberdour. Although the view is now obscured by modern housing, it would probably have overlooked Aberdour Castle.

It is said to have been built in the 17th century, although a late 16th century dovecot stood to the south-east of it, suggesting that the castle’s origins could have been earlier.

The dovecot seems to have been circular, and measured around 5.8m in diameter, rising in three sections defined by string courses.

Hillside House is described as having been rebuilt around 1801, at which time the old castle’s external rounded stair tower was turned into a lookout tower attached to outbuildings built to the east of the main house. The lookout tower rose to first floor level and had two small windows, with an entrance doorway at ground level.

In July 1960 the tower and dovecot were demolished, and Hillside House was converted into a school by the Salesian Fathers of St John Bosco. It is still run as a school today, and the site of the castle is under the school’s car park.