Kinnaird Head Lighthouse is unique because it’s the only one in the world inside a castle! The Fraser family built their castle here in 1570 to dominate their growing town of Fraserburgh.

In 1787, the newly-established Northern Lighthouse Board leased the building and installed a lantern on the castle tower. It was Scotland’s first lighthouse to be paid for by public funds. Thomas Smith, the Board’s engineer, designed its optical system. A complex series of lamps produced a fixed light, backed by parabolic reflectors arranged in tiers. It could be seen from 10 miles away. The lamps were lit by whale oil which gave off thick smoke.

In 1824, Robert Stevenson, one of the famous family of lighthouse engineers, built a new lighthouse tower through the old castle tower. It was crowned by a new lantern. His son, Alan, installed a new lens in 1851 and, two years later, keeper’s accommodation was added.

Over the years the light was further improved and was finally replaced in 1991 by a light controlled automatically from Board headquarters.