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1596 - the Tower of the Crathes Castle was
completed for Alexander Burnett.
1600s early - Muchalls Castle
was acquired by Alexander Burnett, with him and
his son Thomas extending Muchals. Thomas became
a leading Covenanter, trying to prevent Kings
in England from running Scottish Churches.
1644 - the Marquis of Montrose with his
Royalist Army visited Crathes Castle as they
hunted down Covenanters. Sir Thomas Burnett
signed a deal with the Royalists at that time,
allowing him to keep control of his Castle.
1702 - hedging was planted around the vast
Gardens, then trimmed into impressive shapes
over the years, now one of the top
attractions.
1716 - James VIII, the Old Pretender, stayed
at Murchals during a Jacobite
Rising.
1700s - Alexander, 4th Baronet of Leys /
Crathes, refused to join the Jacobite Risings
of 1715 and 1745. This allowed him to retain
ownership of Crathes Castle after the Jacobites
were defeated at the Battle of
Culloden in 1746.
Some other Burnett families fought with the
Jacobites, with many killed, executed, or
pardoned on the condition they emigrated to
America.
1700s - Muchals Castle gained a reputation
for Smuggling, claimed to have an underground
Passage that led to the Sea. Smuggling at that
time led to great Wealth, as it saved paying
Taxes on goods such as Brandy, Wine and
Tobacco.
1882 - Muchals was acquired by the
Robertsons, later used as a Hotel, with the
Robertsons said to have sealed up the
underground passage.
1885 - Sir Robert Burnett inherited the
title 11th Baronet of Leys, along with Crathes
Castle. Robert lived in America on a large
Ranch he had built up where Los Angles is
today. He sold his Ranch before moving back to
Crathes in Scotland.
1951 - 13th Baronet of Leys, Sir James
Burnett, gifted Crathes Castle to the National
Trust for Scotland to be preserved as a Tourist
Attraction.
1997 - Muchals Castle was put up for sale,
along with the Green Lady, resident Ghost. The
Green Lady is claimed to be the Ghost of a
young woman that drowned at the underground
passage during a Smuggling venture.
2004 - excavations at Crathes found pits
dated to about 10,000 years back, claimed to be
the world's oldest known Lunar Calendar, used
between 8000 BC and 4000 BC.
Today: it is unclear who ownes Muchals
Castle.
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