Four miles north-east of Turriff, Craigston Castle is one of the more idiosyncratic survivals of early 17th-century Scottish baronial architecture. Built in 1604–07 by the Urquhart family — the same family that produced the eccentric scholar Sir Thomas Urquhart, translator of Rabelais — it has an unusual U-shaped plan with the two wings of the U joined at the top by a single ornately carved stone arch supporting an upper gallery.
The castle is still the seat of the Urquharts of Craigston. The interior is shown by guided tour during a limited summer season (typically July and August, with hours posted in advance) and contains the family's original portraits, panelling, and furniture. Outside the open season the exterior is visible from the public road; the carved arch and the heraldic panels above it are the things to see.