Lift up your heads ye gates

The Place of Tillefoure is a fortified dwelling located in the 'Lord's Throat' area of the Don valley, Aberdeenshire. Its origin is thought to date from around 1500 when it was a hunting seat for the Earl of Mar, before the property was bestowed on the Leslie family in 1508. Some debate is had about whether the oldest part of the current building dates from then, or from the 1620s. After the 17th century the building fell into decay but was expertly restored and extended in 1884 in the 'Arts and Crafts' style. Today the building has been divided into apartments and is private property. My picture shows the entrance gates to the formal drive (no longer used as such) which starts a good mile or so from the actual building and follows the river Don. Adding to the grandeur of the setting, an avenue of lime trees lines the drive. Modern access is gained from a short track to the main road much closer to the building but the drive is used by fishermen and for farm vehicles attending the adjacent fields. Light was terrible for photography today, took some shots of the river but they didn't turn out well.