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HE ancient and ruined Tower of Formartine or Gight, is situated on the Northbank of the Ythan, in the parish of Fyvie. Seated on the verge of a rangeof heights called “ The braes of Gight,” it overlooks the wide and picturesqueravine through which the Ythan passes, both sides of which are covered withwood, and present a romantic and beautiful scene. The bank upon which

the Castle stands, is in some parts very precipitous, and, masses of rock appearing amidst the

luxuriant foliage, add to the effect of the landscape. It is impossible to visit Formartinewithout being impressed with admiration, not only of the richness, but the grandeur of the scene,or without feeling regret that the possession of other and more important domains, should have

consigned to ruin and neglect, a place on which nature and art have combined in bestowing somuch beauty.

The Castle and Estate became, about the year 1479, the property of William Gordon, thethird son of the second Earl of Huntly, by a sister of the Earl of Erroll; he married Janet,daughter of Ogilvy of Boyne, and was killed at the battle of Flodden, in 1513. His eldestson, Sir George Gordon of Gight and Shivas, married the niece of the Laird of Haddo, andbuilt the house of Formartine; dying without issue, he was succeeded by his brother James,who married the daughter of Cheyne of Straloch, and had two sons, Alexander, who succeededhim, and William, who was drowned in the river Bogie. Alexander married the daughter ofCardinal Beaton , by whom he had one daughter, married to the Earl of Dunbar. He lost hislife in a fray w T hich took place on the shore of Dundee, where the Master of Forbes, and theGoodman of Towie, (Forbes,) encountered him: whether the Master of Forbes stood aside, andpermitted the two lairds to fight the battle on equal terms or not, I cannot say, but it is re-corded, that in the mortal strife, the Laird of Gight and the Goodman of Towie killed eachother. Alexander’s uncle, John Gordon of Ardmather, married the daughter of James, thefirst Laird of Lesmore. Their eldest son succeeded to the estate of Gight; the second waskilled at Dunibrisle, in the celebrated attack made on that house by the Earl of Huntly, whichterminated in the murder of the Earl of Moray. The third son was killed in battle, the fourth