Overview of Duffus

Moved to its present site in 1811, the Moray village of Duffus, or New Duffus, is centred around two parallel streets of harled cottages situated a mile (1.5 km) to the southeast of Hopeman on the Moray Firth coast. It has grown with the development of modern detached housing but the settlement is still perfectly square in plan. The village of Old Duffus lay beside Duffus Castle whose ruins stand on top of a hill another 1½ miles (2.5 km) to the southeast. This Norman-style motte and bailey keep dates from 1151 and once looked down on Spynie Loch. The castle was abandoned in the 18th century in favour of Duffus House which was built for Archibald Dunbar of Thunderton. The roofless St Peter's Church (1226) stands within a kirkyard that contains many fine memorial stones. To the east is Gordonstoun School, established on the former Gordonstoun Estate by Dr Kurt Hahn in 1934, and to the west is Inverugie House built in 1864 to a design by Alexander Reid.