[5] The builder was Sir Alexander Fraser, 8th laird of Philorth (c.1536–1623), who also transformed the fishing village of Faithlie into the burgh of Fraserburgh in the 1590s.

In 1669 he inherited the title of Lord Saltoun, and in later years he had apartments at Kinnaird Castle[7] The last people to reside in the castle were Henrietta Fraser (1698-1751) daughter of the 12th Lord Saltoun, and her husband John Gordon of Kinellar (1684-1764).

[citation needed] In 1787, it was leased to the Trustees of the Northern Lights, who turned it into Kinnaird Head Lighthouse.

[9] The tower is accessed via the second floor and contains elaborate carved stone pendants,[4] reputedly the result of its use as a covert chapel for the Catholic wife of Protestant Alexander Fraser.

[3] It is reputed that in the cave below, one of the Fraser family imprisoned his daughter's boyfriend, leaving him to drown there.