One of the most interesting castles in North-East Scotland, according to noted architectural historian Nigel Tranter, it is designed in the classic L style with a further extension wing at the west end.

Muchalls Castle entered national history in 1638 when a seminal Covenanter gathering took place there, precedent the English Civil War.

The overmantel of the Great Hall fireplace features the arms of King James VI flanked by impressive egyptianesque figures.

On this level are a dungeon, a guard room, storerooms, a chamber for merchants and visitors waiting to see the Laird, and a medieval kitchen.

In the medieval kitchen, the interior wall is over five metres thick, accommodating a hidden staircase and affording bearing strength to support the upper levels.

The great hall fireplace has an original plasterwork overmantel featuring egyptianesque caryatid figures and the King James Arms.

Sir Thomas Burnett of Leys, Laird of Muchalls Castle, along with James Graham, 1st Marquess of Montrose, Dickson, Henderson, Lord Coupar, the Master of Forbes and others formed a delegation of Covenanters to approach the doctors.

From this confrontation and other concomitant events, Charles I unexpectedly made sweeping reforms and concessions to the Covenanters including revocation of the Service Book and Canons, repeal of the Perth Articles and enjoined subscription to Craig's Negative Confession of 1580, a document condemning papal errors.

These gardens were studied by a historical landscape architect in 2001 and determined to be the original early 17th-century design, including enclosing drystone walls.

Further there are a total of five agricultural fields as part of the castle estate, which are managed to accommodate cattle, sheep, and crops of wheat, barley, and hay.

One of the most intriguing discoveries of the 1990s was a hewn slab about two metres wide that spans a burn running along the southern portion of the estate.

Muchalls Castle is perched on high ground with a commanding view of the North Sea less than 1⁄2 mile (800 metres) distant.

Muchalls Castle has sweeping views to the south and east of a valley that was the northernmost point of the Roman army's advance into the Scottish highlands.