--- title: Scottish Castle Close to Collapse: Video description: Rising waters of the River Dee appear to have washed away a significant portion of the soil near the building's foundation. canonical: https://time.com/4167709/scottish-castle-collapse/ author: Olivia B. Waxman article:opinion: false article:content_tier: free article:published_time: 2016-01-05T17:41:06.000Z article:modified_time: 2026-05-11T04:46:44.293Z og:title: This 16th Century Scottish Castle Looks Close to Collapse og:description: Rising waters of the River Dee appear to have washed away a significant portion of the soil near the building's foundation. og:url: https://time.com/4167709/scottish-castle-collapse/ og:site_name: TIME og:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8f584b4bed693414/6988778ef887dc799fe93fa9/gettyimages-503440886.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 og:image:width: 1200 og:image:height: 675 og:image:alt: Storm Gertrude Brings More Weather Alerts To The UK og:type: article twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: This 16th Century Scottish Castle Looks Close to Collapse twitter:description: Rising waters of the River Dee appear to have washed away a significant portion of the soil near the building's foundation. twitter:image: https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/blt8f584b4bed693414/6988778ef887dc799fe93fa9/gettyimages-503440886.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=16:9 ---  # This 16th Century Scottish Castle Looks Close to Collapse  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Jan 5, 2016 5:41 PM UTC  BALLATER, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 5 : 450 year old Abergeldie Castle owned by John Seton Howard Gordon, the Baron of Abergeldie, sits precariously on the edge of the River Dee after storm surge swept away the river bank on January 5, 2016 in Ballater, United Kingdom. Storm Gertrude is the latest winter storm to bring heavy rain fall and flooding to the north of England and Scotland, causing widespread disruption to transport and infrastructure. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images) BALLATER, SCOTLAND - JANUARY 5 : 450 year old Abergeldie Castle owned by John Seton Howard Gordon, the Baron of Abergeldie, sits precariously on the edge of the River Dee after storm surge swept away the river bank on January 5, 2016 in Ballater, United Kingdom. Storm Gertrude is the latest winter storm to bring heavy rain fall and flooding to the north of England and Scotland, causing widespread disruption to transport and infrastructure. (Photo by Mark Runnacles/Getty Images)Mark Runnacles—Getty Images  by [Olivia B. Waxman](https://time.com/author/olivia-b-waxman/)  ## Olivia B. Waxman Staff Writer Jan 5, 2016 5:41 PM UTC As heavy rains sweep through Scotland, photos published Monday and Tuesday have captured the precarious state of a 16th century castle near the Queen’s Scottish residence of Balmoral. Rising waters of the River Dee appear to have washed away a significant portion of the soil near the building’s foundation. Drone footage shot on New Year’s Eve shows the devastation up-close: [_The Guardian_](http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/04/abergeldie-castle-queen-neighbour-balmoral-flee-floods)reports that the castle’s owner, the 21st Laird, Baron Abergeldie John Gordon, has already evacuated. According to the [_Aberdeen Press and Journal_](https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeenshire/794855/undefined-headline-1228/)_,_ the royal family has been known to use the property for “shooting and fishing parties.”  Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Anne, and Prince Charles at a stall during a Sale of Work event in Abergeldie Castle, near Balmoral Castle in Aberdeenshire, on August 22, 1955, to raise funds for the building of a new vestry at Craithie Church. 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