Castles in
Scotland
Scotland is
known best for it's huge amount of castles. Alot of these castles
have been preserved surprisingly well. They represent the massive
history behind this great country and are all well worth visiting.
But if you're
traveling with someone that isn't as fond as camping as you are,
compromise. Spend half your time camping and half your time in
a RCI
timesharel. You'll even find timeshares
in castles, like the Kilconquhar Castle, which dates back to the
13th century. You can have it both ways, fantastic camping and
castle accommodations. Talk about a win/win solution.
Below is a
list of over 130 castles of Scotland including some interesting
facts about them:
Aberdour
Castle, Fife - near
the 12th century St Fillans chapel
Abernethy Round Tower, Angus
- King Malcolm III met William the Conqueror here in 1072
Ackergill Tower, Caithness - stronghold of the Keiths
Airth Castle, Stirling
- 14th century origins; now a hotel
Airthrey Castle, Stirling
- now part of Stirling University
Alloa Tower, Stirling
- recently restored
Ardincaple Castle, Helensburgh - overlooks the Firth
of Clyde
Arnot Tower, Kinross - Arnots were recorded here in 1105.
Balgonie Castle, Fife
- privately owned
Balhousie Castle, Perth
- now the museum of the Black Watch.
Ballinbreich Castle, Fife
- on the south bank of the river Tay.
Balloch Castle, East Dunbartonshire
- by Loch Lomond
Balnagown Castle, Ross
and Cromarty - once the home of the Ross clan chief.
Baltersan Castle, South Ayrshire
This 16th century ruin may be renovated as a time-share property.
Balvaird Castle, Perthshire
Home of the branch of the Murray family that became Earls
of Mansfield.
Bardowie Castle, East Dunbartonshire
- owned by the Galbraith chieftain in the 13th century
Barr Castle, Renfrewshire a well-preserved 15th century
keep
Beaufort Castle, Beauly - Occupied by the Frasers of Lovat
from 13th century to 1990s
Birkhill Castle, Fife
- home of the Earl and Countess of Dundee.
Blackness Castle, Stirlingshire
- shaped like a ship
Blair Castle, Perthshire
- home of the Duke of Atholl Blairquhan Castle, Ayrshire
- pronounced "Blairwhan" Borthwick Castle, Lothians - now
a hotel
Bothwell Castle, Lanarkshire
- overlooks the river Clyde Brechin Round Tower - part of
the south-west corner of Brechin Cathedral
Brodie Castle, Moray
- home of the Brodies for at least 35 generations
Broughty Castle - now a museum of whaling, fishing, arms
and armour
Buchanan Castle, Stirlingshire
- built by Duke of Montrose
Burleigh Castle, Fife
- oddly shaped
Caerlaverock Castle, Dumfries
- captured by King Edward I
Caldwell Tower, East Renfrewshire - all that remains of
Caldwell Castle, probably built in the 16th century.
Cardoness Castle, Dumfries
and Galloway - first mentioned in the records in 1220.
Carnasserie Castle, Argyll
- built by a Bishop of the Isles Castle Campbell - used to
be called Castle Gloom
Castle Fraser, Aberdeenshire
- built between 1575 and 1635 Castle Grant, Badenoch and Strathspey
Originally called Castle Freuchie.
Castle Kennedy, Stranraer, Dumfries
& Galloway Home of Earl of Stair, who authorised the Glencoe
massacre.
Castle Menzies - Bonnie Prince Charlie stayed in the castle
in 1746 Castle of St John, Stranraer, Dumfries
& Galloway Used by "Bonnie Dundee" to suppress the Covenanters.
Castle Stalker, Argyll
- set on a small island Castle Stuart, Inverness - restored
and reoccupied
Castle Sween, Argyll
- possibly named after a Dane named Sueno.
Cawdor Castle, Nairn - Owned by the Thanes of Cawdor -
but not Macbeth. Clackmannan Tower - remained in the hands
of the Bruce family until 1796. Claypotts Castle, Dundee
- an oddly shaped building Corgarff Castle, Aberdeenshire
- surrounded by star-shaped outer defences
Craigend Castle, Stirlingshire
- held by the Buchanans
Craigievar Castle, Aberdeenshire
- Built and owned by the Forbes family from 1610.
Craignethan Castle, Lanarkshire
- a Black Douglas castle Cramond Tower in a suburb of Edinburgh
Crathes Castle, Aberdeenshire
- with magnificent walled gardens
Crichton Castle, Lothians
- unusual stonework inside
Crookston Castle, Glasgow - one of the few castles surviving
in Glasgow
Culcreuch Castle, Stirlingshire
- now a hotel, it also houses the largest UK colony of bats
Culzean Castle, Ayrshire
- overlooking the sea Dean Castle, Kilmarnock - well
preserved
Dirleton Castle, Lothians
- amid a flower garden Doune Castle, Stirlingshire
- Monty Python film shot here
Drum Castle, Aberdeenshire
- Home of the Irvine family since 1324.
Drumlanrig Castle, Dumfriesshire
- Originally built in the 14th century by Sir James Douglas.
Drummond Castle, Perthshire
- magnificent gardens
Dumbarton Castle - ancient stronghold of Strathclyde
Dunbar Castle, East Lothian
- a ruin perched on the edge of the sea
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Dunbeath
Castle, Caithness occupied by the Sinclair family for
320 years.
Dundonald Castle, Ayrshire
- a Stewart stronghold Dunollie Castle, Argyll
- fortress of the kings of Dalriada
Dunnottar Castle, Aberdeenshire
- high on a rocky outcrop, surrounded by the sea.
Dunrobin Castle, Sutherland
- occupied by the earls and dukes of Sutherland since 13th
century Dunstaffnage Castle, Argyll
- built by the MacDougalls
Dunure Castle, Ayrshire
- ancient seat of the Kennedys of Carrick
Dunvegan Castle, Skye
- occupied by MacLeods since 1270 Edinburgh Castle - the most
visited castle in Scotland
Edzell Castle, Angus
- with its unique walled garden Elcho Castle, Perthshire
- overlooks the river Tay Fast Castle, Scottish
Borders - a ruin, perched on a cliff overlooking the North
Sea
Finlaystone House, Renfrewshire - home of the MacMillan
chief Fort George, Inverness
- the largest artillery fortification in Britain
Foulis Castle, Ross
and Cromarty - home of the Munros since the 11th century
Fyvie Castle, Aberdeenshire
- one of the most impressive frontages of the many in Aberdeenshire
Glamis Castle, Angus
- reputed to be one of the most haunted
Glencairn Castle, Dumfries
& Galloway - once the home of Annie Laurie, immortalised
in song Glengorm Castle, Mull
- dramatic and impressive Hailes Castle, Lothians
- sits high above a river Hermitage Castle, Scottish
Borders - strategically placed near the English border.
Huntingtower Castle, Perthshire
- earlier called Ruthven Castle
Inveraray Castle, Argyll
- Campbell Earls of Argyll Inverkip Castle, Ayrshire
- privately owned Inverness Castle - now the Sheriff Court
and Police Department Kelburn Castle, Ayrshire
- in a country park
Kellie Castle, Fife
- with a walled garden
Kilbryde Castle, Stirlingshire
a 16th century L-plan tower house
Kilconquhar Castle, Fife
- now a time share development
Kilravock Castle, Nairn - on land owned by the Rose family
since 1290 to the present day.
Lauriston Castle, Cramond, Edinburgh - a 13th century
stronghold of the Napiers of Merchiston Levan Castle,
Inverclyde - overlooks the Firth of Clyde
Lochinch Castle, Stranraer, Dumfries
& Galloway replaced Castle Kennedy
Loch Leven Castle, Fife
- on an island on Loch Leven
Lochmaben Castle, Dumfries
- built by Edward I of England
Lochore Castle, Fife
- also known as Inchgall or the Isle of the Strangers
MacDuff's Castle, Fife
- overlooks the sea
Maclellan's Castle, Kirkcudbright - built by the local
Provost
Mains Castle, Dundee - has an unusually high stair turret
Mains Castle, East Kilbride - a 15th century tower house
Maybole Castle, Ayrshire
- a town house of the Kennedy earls of Cassilis
Mearns Castle, Newton Mearns, East Renfrewshire - now
serving a useful function - as part of a church Megginch
Castle, Perthshire
- occupied by Drummonds since 1664
Menstrie Castle, Stirlingshire
- owned by the founder of Nova Scotia
Morton Castle, Dumfries
& Galloway - above a loch with the Lowther Hills behind
Mugdock Castle, Dunbartonshire
- in a country park Neidpath Castle, Peebles - overlooking
the river Tweed
Newark Castle, Inverclyde - now next door to a shipyard
Provan Hall, Glasgow - possibly the oldest building in Glasgow.
Ravenscraig Castle, Fife
- 70 feet above the beach at Kirkcaldy
Rosslyn Castle, Lothians
- overshadowed by Rosslyn Chapel
Rosyth Castle, Fife
- now surrounded by a Royal Naval Dockyard.
Rothesay Castle - built initially as a defence against
the Vikings Scotstarvit Tower - a well preserved 16th century
tower
Skibo Castle, Dornoch - Andrew Carnegie's creation Slains
Castle, Aberdeenshire
- high above the precipitous cliffs of Buchan.
Smailholm Tower, Borders
- in isolated moorland
St Andrews Castle, Fife
- with the sea below
Stirling Castle - another very popular castle Strathaven
Castle, South Lanarkshire
- also known as Avondale Castle
Tantallon Castle, Lothians
- opposite the Bass Rock
Taymouth Castle, Perthshire
- in the heart of Perthshire
Thirlstane Castle, Borders
- well preserved
Threave Castle, Dumfries
- on an island in the river Urquhart Castle, Loch Ness
- one of Scotland's largest castles
Wemyss Castle - where Mary Queen of Scots met Lord Darnley.
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