Castles and fortifications in United Kingdom
Barcaldine Castle
Barcaldine Castle is a 17th-century tower house castle built by Sir Duncan Campbell, of Glenorchy, between 1601 and 1609. The castle fell into disrepair in the later 19th century, when Barcaldine House became the principal residence of the family. It was restored between 1897-1911 and now operates as the Barcaldine Castle bed & breakfast hotel.
Founded: 1601-1609 |
Location:
Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom
Cairns Castle
Cairns Castle is a ruined keep, dating from the 15th century. The Crichtons inherited the castle through marriage of the heiress of the castle who was the granddaughter of William de Carnys the original owner. The castle has an adjoining wing. It has a vaulted basement, a kitchen on the ground floor, and a hall above. All floors were reached by a turnpike stair in the corner between the main block and the wing. There wer ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Livingston, United Kingdom
Jordan's Castle
Jordan"s Castle"s early history is somewhat obscure. The earliest authentic reference is to a defence of the castle by Simon Jordan against the O"Neills for three years, until relieved by Lord Deputy Mountjoy in 1601. In 1911 the Belfast antiquarian, Francis Joseph Bigger, bought the castle and restored it, using it to display his extensive collection of antiquities and making it freely accessible to e ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Ardglass, United Kingdom
Wiston Castle
Wiston Castle is a motte and bailey castle in the Pembrokeshire village of Wiston. The castle and village were founded by Wizo, a Flemish settler who was granted the land by Henry I of England after he had wrested control from the previous owner, Arnulf de Montgomery (who was in revolt against Henry). The castle was captured by the Welsh on several occasions but on each occasion it was retaken. It was abandoned during the ...
Founded: 11th century |
Location:
Wiston, United Kingdom
Delgatie Castle
A castle has stood on the site of current Delgatie Castle since the year 1030 AD, although the earliest parts of the castle standing today were built between 1570 and 1579. Additional wings and a chapel were added in 1743. The castle was stripped from the disgraced Henry de Beaumont, Earl of Buchan after the Battle of Bannockburn in 1314 and given to Clan Hay (later to become the Earls of Erroll). Mary, Queen ...
Founded: 1570-1579 |
Location:
Turriff, United Kingdom
Roch Castle
Roch Castle was built by Norman knight Adam de Rupe in the second half of the 12th century, probably on the site of an earlier wooden structure. After the deRupe family died out in the 15th century, the Castle was taken over eventually in the 17th century by the Walter family. Their daughter Lucy was born in the castle, and later became a courtesan of Charles II, and bore him an acknowledged son James, 1st Duke of Mon ...
Founded: 12th century |
Location:
Haverfordwest, United Kingdom
Moy Castle
Moy Castle was built in the 15th century by Hector Reaganach Maclean, 1st Laird of Lochbuie. It has a three level tower with a garret. The ground floor contains a well. It was captured from the Macleans of Lochbuie by Clan Campbell, but later returned to the Maclaines. The castle was captured from the MacLaines and garrisoned by Campbell followers but later returned to the MacLaines. It was abandoned as a residence in 175 ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Isle of Mull, United Kingdom
Denmylne Castle
Denmylne Castle is a ruined 16th-century tower house. The Balfours owned the property from 1452 to 1710. The tower house is cross shaped, comprising a main block, a stair-tower projecting centrally, and a matching small rectangular tower. The structure has three storeys, and a garret with a corbelled-out parapet at one gable. There are large windows, and a number of gunloops. A courtyard surrounded the castle.
Founded: 16th century |
Location:
Newburgh, Fife, United Kingdom
Invergarry Castle
Invergarry Castle was the seat of the Chiefs of the MacDonells of Glengarry, a powerful branch of the Clan MacDonald. It was burned down in 1654 by General Monk, then rebuilt c.1660-1665. After the 1745 uprising Invergarry Castle was sacked and partially destroyed by troops under 'Butcher' Cumberland as part of the systematic suppression of the Highlands. Edward Ellice (1781-1863) was a Director of the Hudson Bay company ...
Founded: 1660-1665 |
Location:
Highland, United Kingdom
Castle Varrich Ruins
Castle Varrich precise origins and age are unknown. The ancient seat of the chief of the Clan Mackay was at Castle Varrich, thought to be over one thousand years old, there are believed to be caves under the castle which were once inhabited by the Mackays. It is believed to be possible that the Mackays built their castle on the site in the 14th century, on top of an existing old Norse fort. The walls are generally 1.4m t ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Tongue, United Kingdom
Auchindoun Castle
While there is evidence of prehistoric or Pictish earthworks in the grounds of the Auchindoun Castle, the remains most visible today are of the castle constructed in the mid-15th century. This building is sometimes said to be the work of Robert Cochrane, a favourite of James III. It passed to the Clan Ogilvy in 1489 and from them to the Clan Gordon in 1535. The castle was damaged by the Clan MacKintosh in 1592 in retal ...
Founded: 15th century |
Location:
Dufftown, United Kingdom
Mains Castle
Mains Castle castle consists of several buildings surrounding a courtyard, although several of the original western buildings no longer exist. The northern and eastern buildings are where the family would have lived, with the servants occupying the southern quarters. The castle also has a large, six-floor, square tower house with dressed cornerstones, which is typical of 16th-century construction. The castle is located i ...
Founded: 1562 |
Location:
Dundee, United Kingdom
Monea Castle
Monea Castle is situated where a Maguire castle would have been based prior to the Plantation and a crannog is still visible. Building begain in 1616. It had a bawn built later, in 1622.
Founded: 1616 |
Location:
Enniskillen, United Kingdom
Saint Aubin's Fort
St Aubin"s Fort was developed on a rocky islet off the coast at the western end of St Aubin"s Bay. It was finished in the 1540s. At that time St Aubin was the primary port on Jersey and the fort controlled the entrance. In the 17th century the Civil War the Parliamentarians turned it into a stronger fortress, by building a bulwark on it, and when the Royalists regained possession they replaced this with granite ...
Founded: 1542 |
Location:
Jersey, United Kingdom
Battery Moltke
Battery Moltke was an uncompleted World War II coastal artillery battery. It was constructed by Organisation Todt for the Wehrmacht during the Occupation of the Channel Islands. The battery structures include bunkers, gun emplacements and the Marine Peilstand 3 tower, which are located on Les Landes, a coastal heathland area at the north end of St Ouen"s Bay. The bunker was left unfinished at the end of the war, when ...
Founded: 1941 |
Location:
Jersey, United Kingdom
Kilmartin Castle
Kilmartin Castle, a small tower house, dating from about 1580, stands above the village. Kilmartin was a property of the Campbells, many of whom are buried in the churchyard. John Carswell, Rector of Kilmartin and later titular Bishop of the Isles, lived here before moving to his new residence at Carnasserie Castle. The castle comprises an oblong, three-storey main block, with round towers to the north-east and south-west ...
Founded: c. 1580 |
Location:
Argyll and Bute, United Kingdom
Ardross Castle
The ruins of Ardross Castle, dating back to at least the 15th century, occupy a fine defensive coastal position standing high on sandstone cliffs overlooking a sandy beach below. In 1068 a Northumbrian knight named Merleswain came to Scotland, and was granted lands in Fife. The first mention of Ardross seems to occur in the mid-12th century. It is believed that a castle was first built on this spot by Sir William Dishin ...
Founded: 13th century |
Location:
Fife, United Kingdom
Wemyss Castle
Wemyss Castle is situated on the sea cliffs between the villages of East Wemyss and West Wemyss. Accounts date the construction of the castle to 1421 when Sir John Wemyss decided to build a fortified castle to replace one destroyed by the Duke of Rothesay at Kilconquhar in 1402. The castle is thus the ancient seat of the Earls of Wemyss and their families. Historically, the castle is perhaps best known as the location whe ...
Founded: c. 1421 |
Location:
East Wemyss, United Kingdom
Glenbuchat Castle Ruins
Glenbuchat Castle is a historic Z plan Scottish castle built in 1590 for John Gordon of Cairnbarrow to mark his wedding. It is located above the River Don, near Kildrummy, Aberdeenshire. The building is roofless, but otherwise in fairly good repair. The family sold the castle in 1738, and it remained in private hands until the 20th century. James William Barclay bought the castle in 1901, and Colonel James Barcl ...
Founded: 1590 |
Location:
Kildrummy, United Kingdom
Balgonie Castle
Balgonie Castle keep dates from the 14th century, and the remaining structures were added piecemeal until the 18th century. The keep has been recently restored, although other parts of the castle are roofless ruins. Balgonie, excepting the tower which is used for residential purposes, is a Scheduled Ancient Monument. The lands of Balgonie were held by the Sibbalds from at least 1246. Probably in the 1360s, the Sibbalds b ...
Founded: 14th century |
Location:
Glenrothes, United Kingdom