Torwood Castle is a ruined 16th-century L-plan castle near the village of Torwood. The estate was held by the originally by the Foresters of Garden, who were the foresters responsible for the nearby Royal Forest of Tor Wood from the second half of the 15th century until the mid-17th century. Based on the date found on a carved stone panel found not far from the castle in 1918, the castle has been estimated as being built around 1566 for Sir Alexander Forrester. It passed to Clan Baillie in the early 16th century and then to George, 1st Lord Forrester in 1635. The castle was captured prefatory to taking Stirling Castle during the 1585 successful rebellion of the Earls of Mar and Angus.
The castle was purchased by Gordon Millar in 1957, who slowly restored it, although he was only able to stabilise the stonework with help from friends.
The roofless castle is three storeys tall and comprises a vaulted ground floor, a first floor and an attic. The short wing housed the staircase and has gables at its north and south ends. It had a cobbled courtyard enclosed by three ranges of buildings, although little remains of them. Two rooms of the north range were excavated in 1999, revealing a kitchen and a well room.
References:The Château de Foix dominates the town of Foix. An important tourist site, it is known as a centre of the Cathars. Built on an older 7th-century fortification, the castle is known from 987. In 1002, it was mentioned in the will of Roger I, Count of Carcassonne, who bequeathed the fortress to his youngest child, Bernard. In effect, the family ruling over the region were installed here which allowed them to control access to the upper Ariège valley and to keep surveillance from this strategic point over the lower land, protected behind impregnable walls.
In 1034, the castle became capital of the County of Foix and played a decisive role in medieval military history. During the two following centuries, the castle was home to Counts with shining personalities who became the soul of the Occitan resistance during the crusade against the Albigensians.