Castles in Scotland

Border feuds, not just with England, but also with their neighbors, spurred much of the architecture of Scottish castles. The tower house, built for two purposes-to serve as both a home and a defense against attack-was often the basis for further expansion into a full-blown castle. Some tower houses remained just that and mirror a harsh and dangerous way of life. If you'd like to stay in a Scottish castle, see our Castle Hotels in Scotland page.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z

Balvenie Castle    13th century curtain wall, added to in 15th and 16th centuries. Visited by Mary Queen of Scots. Dufftown, Grampian, Scotland, AB55 4DH Attraction Type: Castle Location: on B9014, off A941 Website: Balvenie Castle Phone: 01340 820 121 Historic Scotland Location map OS NJ326 408 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Blackness Castle    One of Scotland's most important strongholds. Built in 1440's, strengthened in 16th century as an artillery fortress; used as a Royal castle and also used as an ammunition depot in the 1870's. Blackness, Linlithgow, Fife, Central Scotland, Scotland, EH49 7NH Attraction Type: Castle Location: off A904, on B903 at Blackness, 4 m (6 km) N Linlithgow, on a promontory in the Forth estuary Website: Blackness Castle Phone: 01506 834 807 Location map OS NT055 083 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Bothwell Castle    Largest and finest 13th century stone castle in Scotland; part of the original circular deep survives; much of castle dates from 14th and 15th centuries. Bothwell, Uddingston, Strathclyde, Scotland, G71 8BL Attraction Type: Castle Location: at Bothwell, but approached from Uddingston, off M74/A725 near Glasgow Website: Bothwell Castle Phone: 01698 816 894 Historic Scotland Location map OS NS688 593 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

Burleigh Castle    Roofless, but otherwise complete ruin of tower house of 1500. Remarkable corner tower with square cap-house corbelled out. Visited many times by James IV. Milnathort, Tayside, Central Scotland, Scotland Attraction Type: Castle Location: half mile E of Milnathort, on A911 Website: Burleigh Castle Historic Scotland OS NO128 045 Heritage Rating:   ? Nearest attractions and accommodation     Nearest: hotels - cottages - Bed and Breakfasts

More Castles in Scotland

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P R S T U V W X Y Z

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Our Scotland Editor is Barbara Ballard
Contact her here. Photos in the Scotland Guide are copyright Barbara Ballard and the National Trust for Scotland.