Castles in Scotland

British Culture: Scotland's Best Castles

Best Castles in Scotland

Scotland has many historical castles evoking the mystery and intrigue of times past.

Think of Shakespeare's Macbeth and you can realize the lingering fascination of Scotland's scores of romantic and rugged fortresses.

Haunted, located by the side of an ancient loch and with a deep dungeon are the popular stereotypes of a Scottish castle.

Edinburgh Castle, Scotland. — Edinburgh Castle, Scotland

Ardvreck Castle, Scotland. — Ardvreck Castle, Scotland

History of Castles in Scotland

Scotland escaped the frantic Norman building of castles in England and Wales.

Castle-building in Scotland largely began in the 12th century. Before that castles were mostly tower houses, fortified residences for the lairds or Scottish aristocracy.

David I of Scotland, who spent time at the English court is thought to have brought back the idea of increasing central control of his kingdom by building castles.

During the 15th century, there was a widespread construction and restoration of so-called "Renaissance" castles in Scotland: Edinburgh, Holyrood, Falkland, Stirling among them.

With the unification of Scotland and England in the early 17th century castle construction largely ceased.

That was until the late eighteenth and nineteenth centuries when the Gothic Revival and increased prosperity for the Scottish elite saw the building of such castle palaces as Culzean Castle and Inveraray Castle.

The rebuilding of the royal residence of Balmoral Castle is an important example of this trend towards the opulent and showy.

Ardvreck Castle

Ardvreck Castle is a ruined fortress on a small promontory of land jutting out into Loch Assynt in Sutherland, Scotland.

Located under the brooding bulk of Quinag, Ardvreck Castle was the traditional seat of the MacLeods of Assynt.

Ardvreck Castle was built by Angus Mor III in the late 16th century. All that remains are a tower and a connected piece of wall. However, in its heyday, the castle was much larger as can be seen from the surviving foundations.

The promontory is sometimes cut off by high water, leaving Ardvreck on its very own small island.

Edinburgh Castle

Like a vigilant guardian, the impressive fortress of Edinburgh Castle sits above the city of Edinburgh on an extinct volcano. Originally built in 1130 CE by King David I, the Castle represents over 800 years of Scottish history and is a World Heritage site.

All visitors can take a free guided tour around the palace where they can see the Great Hall built in 1511 CE and the state rooms where Queen Marie de Guise died in 1560 CE and her daughter Mary Queen of Scots gave birth to James VI six years later.

Castle Hill, Edinburgh, EH1 2NG

Eilean Donan Castle, Western Scottish Highlands

The romantic Eilean Donan graces a thousand postcards and is famous all round the world. Probably the most photographed castle in Britain, Eilean Donan is located on a small island in Loch Duich in the Scottish Highlands.

Reached by a narrow spit of land, Eilean Donan Castle was besieged on several occasions. There are fine furnishings in the interior, but Eilean Donan's fabulous location is the main draw.

Dornie, Kyle Of Lochalsh, Inverness, IV40 8DX

Balmoral Castle

Balmoral Castle is one of the summer residences of the royal family.

The original castle was purchased in 1852 by Prince Albert, the husband of Queen Victoria. It was subsequently demolished and the present royal palace built in its wake. Balmoral is within the Cairngorms National Park.

Other royal residences include Sandringham in Norfolk, Windsor Castle and Buckingham Palace in London.

Balmoral Estates, Ballater, Aberdeenshire, AB35 5TB

Dunnottar Castle

Dunnottar Castle is a semi-ruined, mainly 16th century castle on the coast near Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.

The castle has a long and rather violent history. It was owned by the Keith family, the earls of Marischal, before passing to the Viscounts Cowdray, in the early 20th century. They still own the castle.

Dunvegan Castle

The seat of the MacLeod clan, Dunvegan Castle on the Isle of Skye dates from the 13th century though it was completely remodelled in the 19th in Scottish baronial style.

The castle stands on the shore of Loch Dunvegan, a sea loch. Inside visitors can see various ancient heirlooms of the MacLeods including the Dunvegan Cup, the Fairy Flag, and Sir Rory Mor's Horn.

The Fairy Fag is a silk cloth of unknown provenance with associations of magic and Celtic myths. Sir Rory Mor's Horn is a drinking horn that would be filled with wine and drained in a single shot as a sign of manhood by the leaders of the clan.

Also on display are a lock of Bonnie Prince Charlie's hair and his waistcoat - gifts from Flora MacDonald's granddaughter.

The ornamental gardens are a further delight with wonderful views of the loch on a clear day.

Glamis Castle

Glamis Castle is mentioned in Shakespeare's Macbeth, indeed at the beginning of the play, Macbeth is Thane of Glamis, later becoming Thane of Cawdor and then King of Scotland according to the witches' prophecy following the murder of Duncan in Inverness Castle.

It is located in Strathmore, near Forfar with its history going back to the 14th century.

What we see today owes much to improvements made in the 18th century by the wealthy John Lyon, 9th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne.

Glamis, Forfar, Angus, DD8 1RJ

Stirling Castle

Stirling Castle in Stirling is one of the largest castles in Scotland. The present buildings date mostly from the 15th-16th centuries.

The castle was long associated with the Scottish royal family. Mary, Queen of Scots, was crowned here in 1542.

Robert the Bruce's decisive victory over the English at Bannockburn in 1314 took place within sight of the castle. A statue to this great Scottish hero stands within the grounds.

Inveraray Castle

Inveraray Castle is located in Argyll, western Scotland, on the shore of Loch Fyne. It is the seat of the Dukes of Argyll and has been since the 18th century.

The present building dates from the 18th century and is constructed in the Gothic Revival style.

Set in large grounds, the castle is a popular tourist attraction.

Inveraray, Argyll, PA32 8XF

Blair Castle

Blair Castle is close to the village of Blair Atholl in Perthshire.

The castle is the traditional seat of the Murray clan. The castle is traditionally guarded by the Atholl Highlanders - the sole legal private army left in Europe.

Set in large grounds the castle is known for its luxurious rooms, containing important collections of furniture, paintings, and weapons.

The grounds contain the second-tallest tree in Britain, a 62.7 metre-tall Grand fir.

Blair Atholl, Pitlochry, Perthshire, PH18 5TL

Scalloway Castle

Scalloway Castle in Scalloway, on the Shetland Islands, was built by forced labour between 1599 and 1607.

It was carefully positioned to control the safe anchorage and the fertile farmlands to the north. It was occupied for less than a century and is now roofless, although the stark ruins still dominate the skyline.

It remains one of only two castles built in Shetland.

Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business. — Goods From Japan delivered to your home or business

Urquhart Castle

Urquhart Castle is a ruined 13th century castle on the western shores of Loch Ness south of Inverness in the Scottish Highlands.

The original castle was Medieval but the ruins we see today date from the 13th to the 16th centuries. It is one of the largest castles in Scotland by area and one of the most visited in Scotland after Edinburgh Castle and Stirling Castle.

Castle of Mey

The Castle of Mey was the late Queen Mother's favourite holiday home. The 16th century Castle of Mey is located on Scotland's north coast, looking out over the Pentland Firth to the Orkney Islands. The castle guides, many of whom worked for the Queen Mother, are happy to entertain visitors with affectionate anecdotes from her summers here. Her green fingers nurtured the walled gardens, protected from the severe gales and salt spray by high brick walls, and are full of her favourite roses as well as marigolds, pansies, nasturtiums and dahlias.

Duart Castle

Dating originally from the 13th century, Duart Castle on Mull has a long and somewhat turbulent history. It is now back in the hands of the Maclean clan and was restored in 1912 after lying empty for well over a century. There's a dungeon, the courtyard, a tearoom and those wonderful views from the battlements. The castle can also be hired for "exclusive weddings" and other events.

Across Duart Bay lies Torosay Castle. Sadly it is no longer open to the public and the miniature steam railway that ran to the castle and the ferry, the Isle of Mull Railway, is also no longer running and the rails have been taken up. It is possible to walk the track where the railway once was, however.

St Andrews Castle

St Andrews Castle in St Andrews, Scotland is now a ruin located on a spectacular rocky outcrop overlooking the sea. The castle, along with the nearby ruined cathedral are important places in the history of Scotland in general and its bloody Reformation in particular. The history of the castle goes back to the late 12th and early 13th centuries when Bishop Roger of St Andrews first built his episcopal palace on the site. It was used as such until the bloody years of the Scottish Reformation in the 1550s and 1560s.

Craigievar Castle

Renowned for its distinctive pink hue and intricate Jacobean architecture, Craigievar Castle features stepped gables, turrets, and ornate corbelling. Originally constructed by William Forbes, a prosperous merchant, the castle has retained much of its original charm and character over the centuries. In particular, the crafted plasterwork ceilings are known for their beauty. Indeed, Craigievar Castle is often considered one of the best-preserved examples of its kind. It is now in the hands of the National Trust for Scotland.

Broughty Castle

Broughty Castle in Dundee, Scotland is an historic castle dating from the 15th century. The fortress is located on the banks of the River Tay in Broughty Ferry, a pleasant and once very prosperous suburb of Dundee. Built in 1496, the castle is a good example of late medieval military architecture. It was constructed as a coastal defense tower by the Douglas family, specifically by Andrew, 2nd Lord Gray. Gray received permission from King James IV to erect the structure to protect against potential invasions, particularly from England.

Culzean Castle

Culzean Castle is a dramatic clifftop masterpiece and an 18th-century architectural gem designed by Robert Adam. It also has a historic connection to US President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

Located in South Ayrshire, Scotland, it blends grand Georgian style with a vast surrounding country park. The castle is perched dramatically on rugged Ayrshire cliffs overlooking the Firth of Clyde, offering clear views toward the island of Arran and Ailsa Craig.