Bothwell Castle, South Lanarkshire (Scotland)
Bothwell is Scotland's largest and finest 13th century castle
Introduction
Bothwell Castle is one of the outstanding monuments of medieval Scotland. Highlights include it's location – dramatically set beside a winding in the River Clyde, the 13th-century donjon – without parallel in Scotland, the 13th-century prison tower – a good example of the grimness of medieval prison life and the 14th-century great hall and chapel – impressive survivals from the period of the Black Douglases.
History to the present day
Bothwell Castle owes its origins to Walter of Moray, a northern aristocratic family who acquired Bothwell in 1242. He (or his son William, known as ‘the Rich’) created the mighty castle in a spectacular display of feudal pride.
The Morays envisaged a vast stone castle of enclosure covering 1.5 acres (0.75 hectares). This was to have had a mighty twin-towered entrance gatehouse and other circular towers projecting from its formidable curtain wall. Only the donjon, the main residential tower, was ever fully built. It measured 20m in diameter, and stood over 30m high. Although it was partially destroyed in 1337, it is still remarkably impressive – one of the greatest military works of medieval Scotland.
Their dream was never completed, probably because of the outbreak of the Wars of Independence in 1296.
Not surprisingly, the Morays’ great castle figured prominently in the Wars of Independence with England. Siege followed on siege. In August 1301, when the Wars of Independence with England were at their height, Bothwell endured a major siege. Edward I of England, ‘Hammer of the Scots’, brought 6,800 soldiers to the castle. A huge siege engine, called le berefrey (‘the belfry’), was hauled from Glasgow. It was a tall siege tower, with ladders inside to enable the attackers to fight their way onto the castle battlements. The garrison surrendered within the month.
After the last recorded siege in 1337, the mighty donjon was partially dismantled. The castle lay derelict until 1362, when Joanna Moray, heiress of Bothwell, married Archibald ‘the Grim’, 3rd Earl of Black Douglas. Archibald and Joanna completely rebuilt Bothwell to a different design. This included a lofty new tower house (now gone), with a great hall and chapel beside it. The hall and chapel still stand, and are impressive examples of later medieval castle architecture.
After the Black Douglases were overthrown in 1455, the castle reverted to the Crown, and its later history was relatively uneventful.
Arrival information and how to find us
Address: Bothwell Castle, South Lanarkshire, Scotland, , United Kingdom
Opening times:
1 April - 30 September: Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 9.30am - 5.30pm
1 October - 31 October: Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun 9.30am to 4.30pm
1 November - 31 March: Mon Tue Wed Sat Sun 9.30am to 4.30pm
Closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.
Admission prices:
Adult £3.70, Child £2.20, Concession £3.00
Public Transport:
By bus: Take bus no 255 from Glasgow Buchanan St bus station to Motherwell. Alight at Uddingston Cross approx. 1 km walk along Castle Avenue to castle.
By train: Glasgow Central to Motherwell and Lanark - service every 30 mins. Alight at Uddingston station walk up to the Main Street to Uddingston Cross then Castle Avenue - approx 1 mile.
