Claypotts Castle, Dundee (Perthshire)
An outstanding example of 16th-century Scottish architecture.
Introduction
An outstanding example of 16th-century Scottish architecture, which is both intact and hardly altered.
The castle owes its striking appearance to asymmetrical square garrett chambers corbelled out over two circular towers at diagonally opposite corners.
Built by John Strachan between 1569 and 1588, and later owned by ‘Bonnie Dundee’, John Graham of Claverhouse, it was inhabited into the 19th century.
History to the present day
The castle was originally built by John Strachan around the period of 1569 and 1588 according to dates inscribed on stones that make up parts of the castle, which make its construction longer than usual for such a small building. The land on which the castle was built was originally leased by the Strachan family from Tironensian Abbey of Lindores starting in the early sixteenth century.
In 1601 the Strachan family sold the castle to Sir William Graham of Ballunie who later sold it to Sir William Graham of Claverhouse. The castle became the property of the crown in 1689 after the death of the then current owner Viscount Dundee John Graham of Claverhouse at the battle of Killiecrankie.
Claypotts CastleIn 1694 the castle was gifted to James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas. The castle later became the property of his son the Duke of Douglas and after his death in 1761 became the subject of a legal battle for the next eight years until the courts ruled Archibald Douglas to be heir. Ownership later passed to the 13th Earl of Home through marriage who later gifted the castle to the state in 1926. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland.
Arrival information and how to find us
Address: , Perthshire, , United Kingdom
Claypotts Castle is located off the A92 E of Dundee at Claypotts Junction.
