Ravenscraig Castle (Scotland)
Begun for James II in 1460, the castle consists of two round towers linked by a cross range.
Introduction
On a rocky 100ft cliff promontory between the Fife towns of Kirkcaldy and Dysart stands the impressive double towered royal ruin of Ravenscraig castle, planned by King James II of Scots (1437-1460) on land originally held by the Ramsay family. On three sides it was protected by the sea, while on the landward side there was a great dry ditch, now partly infilled giving a false impression of the original defenses. The name Ravenscraig appears to relate to the rock crag or craig where ravens gathered hence 'Ravens-Craig' and as a name seems to pre-date the construction of the castle.
The castle is accessable at all reasonable times.
History to the present day
Ravenscraig was started in March of 1460 and finished four years later by James II. The plan was to build two drum shaped towers with a gun platform connecting them. The east tower is 43 feet in diameter and the west is 38 feet. The west tower is assumed to be the Queen Mary of Gueldres's residence after the death of James II.
In 1470 the castle was sold to Lord St. Clair. The payment was in the form of an estate in Kirkwall and a title in the Orkneys.
During the 1650-51 invasion of Scotland by English forces under Oliver Cromwell, Ravenscraig was invaded, attacked and damaged. The castle remained in the ownership of the Sinclairs, who built nearby Dysart House (1755-1756) on the estate, and later passed to the Sinclair-Erskines, Earls of Rosslyn. The estate and castle remained in the family until they were sold in 1896, by the 5th Earl, to linoleum magnate Sir Michael Nairn.
The castle was used as an ammunition depot during the First World War. In 1929, 85 acres (34 ha) of the estate, including the castle, was given to the town of Kirkcaldy as a public park. Ravenscraig Castle was passed into state care in 1955 and has been open to the public by the owners Historic Scotland since 1971. It is now managed by Historic Scotland, and is protected as a Scheduled Ancient Monument, and a category A listed building.
