SCOTTISH

OS64 NS608596 In Castlemilk, just East of Machrie Drive, on knoll above pond. Nothing now remains of Castlemilk, a much-altered 15th C. keep extended to form a grand mansion. The original keep latterly formed the entrance block to the 19th C castellated structure, and was of three storeys with an added parapet and garret. The knoll was once separated from the top of the ridge by a deep ditch, filled in the 19thC. Originally these lands were known, as "Cassiltoun", being the castle town of the parish of Carmunnock, and an ancient motte in the woodland to the east at the head of a waterfall is one of several fortified sites within the old paris…

Monday, 27 February 2006, 11:52 GMT BBC News Big clan wrangle over tiny island Island I Vow is one of many small islands in Loch Lomond Descendants of a Scottish clan have launched a bid to reclaim ownership of a tiny island in Loch Lomond. The Clan MacFarlane Society is worried about the condition of Island I Vow between Tarbet and Ardlui, which was once an ancestral stronghold. It said the island, which is barely the size of a football pitch, was suffering at the hands of vandals. But a couple from Bo'ness, who are also Macfarlanes, believe they have the best claim on the island. They claimed ownership of the island several years ago using a legal…

From AH Millar, Castles and Mansions of Ayrshire 1885 FEW of our great historic families have held through the centuries a warmer place in the popular heart than that of Montgomerie. From the old ballad hero, Sir John, who took Hotspur captive with his own hands at Otterburn, and so won the niece of King Robert 11 for his bride, down to that thirteenth Earl who flashed upon our own century the light of all that was most gracious and poetic in the ancient chivalry, they were men of distinguished abilities and the most fervent patriotism. "The gude Schir Hew of Eglyntoun,"lamented in the verse of Dunbar, was one of our earliest bards; Alexander, the sixth Earl, "Greyst…

From “The Daily Telegraph”, 7th December 2005 The run of the Queen's estate The Queen is set to open the grounds of her Balmoral Castle in the Scottish Highlands to jogging holidaymakers. The offer, which will include two nights on the estate, is designed to help attract tourists to eastern Scotland and generate cash for the castle's running costs. For £186, visitors can stay in an annexe of the castle and enjoy guided jogs, individual coaching sessions and talks by guest speakers. Balmoral Castle was built by Queen Victoria in the 19th century and is Queen Elizabeth's summer residence. She usually spends 12 weeks there from August and invites her prime ministe…

One of my recent purchases.

From Scotland Today, 7th February 2006 Coming up Trumps for Scots castle American billionaire Donald Trump could be asked to help save a crumbling castle in the Western Isles. The flamboyant tycoon, who has island connections, is being linked with an ambitious plan to transform the historic Lewis Castle in Stornoway into a luxury hotel. The A listed castle is owned by the Western Isles Council which has backed a seven million pound plan to transform it into an eighteen room, four star hotel and museum. Councillors may invite billionaire property developer Donald Trump to join the project. Trump's mother, Mary MacLeod was from Lewis and was one of the many emigran…

Go to Castle Floorplans and Innerworkings for history and pics. Castle Levan

Go to Castle Floorplans and inner workings for history and pics. Mains Castle

How do you lose a castle site? A castle is a mass of stonework and mortar. Many people interested in castles start off by looking at romantic ruins and stately homes, but for me the attraction was a particular castle that had long since disappeared, gone beyond the ruinous, until even archeology might not be able to establish the site. A lost castle is quite simply a castle of which no discernable trace remains on modern maps, castle lists or at all. Some have skimpy remains, but they lie hidden awaiting rediscovery. Many of these, such as Robert The Bruce's Manor at Cardross in Dunbartonshire, Scotland, are physically, but not truly lost. Well documented, through the…

Castle Bits in Scotland Arch; A self supporting structure, usually rounded, though occasionally curved to a point at the apex. Used to support loads. Arrow Slots; Long vertical slots through a wall allowing use of a bow. Ashlar; Being of regularly sized and dressed block of stone, squared and even faced. Attic; Rooms within the roof space entirely below a gabled roof. Aumbry; Originally almry, a cupboard built within a wall, a recess usually above floor level; used to carry sacred vessels for mass then later used domestically. Bailey; A secondary defensible area enclosed by a ditch and palisade, usually containing subsidiary buildings. Usually larger than the…