Elcho Castle was originally the 13th century 'Elchoch', a place of strength mentioned in Blind Harry's 15th century epic Wallace. In 1429 Sir David Wemyss was of the lands of 'Elthok' and Sir John Wemyss refers to 'my place of Elchok' in 1501. Standing on the south bank of the River Tay, in the mid 16th century the Wemyss family of that Ilk, founded the stone Z-plan tower house. The long rectangular main block is flanked on the south-west angle by a square entrance tower and flanking the north side are two round towers crowned by corbelled turrets and a square tower. To the south, encased by a wall flanked by round angle towers to the fore and probably a ditch, was a courtyard with east and west ranges. Sadly all that remains, are part of the south-east angle tower, attached to a length of wall and the south gable plus foundations of the west range. With no trace of the earlier fortress and little attached history, the house was only an occasional country residence but it shows the transition from castle to mansion. Abandoned in the early 18th century but apart from a new roof and new window glazing in the 1830s, little has change since it was first built. 3 miles north-west is Kinfauns Castle and 9 miles south is Balvaird Castle.