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CastleUK Blog 2011
 The blog page, a place where I can record and then archive my monthly updates and what's new in our hunt for castles UK.
Of this months Scottish castles, are from Perthshire.
March its been a funny old month, first my modem broke so no internet, I was like a little boy lost. What do you do, I had to watch TV, couldn't get a new one before we went on holiday. Luckily the house next door had my new modem when we got back, so I'm back online but I've found it hard to get back into the website or anything else. So here we are late with the blog but never mind, there's always next month.
Always happy days ahead, Chris.
For more information, click on the pictures.
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 Dover Castle, OS 179/TR 325-419 Kent England, is this months wallpaper, its my Easter wallpaper and I like the picture to include a church.
The picture was taken in September 2006 and the view of the Roman Pharos and the Saxon church of St Mary in Castro. Taken from the top of the keep, the picture looks south and just above the church tower, you can see the coast line of France. |
 Caisteal Dubh, OS 52/NN 947-589 Perthshire Scotland.
Is an early 14th century rectangular stone courtyard fortress, founded by Sir John Campbell of Lochow. Possibly built on the site of an earlier fortification, it stood at the end of a low peninsula, that jutted out into a loch. Now encased by cultivated fields and its fragmented walls are flanked by the remains of round towers, on the north-west and south-west angles.
The site is visible from the road, nice bits of stone walls here, that need a closer look. |
 Elcho Castle, OS 53/NO 164-211 Perthshire Scotland.
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.
The site is owned by Historic Scotland and is open daily, April to September 9:30-5:30pm, big old tower here, with lots of floors and rooms, it's a good one. |
 Huntingtower, OS 53/NO 083-251 Perthshire Scotland.
Was originally the early 15th century House of Ruthven, a stone rectangular keep founded by the Ruthven family. Its three storeys and garret, are crowned by a corbelled-out parapet and when a western L-plan tower house was built in late 15th or 16th century, the keep was also remodelled. Almost but not quite touching, the main block of the tower house is of four storeys and garret, the wing is a storey higher and both have a corbelled-out parapet. The two towers flanked a strong walled barmkin and in the late 16th century, a great hall was attached to the north side of the keep. But following the 'Gowrie Conspiracy' of 1600, Ruthven was granted to William Murray, earl of Dysart and renamed Huntingtower.
The site is owned by Historic Scotland and is open daily, April to September 9:30-5:30pm, October 9:30-4:30pm, Saturday to Wednesday November to March 9:30-4:30pm, another good tower or towers here, it's a must. |
 Kinfauns Castle, OS 53/NO 150-226 Perthshire Scotland.
Was originally a medieval stone fortress, founded by the Charteris family. Kinfauns was the family seat from the 14th century but the character or date of the earlier castle is not known. The present building is a large two storey Gothic mansion, with three storey towers, a tall central tower and a large terrace with angle bastions. Designed by Sir Robert Smirke in 1822, it stands on the site of its predecessor.
The site is private with no right-to-roam and the view from Elcho Castle is very restricted, spotted the castle on the way to Elcho, I don't know if there's a better view but it's a rebuild so this view is enough for me. |
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