Caerlaverock Castle - Dumfries, Dumfries & Galloway (HS)
One of the finest examples of early classical Renaissance building in Scotland and the chief seat of the Maxwell family. Caerlaverock Castle stands on the edge of Scotland, where the swift-flowing River Nith enters the salt marshes of the Solway Firth.
The lands of Caerlaverock were ruled over by the British lords of Nithsdale after the Romans abandoned their hold on Scotland around AD 400. By about 950 the Nithsdale lords had built a fort on the site that would later become the "old" castle. In around 1220, Alexander II of Scotland granted the lands to an incomer from the eastern Boarders, Sir John de Mccuswell (Maxwell). The Maxwells built the first castle, the old castle, but since it proved too small and prone to flooding lived in it for just 50 years. In around 1270, therefore, the Maxwells built a new castle, where they remained until 1640.
The "new" castle at Caerlaverock is one of Scotland's great medieval fortresses. Uniquely, it is triangular in shape, with three towers built integrally within the outer wall. In the middle ages its proximity to England brought it into frequent conflict, and in 1300 was placed under siege by Edward I.
The castle walls were rebuilt in the 1370s, after the Wars of Independence, and further alterations made to make the fortress more suitable for lordly living.
Between 1400 and the 1600s the original accommodation was drastically altered. In the 15th century the windows were modified, the high stone vaulted ceiling was replaced with a lower timber one and the portcullis chamber blocked up. In the 16th century, the present cross wall was inserted to create two smaller rooms and finally in the 17th century, a door was inserted at the east end to give access to the new apartments in the Nithsdale Lodging, completed in 1634.
Jacobean facade interior of the Nithsdale Lodging.
The siege of 1640, however, during the Civil War between Charles I and his Scotish subjects, proved to be the castle's last, and after the Royalist garrison surrendered to the Covenanters, Caerlaverock fell into disuse.
How to get to Caerlaverock Castle
For further information, check out this other interesting site of Caerlaverock Castle, The Caerlaverock Dig:
"In 1998, a team of archaeologists from
SUAT carried out an
excavation of the old castle site, on behalf of
Historic Scotland, and
they have returned this summer (1999) to continue their investigation. The purpose of the
dig is to provide information about the `old' castle and a possible harbour to its
south-west, so that the site can be set out and interpreted for visitors."