Bothwell Castle, Scotland: Your Ultimate Guide to This Historic Clyde Fortress

So, after soaking up all that history at  Newark Castle, he headed to Bothwell Castle.  After we explored the bothwell castle we sat outside the castle to enjoy the big, open field right in front of the castle. However, as soon as we took a seat, two puppies came bounding straight for us. My partner, who is totally a dog person (the complete opposite of me, haha), was instantly charming. I, on the other hand, stayed perfectly still while these little fluffy bundles of energy jumped all around us, clearly eyeing our biscuits. 

The best part of this entire encounter? One of the pups belonged to this lovely elderly man, 83 years old, who slowly walked over when he saw his dog had made a new friend. The other puppy's owner was a sweet little Scottish lassie who ran over, probably a bit embarrassed her dog had zoomed off. We got chatting with her and introduced ourselves, and honestly, she was such a polite and respectful little girl—her parents are definitely doing an amazing job. 

The older gentleman then joined us, sitting down while we were still standing and feeding his dog some biscuits. He told us his dog loves to eat and eats a lot, and we just chatted for a bit. Turns out, this is his third dog, and all three previous dogs have been the exact same breed and color, and he's named them all the same name. He mentioned something that really stuck with me: He said "Just maybe this present dog might outlive him." Wow, right? He's from a family of blacksmiths and has an engineering background—just a genuinely lovely old man, although he did seem a bit lonely, which he kind of mentioned but he is a good-looking man. He mentioned having grandchildren, or a grandchild, if I remember correctly. After a heartwarming chat, we said our goodbyes and headed off.

Well, that wholesome dog encounter happened  after we were done exploring Bothwell Castle. We rolled up and, thanks to our trusty Historic Scotland membership, we got in for free – love that. From the exterior, the castle appears enormous, leading us to believe that we would spend a significant amount of time exploring every corner. Turns out, we didn't quite spend as much time as we expected.

Some parts of Bothwell Castle aren't in the best condition, but when you think about it, the castle itself is a whopping 800 years old. That's ancient. So, it's more about taking in the sheer scale and history of the ruins from within the compound. You can't actually go into many of the rooms because parts have fallen away, and for safety, which is totally understandable given its age. We even met another lovely elderly man at the entrance who was out for a walk with his neighbor, and he gave us a little impromptu history lesson about the castle. It's those little moments with locals that truly enrich a trip, don't you think?

It's a huge medieval fortress, perched dramatically on a high, steep bank right above a bend in the  River Clyde  in  South Lanarkshire. It sits perfectly between the towns of Bothwell and Uddingston, only about 10 miles southeast of Glasgow.

All About Bothwell Castle

Seriously, if you're planning to travel to Scotland and searching for places to visit, Bothwell Castle absolutely needs to be on your list because it is also a lovely picnic location during the summer. This wasn't just any old castle; it was built back in the 13th century by the ancestors of  Clan Murray  to guard a super strategic crossing point of the Clyde. Talk about important.

This castle played a key role in Scotland's intense Wars of Independence. Can you believe it changed hands  several times  during those turbulent years? Imagine the drama.

The massive cylindrical donjon (that's the big round tower) was built first in the 13th century. But before the rest of the castle could even be finished, it got severely damaged in a series of brutal sieges. Eventually, in the early 15th century, they rebuilt and expanded it, but by the 18th century, they simply abandoned it. What we see today is a cool rectangular ruin, with the incredible remains of that donjon to the west and the later Great Hall to the east. Long curtain walls enclose the courtyard, with those classic round towers at the southeast and southwest corners. A Scottish archaeologist,  William Douglas Simpson , even called it one of the "foremost secular structures of the Middle Ages in Scotland." High praise indeed.

A Whirlwind of Sieges & Royal Drama

The land Bothwell sits on was originally granted to  David Olifard in the mid-12th century , eventually passing to  Walter de Moray , who started building this impressive castle. But by the time the  Wars of Scottish Independence  kicked off in 1296, only the main donjon, the prison tower, and a short connecting wall were complete, probably defended by a wooden fence.

Then,  King Edward I of England  marched in, seized Bothwell, and an English garrison held it. But the Scots, being Scots, laid siege for 14 whole months from 1298-1299 and eventually won it back. Edward I wasn't having that, so he returned in 1301 with a massive force and even special siege mechanisms to recapture it. Bothwell became its headquarters in Scotland for years.

After  Robert the Bruce's  epic victory at  Bannockburn  in 1314,  Bothwell  gave shelter to some English nobles. But the castle's constable,  Sir Walter FitzGilbert , smartly surrendered it to the approaching Scots. For that, he was granted the barony of Cadzow, and his descendants became the super powerful  Hamilton family .  The Scots then famously "slighted" (or deliberately dismantled) the castle after its surrender so the English couldn't use it again.

But wait, there's more. In 1336, the English were back, this time under  Edward III . He had the castle repaired and made it his Scottish HQ again. But the very next year, Sir Andrew Murray, the rightful owner, recaptured it, using siege engines  again.  And guess what he did? He "slighted" it  again , pulling down the west side of the donjon and tumbling it right into the Clyde so it couldn't be reoccupied by the enemy. Talk about making a point. The castle remained derelict for decades after that.

The Douglases and Later History

Bothwell's story took another turn in 1362 when Joan Moray of Bothwell, the heiress, married  Archibald Douglas , nicknamed "the Grim." He started rebuilding Bothwell, repairing that donjon and completing the walls. His son, also Archibald, continued the work, adding the Great Hall and a chapel, with more towers and curtain walls, completing the courtyard by 1424.

Then came the fall of the "Black" Douglases in 1455, and the castle went back to the crown, passed through various hands, and eventually reverted to the Douglases again. Later, the 1st Earl of Forfar, Archibald Douglas, actually started building a  new  mansion nearby and even demolished the castle's north-east tower for its stone. (His house is gone now, too, thanks to mining subsidence.)

After 1715, the castle ended up with the senior line of the Douglas family and then the Earls of Home. Finally, in 1935, the 13th Earl generously put Bothwell into state care. It's now managed by Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument and was open to the public until 2020 when it closed due to safety issues. Always check their website for the most current visiting information, as things can change.

What to Expect: Design & Importance

Even though it was never fully completed to its original grand design, Bothwell Castle's layout is similar to other mighty strongholds like Coucy and Dirleton, with its impressive round keep or donjon. That keep, even in ruins, was originally 82 feet high and 62 feet in diameter, with walls a whopping 15 feet thick. With further additions like thick walls and a powerful gatehouse, it was truly considered "one of the most important military strongholds in Scotland."

So, while you can't walk through every room of Bothwell Castle today, standing within its massive walls, looking at those incredible ruins, and imagining the fierce battles and royal intrigue that happened here is an experience you won't forget. Seriously, if you're plotting a trip to Scotland, make sure to add Bothwell Castle to your list of places to visit. You won't regret soaking in this much history.

Lastly, and this is a huge point for me, Bothwell Castle is hands down the neatest castle I have ever been to so far in Scotland. The entire environment is just incredibly well-kept – I mean, really well-kept. Not a single piece of litter anywhere, and even the ancient walls look clean. We actually had to stop and commend the lovely lady at the entrance because, wow, the dedication shows. So, for now, I'm officially awarding Bothwell Castle the title of the most tidy, oldest castle in Scotland. Seriously impressive.

Address :  Castle Ave, Uddingston, Bothwell, Glasgow G71 8BL

These photos were taken on the 11th of June 2025 from 2:48 pm to 3:55 pm

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Scotland, Travel, United kingdom