Bothwell Castle

Castle Avenue, Uddingston, Lanarkshire, G71 8BL

01698 816 894
 

Overview

Explore a castle hotly fought over during the Wars of Independence with England. Bothwell Castle, built on a grand scale in the late 1200s, frequently passed back and forth between English and Scottish hands.

Such hostility – in particular Edward I’s great siege of 1301 – meant the castle was never completed to its original plan. Yet, with its imposing donjon, it’s one of Scotland’s most impressive medieval strongholds standing today.

What to see and do

  • Admire Bothwell’s dramatic location by a winding curve in the River Clyde
  • Marvel at the 13th-century donjon, a circular keep tower that’s without parallel in Scotland
  • Shudder at the grimness of medieval prisons as you take in the prison tower
  • Step inside the 14th-century chapel, an impressive remnant of the days of the Black Douglases
  • The adjacent semi-natural woodland is full of flowers in spring 
  • There is access to the Clyde Walkway
  • Explore the castle with our fun fact-finding quiz
Historic Scotland

Opening times

Due to access restrictions in place as a precautionary measure while we undertake high level masonry inspections, there is currently no visitor access to this site.

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