Cadzow Castle

Sir James Hamilton of Finnart may have built Cadzow Castle when he was made guardian of his younger, legitimate half-brother the 2nd Earl of Arran in 1529. The earl himself likely completed the work in 1542–54.

The Hamiltons were the Scottish royal dynasty that never was. One of the greatest noble houses in Scotland, the earls of Arran were just one step removed from the crown.

Their chief seat was at Hamilton Castle in the valley below Cadzow Castle, and it’s likely that Cadzow was a part of military activity in the area in the mid-1500s. A rare example of a ‘hidden’ castle, Cadzow was intended as a place of last resort.

The Hamiltons were key power figures during the reign of Mary Queen of Scots, though they were not always in royal favour. They were among those who rebelled against the queen following her marriage to Lord Darnley, causing Mary to seize Hamilton Castle and nearby Craignethan in 1565.

But following Mary’s forced abdication in 1567, the Hamiltons formed the core of her support. Hamilton Castle changed hands in 1568, 1570 and was demolished in 1579, with the help of cannons from Edinburgh Castle, It’s likely Cadzow met a similar fate.

The castle lay abandoned until James, 5th Duke of Hamilton, built an ornate banqueting house and hunting lodge on the opposite side of the river in the 1730s.

The picturesque castle remains became an exciting feature of the surrounding gardens and parkland. The walls on its north side were artificially raised, and clay was used to waterproof the structures.

Another notable feature of the landscape are the Cadzow oaks, which still stand nearby are even older than the castle - they date back to the 1400s.

Among those impressed and inspired by the romantic ruins was Sir Walter Scott, who penned a lament for Cadzow, or Cadyow, Castle where the ‘mirth and music’ of former days have been replaced by the river’s roar.

You can listen to a recording of 'Faded Fame' below.