Cumbernauld Castle

Cumbernauld Castle was an impressive castle built by the Fleming family in the late 14th century on the site of an earlier castle of the Comyns. The castle was badly damaged in the 17th century and completely removed circa 1731, when Cumbernauld House was built on the site.

Although a mound to the north-east of the house is supposed to be the old castle motte, it is in fact a 19th century memorial, and extensive landscaping has destroyed any indication as to what the area looked like previously. The castle of the Flemings may well have been a courtyard castle or a large tower with associated courtyard, which had by the late 16th century been extended to form a substantial Z-plan tower house. This coincided with the erection of the Fleming lands into a single barony in 1588. The Flemings were supporters of the Covenant, but were not active in the civil wars of the mid 17th century. Despite this, Cromwell targeted the castle in 1650, and this may have damaged the buildings to the extent that they were abandoned afterwards. Today the house and castle site is not accessible to the public, but the wider grounds are.

HES Canmore database entry
Webpage of the Friends of Cumbernauld House Park