Dalhousie Castle

Dalhousie Castle today is an impressive castle hotel and spa. But the core of the hotel is a substantial 15th century tower house and courtyard incorporating aspects of a polygonal enclosure castle dating back to the 13th century. The castle occupies a clifftop site on the west side of the River South Esk, and any outworks have long since been lost to landscaping.

The castle was the home of the Ramsay family from the 12th century until 1900, and was occupied by the English for many years after the battle of Dunbar. At this point it was probably a simple quadrangular courtyard surrounded by a ditch, and which was rendered indefensible by the destruction of the south-eastern corner. The castle was only repossessed after Edward III abandoned his intent to conquer Scotland, and was strengthened with the addition of the round drum tower after a six month siege in 1400. It is to be assumed that the L-shaped tower keep was in existence by this time. The Ramsays continued to faithfully serve the crown, with lairds killed at Homildon Hill in 1402, Flodden in 1513, fighting for Queen Mary at Langside, and saving the life of King James VI in 1600. In 1648, after besieging it, Oliver Cromwell used the castle as his lowland base, by which time the courtyard area had been incorporated into a mansion that masked the old tower. Subsequently it was repeatedly remodelled into a purely domestic residence, although the courtyard wall and gatehouse remained to remind people of its warlike past. It fell into disrepair after the family relocated to Brechin Castle in the 18th century, and much of the interior layout is lost, although it remains a very impressive building.

Official Dalhousie Castle website

HES Canmore database entry