Lochmaben Castle

Lochmaben Castle Details

Lochmaben Castle, a ruined C13 courtyard castle of Edward I built near the C12 earthwork castle of the Bruces. Abandoned C17.

  • Closest To: Lochmaben, Lockerbie
  • Access: Free Public Access
  • Grid Reference: NY088812

A new castle of Lochmaben was built in 1299 to replace the old motte of the Bruces, now surrounded by the golf course. The location of this castle is unknown, but it may have been on the location of the later stone castle that stands to the south of the loch today. This castle was built at the instruction of Edward I of England, and despite multiple attacks, appears to have remained in English hands until the 1380s, when King Robert granted the lands to the Earl of March. March and the earl of Douglas had razed the English fortifications, and it is unlikely that March had rebuilt it before his forfeiture in 1409.

Instead the crown built a new castle at Lochmaben, perhaps utilising the old English fortifications. Built largely on a promontory jutting into the loch, the outermost defence was a ditch and bank isolating the promontory, and enclosing an area perhaps 300 metres square. This outer bailey was probably the location of the English army mustering point. LIDAR suggests that three wet ditches, separated by narrow ramparts, may have isolated the promontory proper, although this is uncertain. A polygonal middle bailey served as the outer ward of the castle, and then a final wet ditch separated the end of the promontory, containing the masonry courtyard. At each end of this final ditch, stone walls crossed it, providing flanking fire to a centrally placed bridge and gate. The ruins inside are substantial but fragmentary, making them impossible to interpret further. It remained in use until the end of the 16th century as a royal stronghold, when it was abandoned.

Official Historic Scotland page

HES Canmore database entry – old castle
HES Canmore database entry – new castle

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