 | This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (May 2014) |
| Bothwell Castle | |
|---|---|
| Bothwell, South Lanarkshire, Scotland grid reference NS688593 | |
 South-east tower of the castle | |
 Shown within Scotland | |
  Bothwell Castle | |
| Coordinates | 55°48′34″N 4°05′42″W / 55.8094549°N 4.0950432°W |
| Type | Castle of enceinte |
| Site information | |
| Owner | Historic Environment Scotland |
| Controlled by | De Moravia family England Earl of Douglas Earl of Angus |
| Open to the public | Yes |
| Condition | Ruined |
| Site history | |
| Built | Begun 13th century |
| Built by | Walter de Moravia |
| Materials | Coursed red sandstone rubble |
Bothwell Castle is a large medieval castle, sited on a high, steep bank, above a bend in the River Clyde in South Lanarkshire, Scotland. It is located between Bothwell and Uddingston, about 10 miles (16 km) south-east of Glasgow. Construction of the castle was begun in the 13th century by the ancestors of Clan Murray, to guard a strategic crossing point of the Clyde. Bothwell played a key role in Scotland's Wars of Independence, changing hands several times.
The huge cylindrical donjon was built in the 13th century, but before the rest of the castle was completed it was severely damaged in a series of sieges. Rebuilding in the early 15th century enlarged the castle, but it was abandoned by the 18th century. The present ruin is rectangular, with the remains of the donjon to the west, and the later Great Hall to the east. The courtyard is enclosed by long curtain walls, with round towers at the south-east and south-west corners. The castle was described by Scottish archaeologist William Douglas Simpson as one of the "foremost secular structures of the Middle Ages in Scotland".[1]
- ^ Rutherford & Malcolm 2011, p. 189