Claypotts Castle
Encyclopedia
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
located in the suburban West Ferry area of Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
, Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
History
The castle was originally built by John Strachan around the period of 1569 and 1588 according to dates inscribed on stones that make up parts of the castle, which make its construction longer than usual for such a small building. The land on which the castle was built was originally leased by the Strachan family from Tironensian Abbey of LindoresLindores Abbey
Lindores Abbey was a Tironensian abbey on the outskirts of Newburgh in Fife, Scotland. Now a much reduced and overgrown ruin, it lies on the southern banks of the River Tay, about north of the village of Lindores....
starting in the early sixteenth century.
In 1601 the Strachan family sold the castle to Sir William Graham of Ballunie
William Graham
William Graham may refer to:In politics and government:* Sir William de Graham, 12th century Scottish knight* William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose , Scottish nobleman* William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose , Scottish nobleman...
who later sold it to Sir William Graham of Claverhouse
William Graham
William Graham may refer to:In politics and government:* Sir William de Graham, 12th century Scottish knight* William Graham, 1st Earl of Montrose , Scottish nobleman* William Graham, 2nd Earl of Montrose , Scottish nobleman...
. The castle became the property of the crown in 1689 after the death of the then current owner Viscount Dundee John Graham of Claverhouse
John Graham, 1st Viscount of Dundee
John Graham of Claverhouse, 1st Viscount Dundee , known as the 7th Laird of Claverhouse until raised to the viscounty in 1688, was a Scottish soldier and nobleman, a Tory and an Episcopalian...
at the battle of Killiecrankie
Battle of Killiecrankie
-References:*Reid, Stuart, The Battle of Kiellliecrankkie -External links:* *...
.
James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas
James Douglas, 2nd Marquess of Douglas was the son of Archibald Douglas, Earl of Angus and 1st Earl of Ormonde, and Lady Anne Stuart....
. The castle later became the property of his son the Duke of Douglas and after his death in 1761 became the subject of a legal battle for the next eight years until the courts ruled Archibald Douglas
Archibald Douglas
Archibald Douglas may refer to:*Archibald I, Lord of Douglas *Sir Archibald Douglas, Guardian of Scotland. *Archibald the Grim,Lord of Galloway and 3rd Earl of Douglas,...
to be heir. Ownership later passed to the 13th Earl of Home
Charles Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home
Charles Cospatrick Archibald Douglas-Home, 13th Earl of Home KT was the father of British Prime Minister, Alec Douglas-Home.Charles was born in 1873, the son of Charles Douglas-Home, 12th Earl of Home...
through marriage who later gifted the castle to the state in 1926. It is now in the care of Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland
Historic Scotland is an executive agency of the Scottish Government, responsible for historic monuments in Scotland.-Role:As its website states:...
Architecture
The castle consists of projecting towers at opposite sides of a rectangular main block known as a z-plan tower houseTower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation.-History:Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountain or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strategic points with reduced forces...
. This was a popular design in the sixteenth century and allowed for defenders to fire along the faces of the main block from both towers. Although it is doubtful that the castle would have had much of a role to play in defence due to the domestic scale of the castle.