Lochmaben Castle
Lochmaben’s magnificent ruins are a fine example of a 14th-century Z-plan Scottish tower house.
There have been two Lochmaben Castles. The first was built in the 1160s by the Bruce family, the Lords of Annandale. It was sited on top of a motte on the neck of land separating Castle Loch, to the south of today's and Kirk Loch, to its west. It is claimed that Robert Bruce was born in the original castle’s wooded keep (which is why the town adopted the motto From us is born the liberator king) on its coat of arms. However, this is thought to have been replaced by a stone structure by the time the castle was captured by Edward I of England in 1298.
Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, with the assistance of the Earls of March and Douglas took Lochmaben Castle from the English and ‘razed it to the ground’ around 1384-5. The castle and barony became a possession of the Earls of March, but when the 10th Earl was forfeited and then reinstated, in 1409. Following this Lochmaben remained important and had a turbulent history until after 1600 by which time the castle had seen its last siege and was gradually abandoned.
Today, the castle is under the care of Historic Scotland and you can use the sites Historic Scotland information board to begin to understand how the pieces of the castle worked together.
Contact
Mr
Graeme
Bowie
Lochmaben
Nr Lockerbie
Dumfries & Galloway
DG11 1JE
Scotland
Tel: +44 (131) 6688800
Fax: +44 (131) 6688888
E-Mail: hs.explorer@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
