Bothwell Castle red sandstone walls and round towers above a green lawn

THE UNFINISHED FORTRESS · CLYDE

Bothwell Castle

A great tower broken by war. A castle that was never finished.

CASTLESCOTLAND

Share this castle

Bothwell Castlecastlescotland.app

Share this guide or save the link.

WhatsAppFacebookXEmailPinterest

 

Get directionsPhotos

PLAN YOUR VISIT

Tickets, opening hours & parking

Check current access before travelling

Castle Avenue, Uddingston, South Lanarkshire, G71 8BL

TICKETS£4.50

Reduced prices reflect current conservation restrictions. Confirm the live rates and access before visiting.

View current prices

Adult£4.50

Concession£3.50

Child (7–15)£2.50

Historic Scotland membersFree

OPENING & ACCESSOpening

Historic Environment Scotland currently opens Tuesday to Saturday, with a lunch closure. Check the official page before travelling.

PARKING & ARRIVALParking options

Parking information

Parking charge not confirmed

A small car park is about 160 m from the entrance. The approach is mostly level, over grass and concrete; accessible spaces are on tarmac.

Google MapsApple Maps
Parking guidance confirmed

Parking sources checked · 11 October 2026

Suggest a parking update
ACCESSIBILITYAccess

The donjon, south-east tower and great hall are currently closed during conservation work. Much of the castle and grounds remains accessible.

HONEST VERDICTIs it worth visiting?

The scale of the donjon, spacious courtyard and setting above the Clyde make Bothwell memorable even with the current access restrictions. Allow time for the grounds as well as the ruins.

MANAGED BYHistoric Environment Scotland

WHAT TO EXPECT

  • Access
  • A bend in the River Clyde
  • Ticketed · partial access

01 / THE STORY

Bothwell Castle: history and highlights

Bothwell Castle stands above a bend in the River Clyde. Its enormous round donjon was the centrepiece of an ambitious thirteenth-century fortress begun by the Moray family. War interrupted the plans, but the surviving walls still reveal their scale.

The castle changed hands repeatedly during the Wars of Independence. Its broken tower and later Douglas buildings make those turbulent centuries unusually easy to read in stone.

A siege tower at the walls

In 1301 Edward I brought around 6,800 men to Bothwell. His forces hauled a huge siege tower called le berefrey towards the castle. It allowed attackers to reach the battlements, and the garrison surrendered within a month.

Why is part of the tower missing?

Andrew Moray recaptured Bothwell in 1337 and partly dismantled the great donjon. He wanted to prevent English forces from using the castle again. The broken tower is a visible reminder of that decision.

02 / VISUAL JOURNAL

A closer look
at the castle.

Photos by zamki-szkocji.com

10 of 38 photographs

Complete photo list

01 / THE STORY CONTINUES

More stories from this castle.

The Douglases rebuild

In 1362 Joanna Moray married Archibald the Grim. Together they rebuilt Bothwell as a Douglas stronghold. The great hall and chapel brought a more refined side to a castle originally designed to project military power.

03 / MOMENTS IN STONE

Stories worth carrying with you.

1301

A fortress never finished

Edward I captures Bothwell after a major siege. Repeated conflict stopped the Morays from completing their vast original plan.

1337

Le berefrey

Andrew Moray retakes the castle and partly dismantles the donjon. Edward I used a towering siege engine to reach the castle walls in 1301.

1362

A deliberate ruin

Joanna Moray and Archibald the Grim begin the Douglas chapter. The great tower was partly dismantled after its recapture in 1337.

Sources & further reading

08 / EXPLORE NEXT

Law Castle · Ayrshire & ArranAyrshire & ArranLaw Castle Barr Castle · Ayrshire & ArranAyrshire & ArranBarr Castle Auchans Castle · Ayrshire & ArranAyrshire & ArranAuchans Castle

Explore Scotland

Find Scottish castles by region, landscape or the stories that bring them to life.