Broughty Castle facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Siege of Broughty Castle
Part of Anglo-Scottish Wars Rough Wooing
Broughty Castle
Date 1547–1550 Location Broughty Ferry, Dundee, Scotland Result Scottish/French victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Scotland Kingdom of France	Kingdom of England
Commanders and leaders
Earl of Arran Earl of Argyll James Doig of Dunrobin Paul de Thermes Henri Cleutin	Sir Andrew Dudley Sir John Luttrell
Strength
unknown	300 (at final assault) 5 warships
Casualties and losses
50 (final assault)	Unknown

Broughty Castle is a historic castle located on the banks of the River Tay. You can find it in Broughty Ferry, a town near Dundee, Scotland. The castle was mostly finished around 1495. However, people had been building defenses on this spot since 1454. Andrew, 2nd Lord Gray, who got the castle in 1490, built its main four-story tower.

History of Broughty Castle

The Rough Wooing Conflict

Broughty Castle and the River Tay

Broughty Castle saw a lot of fighting in the 1500s. This was during a time called the War of the Rough Wooing. This war was when England tried to force Scotland to agree to a marriage between their young rulers.

After a big battle in September 1547, the castle's owner, Lord Gray, sold it to the English. The English commander, the Duke of Somerset, understood how important the castle was. An English writer, William Patten, said that if England held Broughty Castle, they could control the River Tay. This would affect cities like Dundee and Perth.

The castle's location was very strong. The fast river current made it hard for ships to attack it. The English quickly added more defenses, like a ditch on the land side. Sir Andrew Dudley was the first English commander there. He found his soldiers were "given all to eating and drinking and slothfulness." But he noted, "the house stands well."

The Scottish Earl of Argyll tried to take the castle back in November 1547 and again in January 1548. But he was not successful. The English kept bringing in more weapons and workers to make the castle stronger. They even planned to build a larger fort in Dundee.

Later, John Luttrell took over as commander. He also worked on building new defenses nearby. However, he found that the new walls made of turf were not strong enough. In December 1548, Lord Gray, who had sold the castle, was questioned for his actions against Scotland. He was eventually forgiven.

In February 1549, Spanish soldiers joined Luttrell's forces. But Luttrell complained that they weren't getting paid or given clothes.

Finally, in February 1550, the French and Scottish forces managed to recapture Broughty Castle. Mary of Guise, the Queen Regent of Scotland, watched the attack. Paul de Thermes led the French troops. The English soldiers surrendered a few days later. Luttrell was captured and later released after a ransom was paid.

Later Military Uses

The castle was attacked again in 1651 by General Monck during the Wars of the Three Kingdoms. This time, the defenders left without a fight. After 1666, the castle was sold and slowly fell into ruin.

In 1846, a railway company bought the castle. They wanted to build a harbor for their railway ferry. Then, in 1855, the War Office took over the castle. They planned to use it to defend the harbor from possible Russian attacks.

By 1860, fears of a French invasion led the War Office to rebuild the castle. They added new walls, wings, and gun positions. During the First World War, the castle had two large guns. From 1886 to 1887, a building was added for "submarine miners." These soldiers would place mines in the Tay Estuary to stop enemy ships. The castle remained a military site until 1932, and again from 1939 to 1949.

Broughty Castle Today

In 1969, Broughty Castle opened as a museum. It is run by Dundee city council. The museum is free to visit. However, it has a steep spiral staircase, which can make it hard for some visitors.

The castle is now a scheduled ancient monument. This means it is a nationally important historic site.

Images for kids

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  Broughty Castle

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  Broughty Castle Courtyard

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  Broughty Castle beach

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  The Castle from a different view