Cardoness Castle facts for kids
Cardoness Castle is a cool old tower house from the 1400s. It's located near Gatehouse of Fleet in Scotland. The castle was first owned by the MacCulloch family. They left the castle in the late 1600s after a serious event involving one of their family members, Sir Godfrey McCulloch. Today, Historic Environment Scotland looks after the castle. It is a special protected historical site.
History of Cardoness Castle
The land where Cardoness Castle stands has a long history. Around 1170, a lord named David fitz Teri was given the lands of Anwoth. He built an early type of castle there. Later, in the 1200s, other families were involved with the land. For example, in 1277, Bertram de Kerdennes was part of an important document signed by King Alexander III.
The MacCulloch family became the owners of Cardoness by 1466. They were the ones who built the castle you see today in the late 1400s. This strong stone building was their home and a way to show their power.
In the 1560s, even Queen Elizabeth I of England knew about Cardoness Castle. Her spies reported on it while planning a possible invasion of Scotland. However, that invasion never happened.
Later, in 1622, another family, the Gordons of Ardwall, took over the castle. There were often disagreements and conflicts between the MacCullochs and the Gordons. This led to a very serious event in 1690. Sir Godfrey McCulloch faced severe legal consequences after a dispute with a Gordon family member.
After this, the castle was no longer lived in. It changed hands several times over the years. In 1927, the castle was placed under the care of the state. Since 1928, it has been a scheduled monument, meaning it's a very important historical site. Now, Historic Environment Scotland maintains it, and you can visit it to explore its history!
Images for kids
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Cardoness Castle
