Cupar Castle facts for kids

Cupar Castle was a royal castle at Cupar, Fife, Scotland. No vestiges of the castle remain above ground.

History

The castle was built by the Earls of Fife in the 11th century. King Alexander III's wife Margaret died at the castle on 26 February 1275.

After the castle was surrendered to the English in 1296, King Edward I of England stayed at the castle. In 1306, Scottish forces led by Robert Wishart attacked the English garrison at the castle and besieged it. Wishart was captured by the English at Cupar.

In 1308 the Warden of Cupar Castle, Sir Thomas Grey, was ambushed on his way back from Edward II's coronation by a follower of Robert Bruce, Walter de Bickerton. Although heavily outnumbered, Thomas routed Bickerton's men through the use of cavalry charges and by deceiving his enemy that they were greater in number than they really were.

In May 1336 English forces, led by John de Strivelyn, relieved the English forces occupying the castle after driving away the Scottish forces, led by Sir Andrew Murray, that were besieging the castle. The castle was surrendered by the English constable Sir William Bullock in 1339.

The court of the Stewart of Fife sat at the castle until 1425.