Abercorn Castle

Castle in West Lothian, Scotland

55°59′52″N 3°28′19″W / 55.997716°N 3.472059°W / 55.997716; -3.472059Built12th centuryDemolished1455

Scheduled monument

Official nameAbercorn Castle, remains ofTypeSecular: castleDesignated27 November 1998Reference no.SM7869

Abercorn Castle was a 12th-century castle near Abercorn in West Lothian, Scotland.

History

The castle was in the possession of William de Avenel in the mid-12th century, before passing to the Clan Graham by marriage and was then passed to the Clan Douglas by marriage.^[1]^: 18^[2]

It was held by the Douglas family from 1400, and James Douglas, 7th Earl of Douglas died in the castle in 1443.^[3]^[4]

On 18 April 1455, the castle was captured and destroyed by King James II of Scotland, after a siege against James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas who had lost the support of James Hamilton, 1st Lord Hamilton. Many of the senior members of garrison were hung and the lands passed to Clan Seton.^[3]^[5]

Parts of the castle are thought to have been re-used in the 15th or 16th century.^[6]

Current status

The site is now found within the grounds of Hopetoun House.^[7] It was excavated in 1963.

The site became a Scheduled Monument on 27 November 1998.^[8]

References

^ Coventry, Martin (2008). Castles of the clans : the strongholds and seats of 750 Scottish families and clans. Musselburgh, Scotland: Goblinshead. ISBN 978-1899874361.
^ "Abercorn Castle (site of) | Castle in Abercorn, West Lothian | Stravaiging around Scotland". www.stravaiging.com.
^ ^a ^b "Abercorn Castle". www.douglashistory.co.uk. The Douglas Archives.
^ Coventry, Martin (1997). The Castles of Scotland (2nd ed.). Edinburgh: Goblinshead. p. 47. ISBN 1899874100.
^ "Siege Abercorn Castle | Scottish Castles Association". scottishcastlesassociation.com.
^ Martin Coventry. "Abercorn Castle". www.thecastlesofscotland.co.uk.
^ Simon Forder. "Abercorn Castle". The Castle Guy.
^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Details from database (SM7869)".