| CathcartSubclade distance 0 Castle | |
|---|---|
 Cathcart Castle from the south-east circa. 1887 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Location | Glasgow |
| Town or city | Cathcart |
| Country | Scotland |
| Completed | Mid 15th century |
| Demolished | 1980 |
Cathcart Castle was a 15th-century castle, located in what is now Linn Park in the Cathcart area of southern Glasgow, Scotland. The castle was abandoned in the 18th century, and the remaining ruins were pulled down in 1980, leaving only foundations visible.
The lands of Cathcart were held by the family of that name from the 12th century. In the mid-15th century, the head of the family was raised to the peerage as Lord Cathcart, and it is believed that the castle was built at around this time. [1] In 1546 the castle passed to the Semple family. It is highly unlikely that Mary, Queen of Scots, would have spent the night before the Battle of Langside (1568) at Cathcart Castle or have watched the battle from a nearby hill called the Court Knowe. The Semples were supporters of Mary's enemies and would have captured her and put an end to her plans before the battle had started. [2] Court Knowe is some 15 m below the height of Langside village, where the battle took place, meaning Mary would not have been able to see what took place. A more likely site would have been Prospecthill, which lies on the line of her army's approach to Langside. [3]
An alternative version of the story has the Queen living with her kinsfolk, the Stuarts of Castlemilk, whose defensive stronghold at the foot of the Cathkin Braes contained a chamber later known as Queen Mary's Room, where Her Majesty supposedly lodged on the night before the Battle of Langside. The ceiling of this room was ornamented with the arms of the Stuart monarchs of Scotland. [4] [5] This is unlikely either, as Mary spent the preceding week at Hamilton, where 6,000 troops gathered. [6]
In 1740 the Semples built Cathcart House, also since demolished, nearby, and moved out of the castle, leaving it to ruin. The newly created 1st Earl Cathcart bought back his ancestral home in 1814, although with the intention of selling off the stone rather than living in it. In 1866 the castle was still standing to five storeys, and was surrounded by outbuildings. [7] The lands around the castle were purchased by Glasgow City Council in 1927, and added to Linn Park. In 1980 the remaining ruins were pronounced dangerous, and were pulled down by the council. The site is now a Scheduled Monument. [8]
The castle was built on the rocky north-east bank of the White Cart Water. It comprised a rectangular tower house, 15.5 by 9 m (51 by 30 ft), of five storeys including a vaulted basement. This was supplemented by a curtain wall, enclosing a small barmkin approximately 22 by 15 m (72 by 49 ft), with the tower at the centre. The curtain wall had round corner towers, and a twin-towered gatehouse to the east. The foundations of the tower house remain to around 1 m (3 ft) high. Earthworks to the west of the castle have been interpreted as the remains of an outer bailey or ringwork. [9]
During archaeological investigations a fragmentary plaster armorial dating from the 1630s with the arms of Bryce Semple and Jean Lauder of Hatton was discovered. This seems to have been part of a fireplace overmantle and ceiling in the hall of the tower. [10]
The Battle of Langside was fought on 13 May 1568 between forces loyal to Mary, Queen of Scots, and forces acting in the name of her infant son James VI. Mary’s short period of personal rule ended in 1567 in recrimination, intrigue, and disaster when, after her capture at Carberry Hill, she was forced to abdicate in favour of James VI. Mary was imprisoned in Lochleven Castle, while her Protestant half-brother, James Stewart, Earl of Moray, was appointed Regent on behalf of his nephew. In early May 1568 Mary escaped, heading west to the country of the Hamiltons, high among her remaining supporters, and the safety of Dumbarton Castle with the determination to restore her rights as queen. Mary was defeated and went into exile and captivity in England. The battle is generally considered the start of the Marian civil war.
Cathcart is an area of Glasgow between Battlefield, Mount Florida, King's Park, Muirend and Newlands. The White Cart Water flows through Cathcart, downstream from Linn Park. In 2014, it was rated one of the most attractive postcode areas to live in Scotland.
Lochwinnoch is a village in the council area and historic county of Renfrewshire in the west central Lowlands of Scotland. Lying on the banks of Castle Semple Loch and the River Calder, Lochwinnoch is chiefly a residential dormitory village serving nearby urban centres such as Glasgow and Paisley. Its population in 2001 was 2628 and in 2022 was 2769.
Lochleven Castle is a ruined castle on an island in Loch Leven, in the Perth and Kinross local authority area of Scotland. Possibly built around 1300, the castle was the site of military action during the Wars of Scottish Independence (1296–1357). In the latter part of the 14th century, the castle was granted to William Douglas, 1st Earl of Douglas, by his uncle. It remained in the Douglases' hands for the next 300 years. Mary, Queen of Scots, was imprisoned there in 1567–68, and forced to abdicate as queen, before escaping with the help of her gaoler's family. In 1588, the queen's gaoler inherited the title of Earl of Morton, and moved away from the castle. In 1675, Sir William Bruce, an architect, bought the castle and used it as a focal point for his garden; it was never again used as a residence.
Shawlands is a Southside suburb of Glasgow, Scotland, located two miles south of the River Clyde. The area, considered the "Heart of the Southside", is known for its independent restaurants and cafés, art scene, public parks, period terraces, and red and blond sandstone tenements. Shawlands was named one of the best places to live in Scotland in 2022 and 2023 by The Sunday Times, and one of the world's coolest neighbourhoods by Time Out Magazine with judges describing it as "the city's best area to live and socialise”. It is located between Pollok Country Park – the home of the Burrell Collection and Pollok House – and the acclaimed Victorian park Queen's Park.
Queen's Park is a park situated on the south side of the city of Glasgow, Scotland, between Strathbungo, Shawlands, Battlefield, Mount Florida, and Crosshill The 60-hectare (148-acre) park lies about 2+1⁄2 miles (4 km) south of the city centre, and gives its name to a nearby railway station and several other local businesses and institutions, including the football team Queen's Park F.C.
Craigmillar Castle is a ruined medieval castle in Edinburgh, Scotland. It is three miles (4.8 km) south-east of the city centre, on a low hill to the south of the modern suburb of Craigmillar. The Preston family of Craigmillar, the local feudal barons, began building the castle in the late 14th century and building works continued through the 15th and 16th centuries. In 1660, the castle was sold to Sir John Gilmour, Lord President of the Court of Session, who breathed new life into the ageing castle. The Gilmours left Craigmillar in the 18th century for a more modern residence, nearby Inch House, and the castle fell into ruin. It is now in the care of Historic Environment Scotland as a scheduled monument, and is open to the public.
Dumbarton Castle has the longest recorded history of any stronghold in Scotland. It sits on a volcanic plug of basalt known as Dumbarton Rock which is 240 feet (73 m) high and overlooks the Scottish town of Dumbarton.
Mount Florida is an area in the south-east of the city of Glasgow, Scotland.
Crossmyloof is an area on the south side of Glasgow situated between the districts of Pollokshields, Strathbungo and Shawlands in Scotland.
Battlefield is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde. The area takes its name from the Battle of Langside of 1568 in which Mary, Queen of Scots' army was defeated by forces acting in the name of her infant son, James VI. A highly decorative monument, designed by Alexander Skirving in 1887, now stands adjacent to Queen's Park commemorating the 320th anniversary of her defeat.
Crosshill is an area of Glasgow, Scotland. It is situated south of the River Clyde. It was an independent police burgh from 1871 to 1891 before being annexed by the City of Glasgow.
Langside is a district in the Scottish city of Glasgow. It is situated south of the River Clyde, and lies east of Shawlands, south of Queens Park, west of Cathcart and north of Newlands. The district is residential and primarily middle-class, and has become an increasingly fashionable address in recent years. Housing stock is mainly of the Victorian tenement type, along with some townhouses of the same period.
Haggs Castle is a 16th-century tower house, located in the neighbourhood of Pollokshields, in Glasgow, Scotland. The richly decorated building was restored in the 19th century, and today is once more occupied as a residence.
Clan Cathcart is a Lowland Scottish clan.
Linn Park is an 82-hectare (200-acre) park in Glasgow, Scotland, surrounded by the suburbs of Cathcart, Muirend, Simshill, and Castlemilk, also bordering Netherlee in East Renfrewshire. It is Glasgow's third largest park, after Pollok Country Park and Dams to Darnley Country Park, although Dams to Darnley is half in East Renfrewshire. Both Linn and Pollok parks have the White Cart Water flowing through them. Some areas in the park are unsuitable for prams and the infirm.
Auchenbathie, Auchinbathie Tower or rarely Barcraigs Tower is a ruined fortification, a tower house, once held by the Wallace Clan of Elderslie, situated in Renfrewshire, Parish of Lochwinnoch, Scotland. The spelling used varies greatly and "Auchenbathie" will be used here as the standard spelling. The pronunciation locally is "Auchenbothy", the same as a Victorian mansion in Kilmacolm; no connection is known.
The lands of Elliston, previously Elliotston or Eliotstoun or Elliestoun in the Parish of Lochwinnoch were part of the holdings of the Barony of Elliston, later a part of the Castle Semple barony and estates. The ruins of the castle lie a short distance from Howwood in Renfrewshire in a private garden on a minor road between the A737 and the B776. The name may have derived from earlier holders of the lands, however the Sempill family held them since at least 1220. The castle was abandoned circa 1550 when John Sempill, 1st Lord Sempill moved to a new castle at Castleton which he renamed Castle Semple.
The ruins of the five storey high 15th century Carleton Castle lie in a prominent position above the village of Lendalfoot located on Carleton Bay, parish of Colmonell in the old district of Carrick, now South Ayrshire, about 6 miles south of Girvan, Scotland.
Alan Cathcart, 4th Lord Cathcart was a Scottish peer and military officer.