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Cawdor Castle, Scottish Highlands
Location: Nairn, Scotland, IV12 5RD (map and directions)
Set in the parish of Cawdor, Cawdor Castle lies 10 miles east of Inverness and 5 miles southwest
of Nairn. This 14th century tower house belonged to Clan Calder and continues to serve as the
home of the Cawdor family. 
Cawdor Castle © David Plotzki
History of Cawdor CastleCawdor Castle is most often associated with Shakespeare’s tragedy, Macbeth, as the lead
character is named Thane of Cawdor. The castle was built years after the events of the play, and
so this association is based in fantasy only.
For many years it was thought that the castle was built around the year 1454. However, despite
muddy historical accounts, it is now thought that the castle was built as early as the mid-1300s.
An older, crumbling Cawdor Castle needed replacing, and William, 3rd Thane of Cawdor, set out
to find a replacement location to re-construct Cawdor. William rode his donkey through the nearby
countryside, and directly at the spot where the donkey laid its head to rest is where Cawdor was
built. This spot lied was under a holly tree, and Cawdor was constructed around this tree. Results
of testing conclusively indicate that the holly tree died in 1372, suggesting that the castle was first
built before that date. Ironically, it may have been a starvation of sunlight due to the construction of
Cawdor around the castle which eventually killed the holly tree.
This original structure would have just been a large four-storey tower, or keep. The castle
was expanded several times throughout history, mainly in the 17th and 19th centuries.

Cawdor Castle © Kathi Overton
Clan Campbell obtained control of Cawdor Castle in 1511 when the (12 year-old) daughter of the
8th Thane of Cawdor was made to marry John, the son of Archibald Campbell, the 2nd Earl of
Argyll.
In the 17th century, Sir Hugh Campbell, the 15th Thane, declared support for the Jacobites. This
position caused the family to leave their estates for nearly a century. Upon their return, Cawdor
remained as they had left it, and no 18th modernisation was undertaken in the same way that other
castles fashionably re-modelled during that era.
The gardens at Cawdor Castle include a Walled Garden, originally built in the 17th century, a
Flower Garden, built in the 18th century and a Wild Garden, built in the 1960s.
Cawdor Castle is open daily to the public from 10am – 5:30pm from 1 May to early October each
year. Visitors to Cawdor Castle have access to reception and living rooms, bedrooms, the Thorn Tree
Room and the dungeon.
View Cawdor Castle in a larger map
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Other castles in Scottish Highlands
Achnacarry Castle
Ackergill Tower
Ardtornish Castle
Ardvreck Castle
Armadale Castle
Auchindoun Castle
Balconie Castle
Ballindalloch Castle
Balnagowan Castle
Balvenie Castle
Brodie Castle
Caisteal Maol
Carbisdale Castle
Cawdor Castle
Dornoch Castle
Duffus Castle
Dunbeath Castle
Dunrobin Castle
Duntulm Castle
Dunvegan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle
Foulis Castle
Gordon Castle
Castle Grant
Inverlochy Castle
Inverness Castle
Kilravock Castle
Kinloch Castle
Knock Castle
Castle Leod
Castle of Mey
Mingary Castle
Moniack Castle
Newmore Castle
Castle of Old Wick
Sinclair and Girnigoe Castle
Skelbo Castle
Skibo Castle
Spynie Castle
Strome Castle
Teaninich Castle
Castle Tioram
Tongue House
Tulloch Castle
Urquhart Castle
Varrich Castle
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