Scottish Castles

Local information

Castles in Stirlingshire

• Wedding castles in Stirlingshire

The town of Stirling is historically known as the ‘Gateway to the Highlands’, and currently as the smallest city in Scotland. The city is nestled up to the fortress known as Stirling Castle, one of the largest and most important castles in Scotland. Sitting atop Castle Hill, several Scottish kings and queens have been crowned here, including Mary Queen of Scots, making this Historic Scotland property a major tourist attraction.

Just outside Stirling sits the Alloa Tower, in Alloa. The tower is the surviving part of the medieval residence of Clan Erskine, dating from the 14th century and currently managed by National Trust for Scotland. Nearby Clackmannan Tower is a five-storey tower house at the summit of King's Seat Hill in Clackmannan built in the 1300s by King David II and sold to Robert Bruce in 1359.

Lord's Hall at Doune Castle © Otter

Six miles from Clackmannan Tower is Menstrie Castle, which, from the early 1600s, was home to Sir William Alexander, 1st Earl of Stirling, later owned by the Holborne family and now, restored, it is used as holiday accommodation, private flats and a museum/cafe run by the National Trust for Scotland. Quite literally up the road is Broomhall Castle, originally built in 1874, now used as a hotel.

The Historic Scotland property of Castle Campbell sits roughly ten miles east outside of Stirling, in the town of Dollar and is a medieval castle which was the seat of the Dukes of Argyll, chiefs of Clan Campbell, though originally property of Clan Stuart.

Heading northwest 17 miles from Castle Campbell is Doune Castle, a 14th century castle near the village of Doune which has survived relatively unchanged since being built. In 1425 Doune Castle was passed onto the crown and is now maintained by Historic Scotland. 22 miles north of Duone Castle is Edinample Castle, a 16th century castle which is now a private home on the southern shores of near Balquhidder and built by 'Black' Duncan Campbell of Clan Campbell.

Stirling Castle © Janfrie1988

Near Loch Lomond is Buchanan Castle, which serves as the seat of Clan Graham, located west of the village of Drymen. The original structure was the seat of Clan Buchanan, but ownership changed hands after it burned in 1852 and it was rebuilt. It is now in the hands of National Trust for Scotland. 12 miles east past Fintry is the Culcreuch Castle (Hotel) which was the home of the Barons of Culcreuch and originally the clan seat of Clan Galbraigth. The stronghold of Clan Graham was Mugdock Castle, the ruins of which are located in Mugdock County Park, north of Glasgow.

Stirlingshire castles