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Cardoness Castle is in Galloway southwest
Scotland, 41 miles east of Stranraer, 32
miles west of Dumfries, just off the main A75 road
at the west entrance to Gatehouse
of Fleet, built from the 1400s for the
MaCulloch's.
The Castle and visitor centre have a small
fee to enter, open from 1st April to 30th
September, 9.30 to 5.30. You can tour the
Castle rooms and take in the great views from
the top. Postcode: DG7 2EH
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This is a late 1400s Towerhouse Castle built
for the MaCulloch's, famous in the area for
feuds with neighbouring landowners.
These small Towerhouse Castles were designed
for safety during conflict with neighbouring
landowners, that would only have a small army,
not to withstand an attack by a large English
army.
These disputes were common up to the 1600s,
until people realized new laws were being
enforced, that meant murdering your neighbour
could lead to you being sentenced to a gruesome
death.
Alexander MacCulloch shot and killed a
neighbour in 1668, leading to him being
executed on 'The Maiden', a Guillotine in
Edinburgh in 1669. Such executions helped make
Scotland a safer place, leading to Mansions
being built instead of Castles.
The Maiden can be
seen in the National Museum of
Scotland in Edinburgh. Over 150 people were
executed on the Maiden between 1564 and
1710.
Cardoness Castle History
1470s - MacCulloch's take control of these
lands and build Cardoness Castle. MacCulloch's
were known landowners in Galloway from 1296, as
one was listed on the Ragman Rolls when Edward
I of England took control of Scotland.
1500 - James MacCulloch dies, he was known
for many disputes with neighbour's over
land.
1513 - Alexander MacCulloch died at the
Battle of
Flodden in northeast England, a time when
Scotland and France were at war with
England.
1530s - another Alexander MacCulloch leads a
series of raids on the Isle of Man. These raids
were retaliation for them attacking Galloway,
leading to MacCulloch bringing back many
valuables.
1600s - the MacCulloch's hit hard times,
borrowing large amounts of money.
1628 - John Gordon took ownership of
Cardoness land, leading to a long running
dispute between the Gordon's and
MacCulloch's.
1668 - Alexander MacCulloch dragged John
Gordon's elderly sick widow out of her house
and threw her onto a dung hill to die.
1690 - Sir Godfrey MacCulloch shot and
killed William Gordon, John Gordon's son.
Godfrey MacCulloch fled to France to escape
prosecution.
1697 - Godfrey MacCulloch was arrested in
Edinburgh and beheaded on the Maiden
guillotine.
1752 - Captain John Maxwell inherited
Cardoness Castle. The Castle had a number of
owners from this time and fell into ruin.
1927 - Cardoness Castle was taken over by
Historic Environment Scotland. It was partially
restored and opened to the public as a visitor
attraction.
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