Clan Stewart, having been the royal family for centuries, are associated with so many castles in Scotland that it was impossible to list them all. We've picked the most fascinating and we can’t wait to share them with you! Keep reading to discover the castles of Clan Stewart.
Edinburgh Castle
Perhaps the most well known castle in Scotland (and for good reason), Edinburgh Castle has been the residence of Kings and Queens for centuries.
Queen Margaret, later Saint Margaret, died on the site in 1093. St Margaret’s chapel, built by her son, King David I, is Edinburgh’s oldest building and is still in use today.
Even though Holyrood Palace ended up being the primary residence of the royals, Edinburgh Castle was once both the centre of the city and the centre of the most significant people and events in Scotland. Some of the very most famous Stewarts have history with Edinburgh Castle. Mary Queen of Scots actually gave birth to James VI there in 1566 and Bonnie Prince Charlie, albeit unsuccessfully, attempted to capture the castle during the Jacobite Uprising of 1745. We are absolutely fascinated with Edinburgh Castle and its rich history with this clan and we love being located so close to it -- next time you’re in for a visit to Edinburgh, be sure to check out the castle and then head over to our shop for a wee look about. We’d love to see you!
Invergarry Castle
This castle was built in the 17th century, so as far as Scottish castles go, it’s rather “modern”. It has a strong association with the MacDonnell’s, but despite this, Invergarry is a very important castle for Clan Stewart. This is because it was a popular location for Prince Charles Edward Stuart both just prior to and following his grave defeat at Culloden. It is said that in August of 1745, the Bonnie Prince arrived at Invergarry Castle to be counseled by the Duke of Atholl to march south to Edinburgh. He raised the men of Atholl and Appin, the latter having been led by Charles Stewart of Ardsheal, a famed Jacobite leader of the Stewart’s at the Battle of Culloden. After his escape from Culloden, Charles Stuart returned to Invergarry for a short time. Unfortunately, the castle was burned and destroyed by the Government army who were in hot pursuit of the Prince and to this day, it remains a ruin.
Castle Stuart
Castle Stuart was one of the keeps of the Earl of Moray, the 1st of which being James Stewart, the half-brother of Mary, Queen of Scots. It was to James that these lands were granted by Mary Stuart. Mary’s upbringing in the French court explains this castle using the French spelling - Stuart. The castle wasn’t finished until 1625 as the first 2 Earls of Moray were murdered - which, let’s be honest, is a good excuse for an unfinished castle. Actually, after the mid 17th century, the castle was unused and unrestored for a whopping 300 years! Clearly, this castle is undeniably linked to the clan, even just in name. Today, it has strong associations with golf, holding a course that hosted the Scottish Open in 2011, 2012, 2013, and 2016. Even though it is no longer home to the siblings of Mary, Queen of Scots, even you could have a stay in the luxury hotel that occupies the castle today.
Stirling Castle
Stirling Castle needs no introduction, with its vast history with so many clans and famous Scottish figures. This was certainly a great favourite of many of the Stuart monarchs. James IV and V both worked on updating the castle in an attempt to make it one of the strongest and most beautiful castles of its time. Mary Stuart was also crowned in the Royal Chapel of Stirling and spent a lot of her childhood at the castle prior to relocating to France. Recently, the castle underwent a refurbishment project and as a result, visitors can experience Stirling closer to how Mary, Queen of Scots would have experienced it in the 16th century -- definitely on my list for my next trip!
Doune Castle
Doune is one of the older castles on this list, having been built sometime in the 13th century. It was damaged during the Scottish Wars of Independence, but was rebuilt in the 14th century by the Duke of Albany, Robert Stewart. For him, it was a stronghold, and today it can be seen as mostly unchanged from its Medieval version. This castle was occupied for various lengths of time by many noble and royal Stewarts. It also played a role in the Gowrie conspiracy related to James VI. This wasn’t the extent of the Doune drama, however. Following the infamous ‘45 Rebellion, the castle was actually used as a Jacobite prison and of the castle, Sir Walter Scott in his novel Waverly wrote that it was a “gloomy yet picturesque structure”, with its “half-ruined turrets”.
There we have it, folks. Did we choose your favourite Stewart castle?
