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This is a late 1400s Towerhouse built for
James Lindsay. His son, Herbert Lindsay, was
killed at the Battle of
Flodden in north England in 1513. This was
a time when Scotland and France were at war
with England.
This is a typical Scottish Towerhouse
Castle, with four floors. They were designed
for safety during conflict with neighbouring
landowners, with only a small army, not to
withstand a large English army.
Disputes between landowners were common up
to the 1600s & 1700s, when laws made it
clear murdering your neighbour was a criminal
offence, with the chance you could be sentenced
to a gruesome death.
Each landowner had many workers on their
land, that also served as fighting men in
battles for the king, or with their
neighbours.
The main living quareters started from the
first floor up, with the main entrance on the
first floor for safety. Narrow spiral stairways
joined each floor, making it dificult for
attackers to fight their way up.
From the safer times of the 1700s, many of
these Tower Houses were replaced by Mansions,
or had Mansion built onto the side of them.
The daughter of James Lindsay married
Richard Brown, leading to the Castle being in
the hands of the Browns of Carsluith until they
emigrated to India in 1748. The Castle was
abandoned around that time.
Carsluith Castle History
1300s - the lands of Carsluith were owned by
the Cairns of Orcharton, an estate with a
round Castle, 27 miles east of Carsluith.
1460 - James Lindsay of Fairgirth gained
control of Carsluith, leading to the Castle
being built in the late 1400s.
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