Caerlaverock Castle
29 May 2004
On a rainy day, we explore this unusual and interesting triangular
shaped castle in Scotland.
This unusual Scottish castle was built by the Maxwells after
they had problems with their first castle, in the salt marshes, very close
to the then-edge of Solway Firth. This castle was built in the 1270s. It was
occupied until the civil war in 1640. A siege of this castle in 1300 became
one of the best-documented medaeval operations, because a detailed account
was written by a member of the beseiging army (the author remains unknown,
but the original was written in French).
Although the castle was taken in the seige of 1300, it only
remained in English hands until 1312. Sir Eustace Maxwell obtained remission
of a debt from the English King (the massive sum of £22), then almost immediately
declared for Robert Bruce, King of Scots. The resulting seige was unsuccessful.
In 1329 he switched sides again, as the Maxwell's traditional loyalty was
to the Balliols and not the Bruces, and Edward Balliol was crowned King of
Scotts in 1332.
| |
|
 |
caerlaverock_003.jpg
120.22 Kb
6.72 x 6.44 inches
A seige engine with a bit more power - a huge trebuchet. Note the
two very large cranks used to arm the engine.
|
|
|
| |
 |
caerlaverock_006.jpg
183.68 Kb
8.89 x 6.67 inches
The front wall of the Nithsdale Lodging, which was added to the
castle in 1634 by Robert, first Earl of Nithsdale. The designs over
each window are called tympana, the ones over the ground-floor windows
document heraldic achievements of the Maxwell family; the others
show themes from classic mythology.
|
|
| |
 |
caerlaverock_008.jpg
158.89 Kb
8.89 x 6.67 inches
Looking at Murdock's Tower and the west range from the Nithsdale
Lodging second floor. It is recorded that Murdoch, Duke of Albany,
was confined in this tower in 1425. There are no fireplaces in any
of the tower's rooms, seems to have a purely military use.
|
|
 |
caerlaverock_009.jpg
129.03 Kb
5.00 x 6.67 inches
A picture of what the castle may have looked like around 1290.
|
|
 |
caerlaverock_010.jpg
121.00 Kb
5.00 x 6.67 inches
... and what it may have looked like shortly before being abandoned
in 1640.
|
|
| |
|
 |
caerlaverock_013.jpg
148.45 Kb
8.89 x 6.22 inches
Murdoch's Tower in the foreground, the castle's front to the left.
|
|
 |
caerlaverock_014.jpg
145.85 Kb
8.89 x 6.14 inches
The results of the last seige are clearly evident. That's still
Murdoch's Tower on the left.
|
|
 |
caerlaverock_015.jpg
178.96 Kb
8.89 x 6.67 inches
The first castle. It was built in the 1220s and was only occupied
a short time - only about 50 years. There's some evidence that since
it was built very close to the Firth and its salt marshes, it may
have started sinking into the marshes, or the buildings may have
been collapsing due to the boggy ground.
|
|
|
