Lochmaben Castle



Old Lochmaben Castle Motte motte-and-bailey castle was built c.1160 (south of the current castle ruins) by the Bruce family, Lords of Annandale. It is possibly the birthplace of Robert the Bruce, born 1274. Old Lochmaben Motte or Castle Hill is the second green and third tee of Lochmaben Golf Course. It may have been similar to Annan Castle & Motte

Lochmaben Castle is a ruined castle in the town of Lochmaben, the feudal Lordship of Annandale, and the united county of Dumfries and Galloway. According to the Historic Scotland notice board (see photo) it was built by Edward I in AD1298 and later rebuilt during the reign of James IV of Scotland.

About AD1298 King Edward replaced the "Old Lochmaben Castle Motte" with the much sturdier structure at the south end of Castle Loch and its remains still show the massive strength of its defences.

On 4 February 1384/5 Archibald Douglas, Lord of Galloway, with the assistance of the Earls of March and Douglas, after a siege of nine days, took Lochmaben Castle from the English and "razed it to the ground".

The castle and barony became a possession of the Earls of March, but when the 10th Earl was forfeited and then reinstated, in 1409, it is noted that it was "with the exception of the castle of Lochmaben and the Lordship of Annandale".

By July 1455 the castle was in the possession of Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, etc.,(d.1485).

Lochmaben Castle annexed to the Crown
On 1 October 1487, following the death in AD1485 of Alexander Stewart, Duke of Albany, both the Lordship and the castle were annexed to the Crown by Act of Parliament.

On 16 January 1508/9, at Edinburgh, Sir Robert Lauder of The Bass (d.1517/8), knight, was appointed "Captain and Keeper of the King's castle and fort of Lochmaben, with all pertinentes" and other privileges etc., for three years.

In 1605 the Depute Lieutenant of the Borders, Sir William Cranstoun of that Ilk (later 1st Lord Cranstoun), was Keeper of Lochmaben Castle.

Lochmaben Castle remained important and had a turbulent history until some time after the early 17th century by which time it had seen its last siege and was gradually abandoned.