Auchterhouse Castle

Auchterhouse Castle stands in rolling farmland northwest of Dundee, Angus. Built in the 13th century, it once had high stone walls, corner towers and a central keep. The Ramsay family, who held the hereditary shrievalty of Angus, may have owned the stronghold. Tradition claims Sir William Wallace stayed there, and one tower still bears his name. In July 1303 King Edward I of England slept inside the castle during his campaign in Scotland. Later the 17th-century tower house was added by James Erskine, seventh Earl of Buchan. The castle is worth the journey for anyone interested in medieval power and legend. Its long ownership by the sheriffs of Angus links it to the heart of local government for centuries. The brief sojourn of King Edward I shows how the fortress played a part in national history. The surviving tower named for Wallace offers a direct link to Scotland’s most famous patriot. The later 17th-century work by the Earl of Buchan adds another layer of architectural history. Visitors today find grass-grown foundations and the tall 17th-century tower still standing. The tower’s walls rise above the surrounding fields, giving wide views over Strathmore. Inside the tower house are simple stone rooms and narrow staircases lit by small windows. Outside, the low earthworks mark where the original curtain wall once ran. The quiet countryside around the castle makes it easy to imagine the comings and goings of knights and kings.